• The 'Trust the Hours' exhibit at Rochester's Chateau Theatre explores mental health through art and poetry.
• The exhibit features works from local artists and writers, reflecting personal experiences with mental illness, addiction, and eating disorders.
• The exhibit aims to promote open conversations about mental health and challenge associated stigmas.

The 'Trust the Hours' exhibit, organized by Rochester poet laureate Jean Prokott, combines art and poetry to explore the multifaceted experiences of mental illness. Featuring works from local artists and writers, the exhibit at Rochester's Chateau Theatre provides a platform for personal expression and collective understanding. The exhibition includes sculptures, paintings, poems and graphic novels reflecting individual journeys through addiction, eating disorders, and other mental health challenges. The goal is to foster empathy, reduce stigma, and encourage open dialogue about mental health within the community.

• What: An art exhibit called 'Trust the Hours' explores mental health through poetry and visual art.
• Who: Jean Prokott (organizer), Nicholas Breutzman (graphic novelist), Wanjala Carlson (high school senior/poet), Jessalyn Finch (visual artist), Academy of American Poets (grant provider).
• When: The exhibit is on display until June 7. Featured individuals created works leading up to April 16.
• Where: Chateau Theatre in Rochester, Minnesota.

The 'Trust the Hours' exhibit is significant as it provides a platform for artists and writers to share their personal experiences with mental illness, addiction, and eating disorders. By showcasing these diverse perspectives, the exhibit aims to reduce stigma and promote open conversations about mental health. The use of art and poetry allows for a more nuanced and emotional exploration of these complex issues, potentially resonating with a wider audience. The exhibit's focus on personal narratives humanizes the struggles associated with mental health, encouraging empathy and understanding.

Creating work knowing like this is to reflect what I'm going through right now...it's a way to unpack what's happening inside of you that you can't always express.

Some memories are really just difficult to kind of think about especially when you're kind of getting into the kind of minute details. It can be really kind of difficult to dig up these things. But essentially, you know, it helped me process all of this.

There are also just a lot of other ways that addiction shapes your life and changes it that aren’t the stereotypical ‘You'll be an addict, too.’

It is a cardboard sculpture that has some jaw bones and a torso. And it's really about this when you have an eating disorder. For me, specifically [it’s] the play between eating food and letting your body eat itself.

If we can come back to, ‘How do we take care of ourselves?’ That's like the biggest way we can connect with each other.

The 'Trust the Hours' exhibit at the Chateau Theatre in Rochester is a valuable contribution to the community's understanding of mental health. By showcasing the personal stories of artists and writers, the exhibit fosters empathy, reduces stigma, and encourages open dialogue about mental illness, addiction, and eating disorders. The exhibit is free to the public and runs through June 7, providing an opportunity for the community to engage with these important issues.