Mood States

Mood States has been exhibited at, among other places, the Royal College of Psychiatrists and The Museum of the Mind. We now welcome this fascinating collection to Glenside Hospital Museum.

Featuring a dozen head sculptures, each representing different mood states, the collection offers a physical manifestation of the mind's inner workings, assuring viewers they are not alone in their darkest thoughts.

London-based artist Annabel Merrett realised during a period of recovery that she had been a 'shadow artist', hovering around artists without confronting her own creativity. Stepping forward, Merrett began painting, later attending art school to learn sculpting.

Based on observations and experiences of mental ill health, her work aims to present this charged topic digestibly, striving to produce compelling, even pleasing art that mirrors life.

Fascinated by the brain's workings, she explores how our unconscious mind motivates our behaviour, often compelling us to return, repeat, and do the very thing we wish to avoid and fear.

Merrett's work is also based on neuro-scientific insights from MRI scans and psychological studies. This research fuels her art, addressing mental health prejudices and reflecting on a society that often confuses the unwell with the 'just' unhappy.