Artist breaks down mental health stigma

Australind artist Alex Mickle is using art as a catalyst to change the way people look at mental health in regional communities.

A two-year partnership between Rio Tinto and Disability in the Arts, Disadvantage in the Arts Australia WA is getting West Australian artists to work with five communities to build their own unique works of art.

The aim of the FIVE Project is to reduce social isolation and the stigma surrounding mental health.

Mr Mickle is working in Paraburdoo with workers at the Rio Tinto mine site to construct a large-scale sculpture out of metal pieces through a process called blast forming.

“Blast forming is a largely unknown steel fabrication process whereby steel is shaped and pushed into particular forms by harnessing the pressure-wave produced from an explosive charge, ” Mr Mickle said.

Given the raft of health and safety standards to comply with, he was shocked Rio Tinto was letting him undertake the sculpture project.

“For me as a sculptor this is a unique opportunity to push the boundaries of the way I work, ” he said.

“To be able to access equipment and the vast knowledge base of a company such as this is no small thing for an artist.”

Mr Mickle said he was overwhelmed by the support for the project within the community and from all sections of the mine.

“In some ways the artwork is a by-product – it is the process surrounding it that is important, ” he said.

“It is about improving communication, connection and wellbeing in a town that is socially isolated with little access to arts and cultural activity.”