New Art Gallery Opening This Friday Sheds Light on Mental Illness

Julian St. John will be opening a new solo show at the Laguna Gallery of Contemporary Art this Friday, March 29.

Pretty heady stuff for a guy who's just 23, but St. John's story is a bit more complex than a hot-artist-of-the-moment tag might suggest. For one, he suffers from schizophrenia, and much of his artwork reflects his mental state -- graphically intense line drawings and pastels, often filled with text that instantly recalls the work of the similarly affected Jean-Michel Basquiat.

His pieces, as well as his future exhibitions like Friday's, will undoubtedly raise awareness of the sorry state of mental health care in the United States, writes Robert David Jaffee in this Huffington Post interview with St. John. And Jaffee should know -- he also lives with the condition. So when the two recently met, there were plenty nods of recognition. From the story:

Julian, who was first diagnosed with schizophrenia at the age of 18, nods when I tell him about some of my delusions from years ago, such as my fear that I was going to be blamed for a series of murders around the country. And Julian smiles when I tell him that my psychosis was so acute that I even thought my wife's cat, who was following me from room to room, had been trained by the CIA.

To learn even more about St. John, click up his website.

Julian St. John's one-man show debuts this Friday, March 29, from 6-9 p.m. at the Laguna Gallery of Contemporary Art, 611 S. Coast Hwy. Wine tasting, hors d'oeuvres and live music are planned. RSVP to pam@lagunaart.com.