Feb 23, 20173 min read

Illustrating the Architecture of the Mind

Federico Babina, an inspirational Architect and Designer has turned his exuberant talents to issue of Mental Health in his latest conceptual offering and tells us that his motivation was to explore a delicate subject through illustration. Reminding us in his words that 'psychological uneasiness even if not in a pathological form is present in various ways and in small quantities in each of us. It belongs to our lives and we must not stigmatise it.'

His architecturally influenced works include many social and popular cultural influences, which to my mind are all fabulous. But then I did always have a passion for the beauty of architecture and Babina plays particularly well to the themes of the Bauhaus, a particular favourite of mine.

Babina's past series include INTERHEROES which explores architecture and interior design, inspired by comic book heroes and ART_ITECTURE, which translates art forms such as poetry, music and theatre into architectural design. In his ARCHIST series, his playful and colourful representation re-imagines fellow artists, past and present, as functional buildings. Regaling artists such as Joan Miro, Frank Stella and Salvador Dali to name but a few. He has captured the essence of their personal style beautifully whilst still maintaining his own personality within the work.

'an illustrated reflection on the relationship between creativeness and psychopathology'

'Sooner or later every one of us draws near to the uneasiness and the suffering derived by psychological pathologies and then realises the stereotypes and the prejudices that wind this world.'

In contrast his ARCHIATRIC series which looks at characterising the challenges of mental health, Babina has created an insular and unsettling representation, where we are onlookers rather than invited in. Thus highlighting the stigmatisation of those who experience the pain and disturbances of mental illness.

Federico Babina describes his inspiration and motivation for this series, saying 'I wanted to make an illustrated reflection on the relationship between creativeness and psychopathology. In this series of images I make an abstract exercise of translation from one language to another, from the architecture of the mind to an illustrated architecture.' Adding that 'It is quite true that architecture and the spaces that we live in influence our behaviour and the psychopathology: whosoever plans spaces, plans attitudes, behaviours and emotional multi sensorial experiences. In the same way, the design of spaces is certainly influenced by varying degrees of physical and mental diseases or the disorders of its creators.'

Which brilliantly advocates the wellbeing benefits of aesthetically pleasing environments and open spaces.

Babina notes that history is full of painters, musicians, sculptural, poets, writers and architects that are considered geniuses, that suffered from some psychological or mental disorder. But is quick to add 'I do not want to put a romantic aura around the discomfort and suffering of mental illness but rather to make a reflection on the prejudices and negative stigma with which the pathologies of the mind are often observed. Numerous studies on creativeness underline the importance of the experience of mental illness for the development of those imaginative attitudes and innovation that are characteristic of the creative production.'

Leaving us with his final thoughts that 'Sooner or later every one of us draws near to the uneasiness and the suffering derived by psychological pathologies and then realises the stereotypes and the prejudices that wind this world.'

you can follow Federico Babina on Instagram @fbabina