“Mindscapes” explores changing views of mental health and treatment

The exhibit “Mindscapes: Stories of Mental Health through Yale Collections” draws on the extensive archival and visual art collections of the Harvey Cushing/John Jay Whitney Medical Library. Through prints, drawings, objects, books, and other materials—spanning the 18th to 20th centuries—the exhibit traces the evolution of ideas about mental health issues and care. The exhibition also explores the topic’s significance in the history of Yale School of Medicine (YSM), which continues to play a significant role in mental health research and treatment.

“Mindscapes” was co-curated by Melissa Grafe, Head of the Medical Historical Library, and Laura Phillips, Curator for the Visual Arts. The exhibition is part of a Yale effort to highlight mental health through collections across institutions and in collaboration with members of the campus community.

The community art exhibition, “Mindful: Exploring Mental Health through Art,” sponsored by the YSM Program for Art in Public Spaces, features artwork by students, faculty, and staff and will be on display in the foyer of the Medical Library into January. 

Read more in the article by Mike Cummings in “Yale News.”

—Deborah Cannarella

Image: James Wayne Seese, “The Crack-Up,” watercolor, 1946. Cushing/Whitney Medical Library