Sydney Hlavaty

Artist in The Little Things Art Exhibition

Artist Statement

Self harm is an incredibly difficult habit to break for those struggling with their mental health. Here, the subject used self harm as a way to tether her to reality amidst terrifying panic attacks. Pain meant she was real, she was here. Though it helped quell her disoriented thoughts, the scars of her actions sparked further anxiety about hiding those habits; she was too scared to open up to anyone and, essentially, it worsened the anxiety in the long run.

She found that wearing jewelry on her fingers and wrists acted as a suit of armor against her anxiety — the weight of the jewelry provides a grounding sensation and a physical reminder to stay present in the moment. No longer did she rely on the sharp sensation to draw her back.

Grounded sheds light on the often-overlooked ways in which individuals navigate mental health struggles and the resilience that emerges from it. I hope to raise awareness about the power of small things in mental health recovery, and to encourage conversations about preventing self-harm and developing other coping mechanisms that can help individuals feel grounded in difficult moments.