Oyewole Lawal
'Tamas' (Darkness)
Your mental health is very important and has a big role to play in your life as a whole. This project was done after my experience of depression a dark place where no answers to lots of questions I had to run to different substances for help to either make me forget my worries or made me get high to empower my strength towards creating art, but it got to a stage these substances weren’t helping any more thoughts of suicidal came to my mind at this period, however, I was lucky enough to draw a line which made me approach rehab center, took religion as a coping mechanism and also a psychologist to get aid.
In creating this work, I had to lock myself up for seven days to speak to my soul and see how I can pour out my experience which was why I thought of isolating myself to create this project reflecting the phase in life where everything seems to be dim, no answers to why I am alive, and it feels like you are overwhelmed with lots of activities… anxiety come to play and you fill useless….
My advice to people out there facing this same feeling is Life runs. It will keep running but when you start thinking about yourself, stop comparing yourself, take a break when it feels things are not going the way they should or when you are overwhelmed, believe in yourself even when you are down, and take things a step at a time.