Elephant in the Room unveiled at IADT
IADT’s Elephant was unveiled by Brent Pope today, Monday 22nd April in the Atrium Building at IADT.
‘Elephant in the Room’ is a social enterprise organisation founded in 2023 to encourage and promote all of us to become more comfortable talking about our mental health.
And in so doing, Brent Pope and the founders want the ‘Elephant in the Room’ , i.e. the unspoken issue of mental health to become extinct.
Caoimhe Farrell, a 4th year BA [Hons] Art student is the winner of the design competition.
“My design for the “Elephant in the Room” project explores the realms of the brain in bold colour and abstract motifs. This design consists of a repeated pattern that will display mental health issues in a positive light through the use of bright colour.
Colour psychology plays a huge role in the narrative of this design. Colour theory assigns emotional and psychological connotations between colours and emotions. This design is inspired by the Amygdala, which is the part of the brain where memories attach themselves to different emotions. It is also where fear is born and can be associated with the formation of PTSD and anxiety.” said Caoimhe as she explained her design inspiration.
IADT is proud to be the first third level college in Ireland to home an elephant and they hope that it will create and foster a campus where students and staff feel comfortable speaking about mental health challenges and where they feel supported when they seek help.
Denise McMorrow, IADT Student Support Managers said: “At IADT we continue to foster a culture where students and staff feel encouraged and supported. It is important to encourage our students to become resilient and equipped for the challenges of an increasingly changeable world. A key element of our role as educators is to encourage our students to become comfortable discussing their mental health challenges, seeking support and supporting each other.”
Emma Balfe, IADT Dignity and Respect Officer said: “IADT is committed to fostering a supportive and nurturing environment for all staff. In 2024, IADT developed its first ever Employee Mental Health Policy, outlining our ongoing commitment to support staff through mental health challenges. As an employer and a higher education provider, the Institute understands its role in paving the way for a safer and more inclusive future for all stakeholders. With a sustained dedication to supporting our staff, the Institute can continue to provide the highest quality education to our students, and encourage a campus culture in which all IADT community members are supported, safe and valued.”
About Elephant in the Room
Elephant in the Room was set up in April 2023 by Brent Pope, Dave Southern and Eoin Byrne who had a shared vision to remove the stigma of mental health challenges for all.
The art installations of Elephants was the way that they best felt they could encourage conversations to start and continue about our mental health difficulties.
The tangible ‘Elephant in the Room’ was an ideal way to communicate the need for us all regardless of age, gender, background, race or culture to value our mental health and to learn to be comfortable talking about mental health, seeking support and perhaps supporting and encouraging others to overcome their mental health challenges.
To date over 50 elephants have been homed in various corporations, not for profit bodies and schools in Ireland and internationally.
