Pop-art posters for mental health

Mental Health Awareness Week is upon us, and a local visual artist is brightening up the streets of Aotearoa with her pop-art posters with a message.

Karolina Gorton hopes to shine a light on perinatal depression - which can occur during and after pregnancy - with her poster campaign, which is running across the country until 8 October.

A total of 145 posters are going up around the country, including 10 in Nelson.

This is part of her wider ‘Blue Stories Project’ which she initiated last year.

There are four different posters, and each is connected to an inspiring ‘blue story’ from a person who has found their way through and out of perinatal depression.

“It’s really special,” she says.

“They are all different perspectives, but all have an encouraging message.”

Karolina has battled and overcome perinatal depression herself, so understands how important the discussion is.

“It is so important to talk about this.”

More stories can be explored by scanning the QR code on the posters, which takes you to the website.

Look out for the posters around the city centre, beaming out from Phantom Billstickers bollards and frames.

And if you see one, Karolina has set down a challenge for you.

“We are inviting members of the community to take photos of themselves with the artworks, post them to their socials, and tag Blue Stories Project to raise awareness of perinatal depression and bring the conversation into the public arena.”

Karolina says it was both an emotional and rewarding process creating the posters.

“It’s an emotional process to collect and connect with people and their stories. It does take energy and raises lots of emotions,” she says.

“I love the process of creating these illustrations. The moment of sketching them, choosing my lines to bring out each person’s strongest features, adding my colours, it’s how I see them and feel their stories.”

The stories from the posters, and more from around Aotearoa, can be experienced online at bluestoriesproject.com

Blue Stories Project has received funding and support from a range of sources including Nelson City Creative Communities Scheme and the Tasman District Creative Communities Scheme. Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Aotearoa, Perinatal Support Nelson, Venue Tech, and National Lottery Community Grants also assisted with funding for the installation of the artworks across the country.