Opening: No Need To Pretend

You are welcome to attend the opening of 'No Need To Pretend', an exhibition about the mental well-being of young people. How are young people really doing?

They are growing up in a time of increasing performance pressure, concerns about the future, constant visibility and an endless stream of stimuli. The impact of this on their mental health is receiving more and more attention. Yet it remains difficult to put these feelings and experiences into words. Art can play an important role in this. Around De Dag van de Mentale Gezondheid, Melkweg Expo and Stichting mind Us invite visitors to explore these themes through art and make them open for discussion.

About the expo and the artists

That is why ‘No Need To Pretend’ brings together visual art, youth culture and mental health. The exhibition shows work by recently graduated artists from Dutch art academies. This selection was created in collaboration with youth ambassadors from Stichting mind Us, who, under the guidance of guest curator Cathelijne Blok, went in search of artworks that connect with their world. In the works on display by artists Alexandra Galateia Tsolou, Densley Annastatia, Elsa Rubio Björk, Finn Koene, Gala Camps -McLoughlin, Mabel Blokzijl and Rosa Uribe, the young people recognize experiences of stress, alienation and the pressure to meet expectations, but also resilience, connection and hope.