What does it mean to you?

Below are responses shared by 2023 exhibitors, visitors and planners.

This exhibition continues to be one of the most important events of the year.

The work is powerful, beautiful, moving, important, raw revolutionary!

Accessible

Fabulous!

Thank you all!

For months I’ve been numb to protect myself but art and OOSOOM artists have started a revolution inside me.
I hurt but it’s so good to feel again.
Onwards and upwards.
La Lutta Continua!
P.s. love seeing work that’s real and angry and loving and not ‘there, there, dear!’

I’ve been coming to this exhibition for a few years and it’s always a interesting and thought provoking…but…this year it just got better - some beautiful drawing and painting; creative needlework, film, sculpture, … the artists here made me feel some of their emotions, made me smile, made me think. All in a previous venue.
Thank you everyone involved.

Art is for Everyone.

Challenge. 

Growth.

I never give myself time to think about my mental health (it's scary).

I like this exhibition.

I like thinking about mental health of others, and mine, but through art. 

It feels easier and more comfortable. Safer.

Thanks :)

This has been marvelous.

I am organising an exhibition soon and it has given me so many thoughts and ideas. Loved the interacting.

Amazing find, thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

🙂

Valuing people's contribution, including staff, volunteers, artists and visitors - from how it's been organised and run, displaying the artwork in a thoughtful and professional way, to having fidget toys available. Treating all people taking part in this with respect makes inclusiveness and diversity not just catch phrases but a real experience, that makes all of our lives better, richer, more meaningful.

OOSOOM was a celebration and reflection of the wonder of neurodiversity. It was a welcoming space, from submission to our group visit. Descriptions of the art pieces although potentially triggering allowed for a window into the journey of others and it felt safe to explore our thoughts. Thank you for a fabulously organised and supported event.

Great and skilled works of art, thank you. 🙂

Marilyn would be proud!

As the P.A. (Personal Assistant) For one artist here, I’m very proud to have helped manifest her work/vision and it be exhibited amongst so many wonderful pieces.

Inspiring.

Such beautiful and honest depictions of the human experience.

Thank you to everyone who contributed.

It's given me a moment to pause, breathe and reflect.

This has been a great and inspiring art journey and as a director of an arts therapy group online, I felt a great sense of common share purpose with all the art creators.

Everyone has had to overcome a lot of "'background noise" in society to get to what is really important and meaningful for them.

Everything.

Great exhibition!

Thought provoking.

Makes it easier to understand that sometimes things are not what it seems.

We never know what people are going through.

BE KIND!!

That's a good start for a social REVOLUTION.

🙂

A reminder of the healing powers of art.

I'm inspired!

Connection.

Love.

VISIBILITY

BELONGING

UNIVERSAL THEMES

HUMANITY

OOSOOM is a wonderful opportunity!

I love the atmosphere, the creativity and the chance to take part.

Always interesting and innovative, powerful and moving.

I especially appreciate what OOSOOM can show about difficultt subjects and wide ranging emotions, pain and joy. The shared insights and gentle connections are precious too. Most of all our honesty, when possible.

It cheered me up and made my heart glad. People that feel and think and bring beauty and meaning. That is beautiful. So many brilliant artworks. Nicely displayed. Felt held in a caring environment.

Very worthwhile exhibition.

Found the artists statements to be so useful.

It is good to see works by those who are in pain, in sorrow, in stress, though none the less press on.

It is a way of communicating not through spoken words. It is more satisfying in a way it transcends language.

Hope. The exhibition shows people care and help each other. That matters.

It gives hope.

The thing that strikes me most from the very beginning is the availability of stim toys, ear defenders, and coloured sheets for neurodiverse visitors. It means a lot to me as a neurodivergent person, that we can authentically be ourselves in spaces like these, after decades of exclusion and being forced to fit in in my personal life.

Having an exhibition that peers into the minds of people who have experienced mental health issues and allows them to tell their story is refreshing, in contrast to the media narrative that stigmatises + demonises them instead of giving them a voice.

25% of people are affected by mental health issues at any one point - we all know someone who is affected and that person can possibly be you at some point.

We should make the world listen if we are to improve our collective mental health. Mental health is especially important for neurodivergent people; the misunderstandings from the neurotypical world are responsible are responsible for the shockingly high rates of mental health issues in the neurodivergent population. For example, 8/10 autistic people will have some symptoms of anxiety!

I think this has been a great exhibition.
It opens your eyes
to all types of mental health and ways people use art to try to escape this. love the exhibition some fantastic pieces.

A wonderful exhibition that is vibrant, raw and real.
Amazing creativity and breadth of mediums and ideas.
Gets better every year.
Makes me feel less alone.

Feel privileged to view such powerful and vulnerable pieces of art.

Thank you to everyone who shared a part of themselves in this exhibition. ❤️

An incredible exhibition. So brave of everyone to lay their souls bare.

Felt very privileged to view this amazing artwork.

Thank you

Feels connecting, makes you think!

And lets me know about some groups to try.

I used the lift in the exhibition. I have a phobia of lifts. (Trauma). That was a massive achievement.

People being so vulnerable and sharing their stories is such a beautiful collection.
Thank you.

It’s great to see that oosoom goes from strength to strength.
Such an extensive body of human expression, creativity and outcomes of people wanting to express and connect.
Keep going!

Thank you for providing a platform.

:) This exhibition is very beautiful and inspired.
People with mental issues are talented and hardworking.
I hope they will overcome their problems and their life will be wonderful and valuable.
I wish you all the best from the bottom of my heart.

Like previous years, this exhibition has been fantabulous in catering for people whose voices need to be heard.
It’s amazing to see all the different art pieces.
Some moving, relatable, some with messages of hope.
Everyone has a unique story to tell and by sharing to the wider community people will notice.
Thanks <3

It’s all in your head!

I am not alone!

Some really beautiful and meaningless poetry and art.
Very thought provoking!
Thank you all for sharing.

Thank you so much for giving incentive and inspiration for me to be even more creative with a theme of revolution to help me keeping positive and happy when I am going through so much trauma, anxiety and depression.
Many thanks.

It was a very good experience, can’t wait for the next one!

For an hour or so, I forgot the busy outside world existed.
I looked deep into myself.
I keep going.
Thank you.

Uplifting.
We are not alone.
Smashing thoughts fabby

It means giving space to share different perspectives.
It means validating different artistic journeys to a collective and appreciative space.

Downward spiral!

Good to see that despite their despair, they have made beautiful art, very inspiring!

It meant a lot more than you can imagine.

It means a voice, being seen, being heard, to actually matter.
It means thought, action, creativity and worth.
It means positivity, change and optimism.

Experience is that it is so hard to describe. Words often lose meaning. Thoughts, often, the structure undermined wanders off into a haze. This chaotic flow which is entirely fluid often lacks an expressive medium to contain it. Even then the medium has to be a robust one. After all, it carries the weight of all the suffering rendered, the healing undergone and the many, many feelings experience. Just when you think, it is impossible to do that with chaos, something like this exhibition comes along. In our quest to battle mental health, we often forget to celebrate our little victories. After all, healing is a celebration. And what better way to celebrate that to pour it all out, unhindered, unperturbed. Today, I felt seen. I felt at home. Thank you!