The Scarf of Acceptance

If we could visualize mental illness, what would it look like?

We invited people to get involved by knitting a piece of a large scarf, following our color-coded scheme, in which each color corresponds to a specific mental illness. The idea was to knit in the color of a mental state/condition which one has experienced – whether personally or through the experiences of a loved one; now or in the past.

120 people accepted our invitation. We received single-color pieces and multi-color pieces, small segments, and whole scarves. Some were accompanied by heartfelt messages that grabbed us by our throats so we decided to display them as well. All knitted parts were assembled anonymously in our 60-meter-long art installation Тhe Scarf of Acceptance. The scarf is a kind of infographic about the frequency of different types of mental problems in society, but also a strong symbol of protection, acceptance, and an embrace, which everyone going through mental suffering needs.

Why this project, why now

The topic of mental health is important for any society. According to the World Health Organization, depression is one of the leading causes of disability. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among people between the ages of 15 and 29. Despite progress in some countries, people with mental illness often experience severe violations of their rights, discrimination, and stigma.

Currently, this topic is very relevant in the context of the COVID-19 crisis. The ongoing pandemic has provoked various psychological reactions, as well as exacerbated the mental illnesses of people suffering from such conditions, including depression and anxiety disorders. This is also visible in our project – the main colors we received were blue, orange and brown, respectively for depression, anxiety and burnout. Children are also currently suffering from increased anxiety due to the disruption of their rhythm of life and social isolation. This situation impacts mental health and could trigger mental illness, especially among adolescents and young people, whose access to their natural environment and support network is limited.

Taking into account these trends, we want to raise the issue of mental health through the prism of socially engaged art and create access to a safe and receptive environment for dialogue on a topic that is highly stigmatized in Bulgaria.

Team and partners

The exhibition is a project by the global creative studio for social impact Fine Acts, together with Dr. Boyana Petkova, a doctor and activist, and Yana Lozeva, a photographer. Partners: Credo Bonum Gallery, “Ima nachin” Foundation, “Ida” Foundation, Kanaal, Venelin Shurelov. Installation implementation: Nikoleta Aleksieva.