"Our life is like taking three steps forward and two steps back, hiding back when things get tough." This is the daily life of those who suffer from mental illnesses. Their life patterns are unlike the others, never get away from return appointments, taking medicine, injection, treatments, drop out or quit from school, etc, and on and off. But what’s the harm if stopping? It is their encouragement to wait until they have built up enough strength to keep going.
On the day of the exhibition, Mei Yun-Yi, who has firsthand experience with a mental illness, served as a tour guide and introduced each painting to the audience. When introducing his own paintings, he said: "I pray that one day there will be no more wars, and there will be peace, sharing and inclusive. I pray that one day poverty will end, and that we can help each other, sustain, and prosper..."
As we can see one of his pieces named “Bud”: "For the darkness, we need to embrace sunlight, and because of sunlight, we need to embrace darkness." To him, things are not dichotomous, they are mutually inclusive.
He uses bright colors to showcase his mood and emotions. "My works contain light and darkness. They are coexisting! In fact, this is also true in life. Despite struggling with my mental health, I was also blessed with the support of the people around me."
The brightness of the colors that he uses gives people brightness impression. Legislator Fan Yun left a message on the exhibition’s public forum, "I like your creations. Your work is very colorful and charming and the stories behind them are moving. Keep working on your creations! Let life become more diverse and colorful every day. "
Mei Yun-Yi, asked to draw on the spot, once he sat down, he was able to paint beautiful flower petals at will.
, "He would put a touch of his daily life in his creation. Each painting is like a diary entry."
When Mei Yun-Yi was 19 years old, he fell into depression due to a bad breakup. It got so bad that he even contemplated his death note. "My entire mindset was changed, I felt like I was the protagonist in "The Truman Show''. I couldn’t tell what was real and what was fake, but when I'm troubled by symptoms, I take them seriously."
Living in his own fantasy world, he was misfit in the society, In the first six years of his illness, Mei Yun-Yi struggled with feelings of anxiety and emptiness. When he was 25, he decided to pursue higher education and began studying Japanese at a university.
Because of his depressive episodes, Mei Yun-Yi was often alone and distant at school. Inattentiveness during study, What would take most students only 30 minutes to do, he could only complete in 7 to 8 hours. But in the end, he pushed through and still managed to graduate.
When his mental health was especially poor, Mei Yun-Yi frequently went in and out of the hospital. "Seeing a doctor and regularly taking medication helped me a lot with staying in touch with reality." He knew but he didn’t do it,” Otherwise it can be cured.” He said with regret. But it is a medical journey to find the right medication for you.
Mei Yun-Yi is versatile and likes to write short poems and novels. In his memoir, he wrote:
"Charming clouds look dazzling
It's raining suddenly
If only time hides you
I would like to turn into a second hand"
Although he is a talented individual, sometimes he afraid of uninspired, For example, when he is depressed, he cannot think of anything else to paint. However, through the "Taking Care of Emotions" class at the Living Spring House, help those who are living with illness to get back to their inner self and then peaceful their minds.
When asked about the changes after Mei Yun-YI came to Huoquan Home, Ya-Shu said, "In the past, it took him a long time to recover from a depressive episode. After coming here, he learned to recover quicklier. Art helped him sort out his emotions and stabilize himself.”
After more than 20 years of treatment and multiple hospitalizations, Mei Yun-Yi has developed a unique perspective on life and uses art to share his experiences. Now he finds that every moment is earned and he cherishes every moment.
"His works have undergone many transformations and positive experiences. It is shaped by the dark moments he has experienced. Mei Yun-Yi knows that a stable life is not easy to come by, so he cherishes it even more." Ya-Shu says.
During the day, he walks with his family, run family ties. The support of family and peers are what keeps Mei Yun-Yi going.
"The beauty of life lies in the existence of light and darkness at the same time." says Mei Yun-Yi, “ How to make the world a better place is common task of life. When you are in the dark, don't give up and hold on to hope, let yourself be the light that illuminates yourself as well as others.”
Mei Yun Yi has a gentle heart and would love to share this love to the people surrounding.
