Non-verbal communication

Sarah Gustafson has just completed an MA in Fine Art for which she's made some short films which she hopes will stimulate public debate about mental health and mental distress - if she can get them shown widely enough.

The films are silent but one of them, called 'Listen', shows her talking animatedly to camera - trying desperately to communicate with the viewer/s who can't hear what she's saying no matter how hard she tries to engage with them. I think we've all been in that sort of situation, either struggling to be heard or struggling to make sense of what someone's trying to tell us.

Another film consists of a loop of Sarah making a variety of facial expressions. Again, trying to communicate a range of emotions and states of mind including 'putting on a brave face'.

She came to speak to us at work today about ideas for getting the films 'out there' and we're going to do our best to help.

After watching Sarah's films I asked her whether she'd mind me taking some pictures of her running through some expressions so that I could illustrate this blip about her and she was sporting enough to let me take a few shots! Thanks Sarah and good luck!


The song that immediately came to mind to accompany today's blip is Trouble Me by 10,000 Maniacs. Not only does the subject matter seem tailor made but the band also features a Gustafson. Steve Gustafson, on bass.