Behind the Mask: Healing, Mental Health and Art

Hear from Lester Oram as he highlights the work of Behind the Mask, a project focusing on healing and self-discovery for military veterans.

In recent years, the importance of mental health in the veteran community has become increasingly apparent. Charities and organisations across the UK have been looking for new pathways and projects to support this work.

Behind the Mask was one such project, encouraging tri-service veterans to explore their emotions and their often-traumatic experiences through the painting of masks.

Lester Oram, the project lead, will reveal how this initiative came about, how he was able to get veterans onboard to explore their mental health, and what the future might hold for similar projects. He will also share the testimonies of some of those who took part.

A display of artwork created through the Behind the Mask project will be on display in the Museum. 

About the speaker

Lester Oram is the Curator and Cultural Heritage Manager at the US Embassy in London. He conceived and delivered the Behind the Mask project alongside The Not Forgotten, a charity supporting veterans and service personnel living with injury, illness and isolation.