2022 Winners & Shortlists

Cultural / Context information for the jury

In the Arab world, it is estimated that 17.7% of the total population suffers from depression and this figure is only the tip of the iceberg, because not everyone with mental health problems comes forward to seek treatment, due to the stigmas associated with mental health diseases. There is a dire need for awareness in the region.

Tell the jury about the illustration.

To visually represent how undiagnosed depression can incapacitate you, we collaborated with an artist who has grappled with mental health challenges herself. She could instantly empathise with the issue and was excited to help us bring the campaign to life. Together, we created 3 unique and provocative visuals. Illustrated by hand and then coloured digitally using hues that evoke an emotional response. The feeling of being stuck in a vicious cycle of self-doubt was metaphorically represented using a bed: • Visual 1: Closing in on the person like a bear trap • Visual 2: Constricting and suffocating the human • Visual 3: Sucking the human into an empty void