Patients, Paintings and Protest: A candid mental health exhibition in south London

"A wide-ranging exhibition of works from textiles to photos to paintings, all share one common link - they're all by people who have struggled with their mental health. The collection, on display at the Bethlem Museum of the Mind, shows very individual responses to hospital treatments, through to how social connections have helped people outside the hospital. The exhibition is peppered with scenes of gatherings, both spontaneous and organised, joyful and sorrowful."

"It also features the polar opposite - images of isolation when people feel abandoned by society. Some of the portraits are quite striking, such as Benji Reid's award-winning self-portrait, showing how his daughter keeps him connected to his family. Elsewhere, grim photos of care institutions contrast with interpretive paintings of the sale, opening with a cry to stop treating someone by just shoving pills at them."

"Patients' views also appear in the local Bethlem newspaper, written by and for patients, even if the July 1973 edition on display opens with a criticism of fellow residents for not participating in group activities. That's the sort of opening page that has me leaving organisations when they moan that their members aren't sufficiently grateful for their efforts. The exhibition is free to visit at the Bethlem Museum of the Mind and open until 27th June 2026."

The exhibition presents a diverse range of works—textiles, photographs and paintings—created by people who have experienced mental ill-health. The works document individual responses to hospital treatment and the role of social connections outside hospital. Visual themes include communal gatherings, celebrations and mourning, contrasted with images of isolation and abandonment. Notable pieces include Benji Reid's award-winning self-portrait depicting familial connection and stark photographs of care institutions contrasted with interpretive paintings protesting pill-focused treatment. Patient voice appears in a local Bethlem newspaper from July 1973. The museum is housed in the 1930s administration building at Bethlem Royal Hospital and is free to visit.

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