Brisbane artist, musician and manager (Confidence Man and The Jungle Giants) Deena Lynch aka Jaguar Jonze will be heading to Sydney later this year as a speaker at Australian Music Week (AMW).
Also through her visual arts project, Spectator Jonze, Deena aims to offer a new angle regarding the discussion of mental health at AMW. The project took form in September of 2017 after Deena was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
She started the project as a potential way of healing her mind. “The reason it took me so long to look into myself is because I had this culture around me where I wasn’t allowed to talk about my downfalls, obstacles or troubles,” Deena explains.
“I realised this was an entire societal structure around me that I needed to break down. That's the driving force behind Spectator Jonze. The whole premise behind the project is that I interview every single subject before I draw them, and it's all in regards to individual metal health.
"That kind of conversation, as much it helped the subjects, was a healing process for me as well. I learnt to give back when I could. It became this fluid conversation. I just wanted to tackle that taboo of talking about mental health.”
As Deena describes her past-self as very closed off, she explains that sharing the mental health struggles of her past through the AMW panel is a very daunting task. Although, as she explains, she doesn't perceive this as feelings of vulnerability, but rather openness.
“It's ok to talk about it. It's ok to be vulnerable. Everyone has their struggles and stories. It's all important. Suppressing it is the last thing you want to do. I'm going to try and facilitate that conversation for people to talk about it if they are having their struggles. [Also], to realise all these imperfections we have are unique aspects to ourselves who make us who we are.”
Aside from her visual arts work as Spectator Jonze, Deena has recently embarked on a new musical journey. Since being named 'Most Promising Female Songwriter' at the 2016 Queensland Music Awards, Deena has been working on her latest musical project, Jaguar Jonze.
Through this project comes her recent single, 'You Got Left Behind'. “[Compared to my previous releases] it's a whole different sound," Deena says. "There are still elements of Deena that will always stay in my music. I would like to say it's a soundscape that's more unique to me as a person. It has a darkness to it, but it's also really driving.
“It's not about music or art for me, it's about self-expression, creating and preserving something of myself that's tangible and beyond me as a physical person.”
'You Got Left Behind' is available now.
Jaguar Jonze plays The Foundry 5 & 14 September and will speak at the Australian Music Week Conference (Sydney) 7-11 November.
