The Hairy Eyeball: Visions on the Fringe

Lara Allen

School of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Intensive English Program

My research is on mental health with a particular emphasis on institutional abuse committed by “the troubled teen industry.” It focuses on the ways artistic practice can not only relieve but make use of what society deems mental illness.

Recent reports make it clear that isolation and atomization are contributing to mental health issues not only for youth, but for many people.

Therefore, this work aims to develop ways of making socially engaged art by creating situations that combine writing, life drawing, and performance with other artists where the audience not only witnesses, but are also invited to participate in their own way.