Photo Flash: Chashama Presents Leah Lane's Performance Piece & Installation I'M JUST TIRED

"I'm Just Tired" is a campy exploration of the anthropomorphization of depression a.k.a. the depression monster, created by NYC based artist, Leah Lane. Chashama will present the exhibition in May, which is National Mental Health Month. According to the Center For Disease Control (CDC), ten percent of all Americans over the age of twenty will experience depression for two consecutive weeks or more at some point in their lifetime. Most of those adults reported at least some difficulty with work, home or social activities due to their depression. Removing the stigma, seeking help for depression and other forms of mental health and wellness starts with shining a light on the subject and supportive conversations.

Through the use of performance art, multimedia sculpture and attributing human traits and characteristics to a fictional beast, this art installation is the culmination of several years of research and informal survey. Lane states, "Anyone experiencing mental distress has a unique depression beast of their own. Even after escaping a depressive episode, one can meet incredible difficulty when trying to explain exactly what it was. Were you just tired? Did you just lose your appetite? Did you just suddenly feel the urge to eat an entire pizza in one sitting? Through artistic exploration of her, we have seen depression as empty alcohol bottles, greasy hair, and sweatpants-- and for some people she is exactly that. For me, she is a tyrannical infestation of pink fur, glitter, and mockery. And her name is Dee."

Chashama was founded in 1995 in New York City by Anita Durst to support the process of artists by giving them space to create and present. Since 1995, Chashama has revitalized over 80 properties, providing invaluable space to create for more than 12,000 artists. Chashama empowers artists at any stage of their career with services that offer continuous opportunities to create, develop and pre! sent. Its two primary programs, Space to Present and Space to Create, are its main vehicles for realizing this mission. Space to Present provides visual and performing artists with free, highly visible venues in which to publicly present their work. Space to Create provides artists with low-cost workspace in a supportive and professional environment. Chashama also aspires to bring the benefits of art and creativity to New Yorkers of all ages and backgrounds with over 130 free, public events and access to cultural programming throughout New York City.

To learn more, visit www.chashama.org