Lets' Talk - a mental health campaign

Let’s Talk is a campaign that has sparked millions of conversations about mental health. By literally drawing people’s most difficult thoughts on their faces, lettering artist Kate Forrester and photographer Charlie Clift have inspired others to open up about their own mental health. It’s ok to not feel ok. Speak up. Let’s Talk. Everyone featured in the project has had mental health difficulties. Charlie interviewed each volunteer to find out how they would describe these in their own words. Kate and Charlie then picked out words and phrases from the interview which they felt best explained each person’s experience. On the day of the photoshoot Kate spent a couple of hours hand-lettering these words onto the person’s face. Having literally put their toughest thoughts out in the open, Charlie then photographed them whilst they talked about their life, their passions and their difficulties. The project was turned into an outdoor touring exhibition that has travelled around London reaching thousands of people. Working closely with The Photography Movement, it has also be turned into an indoor exhibition going into companies and organisations, helping them to start conversations about mental health in the workplace. Let’s Talk was shortlisted for a D&AD Award and was featured in Lurker’s Archive. It continues to be used to start conversations.