Introduction to the online gallery

The gallery consists of works from the Cunningham Dax Collection. “Selected Works” is an exhibition of 6 works specifically selected to highlight a range of mental health issues. This section will be changed every 1 to 2 years.

“Focus Exhibition” will be changed every 4 to 6 months. This section of 4 works will explore a particular theme or artist. The Cunningham Dax Collection has sought the permission of the artists, or their family, to include them in this gallery. The Collection has a non-exclusive licence to publish and reproduce these works, while copyright remains with the artist.

The images in this gallery first appeared on the back cover of The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry. This journal is published by Blackwell Publishing, the sponsor of this online gallery.

A Multi-Dimensional Approach

The Cunningham Dax Collection currently adopts a multi-dimensional approach in exhibiting its creative works. In this approach, a creative work may have several dimensions, such as aesthetic/artistic, clinical or psychological, historical and socio-cultural dimensions. To this list, one could also add ‘political, economic, legal, ethical and spiritual'. It is of course not possible to consider every dimension in an exhibition.

Which dimension of a work should be emphasised? Which aspects warrant greater attention; aesthetic or psychological? I think the creator of the work should have the first say on how their work should be presented. However, the view and intention of the creator may not be known. Then I think we can only deduce from what we know about the context of the creation of the work. I think the context within which a work is created influences the way it is viewed.

Within the Collection, I have made a distinction between works created in the context of clinical programs (onsite Gallery A) and those created in non-clinical contexts, such as art programs or the creator's home or studio (onsite Gallery B).

Many visitors to the Collection have asked for more information about the creators and the works. I think it is important to distinguish ‘factual information' from ‘expert interpretation'. Or rather, ‘expert speculation', therefore, only factual information, such as biographical details, will be presented alongside each work or creator. ‘Expert opinion/speculation' will, however, be available to the visitor to the Collection in the form of ‘guided tour information sheets'.

Each of these guided tour information sheets introduces the viewer to the works from a particular perspective. Each will emphasise a different dimension of the works. It is therefore up to the viewers to choose how they wish to see the works. This ‘multiple entry points' approach is indeed experimental and I would be most interested in your feedback.