What I learned about mental health at the moco museum
During a recent family vacation to Amsterdam, I visited the Moco Museum and came across an exhibit that stuck with me. Instead of focusing on traditional artwork (as I expected), these pieces used simple illustrations and short phrases to start conversations about mental health in a way that was honest, relatable, and even funny (I never expected to laugh at a museum).
One of the first pieces I saw read:
"When I became stable, I bought a t-shirt to celebrate."
The person in the drawing is wearing a shirt that says, "It's OK, I'm totally stable now..." It made me laugh at loud, but it also reminded me that mental health isn't something you simply "finish." Recovery isn't always linear, and it's okay if healing takes time.
Another piece that stood out was a colorful landscape with the words:
"My life is perfect. Everything is perfect. I'm not even sad."
To be completely honest, I immediately posted this on my Snapchat story with all my friends, explaining that it summed me up perfectly (they all agreed :)). Yes, the bright colors caught my attention, but the message is what made me stop in my tracks. To me, it shows that sometimes we have to give ourselves positive reinforcement and remind ourselves that everything is going to be okay, especially in moments when life feels anything but okay. Those small reminders can help us keep moving forward until we begin to believe them ourselves.
The next painting simply said:
"I feel very vulnerable most of the time..."
There wasn't much else on the canvas, but it didn't need anything more. It was a reminder that vulnerability is something many people experience, even if they don't always talk about it. I feel like, as a society, we often laugh at vulnerability; people don’t like to open up and talk about themselves in the face of being judged. The painting was a simple reminder that it is completely normal to feel vulnerable, and we should allow ourselves to feel.
The last piece I saw read:
"Just off to have a nervous breakdown. Does anybody want anything?"
It uses humor to describe something very real. So many people continue going through their daily routines while quietly carrying stress, anxiety, or emotional struggles that others may never notice. I can recall more times than I can count on my hands when I walked out of my box at the library with tears in my eyes, asking my friends as I left the silent room if they wanted anything from the vending machines. This one made me laugh about how it is the reality of so many of us when at school.
In conclusion, walking through this exhibit reminded me how much the conversation around mental health has changed. Art like this helps normalize topics that were once rarely discussed, encouraging people to be more open, more understanding, and more compassionate. Sometimes, a few handwritten words on a canvas can spark conversations that are just as meaningful, if not more, than any lecture or book.
I left the museum appreciating not only the artwork itself, but also its message: talking about mental health doesn't have to be uncomfortable. In fact, the more we talk about it, the more we remind people that they are never alone.
-Zara Lateef, Founder
Click to read more about the Moco: https://www.mocomuseum.com/artists/amsterdam/robbie-williams-in-amsterdam/
