Art of letting go at Wakefield Mental Health Museum
A new exhibition has just launched at South West Yorkshire Partnership Teaching NHS Foundation Trust’s Mental Health Museum in Wakefield.
The Museum, at Fieldhead Hospital on Ouchthorpe Lane, is thrilled to host ‘Take A Load Off’ by artist and mental health campaigner, Doll.
‘Take A Load Off’ invites its viewers to take a few moments, to rest and reflect on just how much they may be holding for others.
With illustrated pieces, sculptural installations, and tactile yarn art, exhibiting artist Doll describes their making process as a safe space to let go; “The act of making allows me to let the thoughts and feelings out in a safe way.... I know what each line means, what each colour represents, and, more importantly, how it felt to put pen to paper or yarn to hook.”
As an expert-by-experience Doll explains; “I make the invisible visible so it can exist somewhere other than my mind.
"The liberation of letting go anonymously is something that has been transformative to how I cope with mental illness.”
Doll hopes visitors to ‘Take A Load Off’ will consider using creativity to explore their own connection to the concept of ‘carrying the baggage’ life hands us.
Doll is a disabled queer artist researcher passionate about creative health and its role in living with mental distress.
They have previously worked with various institutions to share lived experience expertise, encouraging a collaborative approach to mental health heritage collections. Doll formed the community project C.O.I.N in 2025 with generous funding from the British Art Network. Learn more about Doll: www.creatingconversations.co.uk. Learn more about C.O.I.N: www.curatorsofinclusion.co.uk
Jane Stockdale, curator of the Mental Health Museum says; “It is wonderful to host ‘Take a Load Off’ at the museum this summer.
"It is a very compassionate and thought-provoking installation, inviting the visitor to not only view but participate in creating their own work to express and process emotions.
"We are excited about how people will experience this and what new creative works may come into being.”
‘Take A Load Off’ is on display now until the end of September 2026. The Mental Health Museum is free to visit, and everyone is welcome. It is open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 1-4pm.
For more information and to plan your visit, contact the Museum team by emailing [email protected], calling 01924 316360 or visiting www.southwestyorkshire.nhs.uk/mental-health-museum.
The Mental Health Museum’s remarkable collection explores mental health treatment and experiences in Wakefield and Yorkshire from the early 1800s to the present day.
The Museum exists to promote understanding, empowerment, and respect; to combat social inequality, prejudice, and stigma through collective learning. It is a place for debate and for sharing; come along and get involved.