The April edition of Muses – the arts blog from BJPsych International  – Dr. Bahjat Najeeb, Pictures Editor, BJPsych International introduces Dr. Bahjat Najeeb, the artist whose work is on the cover of the April edition of BJPsych International

It was a grey, overcast day, and the steady rain outside seemed to reflect my own sense of unease as I walked through the dimly lit corridor into the main hall of Glasgow’s Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. Having recently relocated to this new country, every step felt like a mix of excitement and discomfort as I tried to adjust to the unfamiliar. I stopped beneath Sophy Cave’s Expression installation. Hanging motionless in the air were dozens of disembodied heads, each frozen in time with an exaggerated display of emotion; angry, sad, happy, fearful and the list goes on. At first glance, they appeared dramatic, almost theatrical. But as I stood there, they reminded me of something familiar.

In my clinical practice, I frequently encounter this disconnect between appearance and reality. We show the world our affect, which is an outward display of emotion. Mood, the deeper, more persistent emotional state, is not always as obvious. An individual may present with a blunt affect, masking underlying depressive symptoms. In contrast, another person may display an elated mood, yet beneath this apparent euphoria lies a deeper vulnerability.

This disparity between what is seen and what is felt is a crucial element in psychiatric practice. A person’s outward expression may not always align with their internal emotional experience. Recognizing and remaining attuned to this paradox is, in itself, a complexity of clinical practice.

That tension was perfectly captured on Cave’s faces. Each expression was intense, but frozen, devoid of movement and context. They drew attention without narrating a story. Similar to a psychiatric assessment, I had to remind myself that what you see isn’t always what you get.

I continued to navigate the unfamiliar, finding my way in a place that did not offer much in terms of certainty. Before walking away, I gave the heads one last glance. They remained suspended, frozen in their emotions. But I knew better: no expression is ever that simple.

Featured image description: Interior of the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum featuring an art installation with numerous floating sculpted heads and elegant chandeliers – The Heads, by artist Sophy Cave.
The photograph was taken by Dr. Bahjat Najeeb.

Welcome to Muses – the arts blog from BJPsych International. This new blog aims to highlight international art and artists, particularly from low-and-middle-income countries, with a focus on mental health. We welcome submissions for consideration, such as, comments on artwork, visual arts, literature, drama, films, podcasts, and videos. Do have a look at the instructions for blog authors for details on how to submit. General enquiries about the blog: BJPInternational@rcpsych.ac.uk

Dr Marinos Kyriakopoulos, Editor-in-Chief, BJPsych International