Opening: No Need To Pretend

On 10 October from 16:00 to 20:00, the exhibition 'No Need To Pretend' opens at Melkweg Expo.

The exhibition brings together visual art, youth culture and mental health. At its heart is the question of how young people really are growing up under performance pressure, constant visibility and an endless stream of stimuli. Work by recently graduated artists from Dutch art academies - Anna Björk, Densley Annastatia, Elsa Rubio Björk, Finn Koene, Gala Camps-McLoughlin, Mabel Blokzijl and Rosa Uribe - touches on experiences of stress, alienation and the pressure to meet expectations, but also on resilience and connection. The selection was developed in collaboration with youth ambassadors from Stichting MIND Us, under the guidance of guest curator Cathelijne Blok.

The exhibition is organized around Mental Health Day by Melkweg Expo and Stichting MIND Us. 'No Need To Pretend' is not only about young people, but is also created by them. Art knowledge is not required: your interpretation does not need to match the artist's intention.

MIND Us is committed to healthy development of young people and works together with young people and partners to create an environment where they can be themselves and access low-threshold support. Are you between 16 and 27 years old and need a listening ear? Through In je bol you can take a first step. Want to contribute ideas about mental health for young people? That's possible within the MIND Us community.