Fountain House Gallery announces “YELL!”, an immersive outdoor installation by the gallery’s artists and members. In commemoration of the 75th anniversary of Fountain House, and in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, this traveling installation is funded, in part, by the Sozosei Foundation.
Through verse, performance, and art, YELL! expresses what it feels like to live in the world with mental illness. The installation spotlights stories of Fountain House members’ lived experiences, communicated through original artwork, written testimonials, first-person recitations of poetry and prose, and video performances. This installation is multi-sensory; while images and videos are projected onto the walls and ceilings, recordings of members’ voices are played throughout the structure.
These personal accounts are presented in a maze constructed from plywood and lumber modules. As participants walk through, they encounter an immersive narrative of Fountain House members’ thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Each module of the piece is topical, illustrating themes such as trauma, stigma, incarceration, psychosis, identity, addiction, suicide, medication, hospitalization, hope, dreams, recovery, and freedom. The final module emphasizes community-based recovery options and is staffed by a trained peer specialist who is available to answer questions and provide visitors with resources.
The aim of this multimedia maze is to parallel the daunting journey through an unfriendly and obtuse mental health system. YELL! demonstrates the strength and perseverance of Fountain House members and celebrates all that this community can accomplish. We are proud to announce that YELL! will be on view at Herald Square—at the intersection of 34th Street and Broadway from May 18-22—and will then travel to Governors Island this summer where Fountain House will be an Organization in Residence.
Fountain House Gallery Presents YELL!
Herald Square | 34th Street and Broadway, New York
On View May 18-22, 2023
