Published on: 12th October 2021
Adam Bromiley-Haslam, 28 from Oldham, has a 30-piece exhibition on display at Gallery Oldham called ‘Inside Adam’s Mind’. It is inspired from overcoming the hallucinations and delusions he’s experienced during a ten year battle with paranoid schizophrenia. The exhibition is open to the public until 13 November.
Adam, who is supported by Oldham’s community mental health team, was an enthusiastic painter as a child and now uses his artistic talents as a way of managing his mental health.
Adam said: “Because of my schizophrenia, I can’t do lots of things that many people take for granted, so spending time sitting in front of my canvas seems like a very positive thing to do.”
Following his schizophrenia diagnosis ten years ago, Adam took inspiration from the work of Bryan Charnley, another British artist who was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. He hopes that his open approach to his condition can help others who are in similar situations.
Adam said: “I post a lot of my art on Instagram, and I encourage anyone who might be going through the same experiences to get in touch and ask any questions. I’d love to build an online community where people can feel safe and able to be themselves.”
Amer Raza, Adam’s social worker from Oldham community mental health team, believes art has played a big part in helping Adam manage his condition.
Amer said: “It has been a huge privilege to work with Adam and observe the passion he has for art and creativity. He openly acknowledges the ongoing challenges with his mental health, but he positively deals with them by painting his emotions, thoughts, feelings and imaginations on to the canvas.”
Adam’s artwork is also playing an important role in supporting other patients at our Trust. As part of the recent refurbishment of Cherrywood Clinic at Royal Oldham Hospital, Adam donated a painting titled ‘Adam and Eve’, to help create a more peaceful and calming experience for patients who use the building.
Click here for more information on Adam’s exhibition, and click here to visit Adam's Instagram page.
