Six years after the artist Charles Winthrop Norton took his life, his art is being used to help others with mental health struggles.
His colorful, whimsical and satirical characters are known as “The Pippins.” The elongated figures have a dash of haberdashery. Born in Washington, D.C., Norton grew up in Bali, Singapore and France, where his art leaned towards Paul Cezanne and Vincent Van Gogh. Along with his art, Norton, who was 24 at the time of his death, also wrote poetry. Now his work is being used in exhibitions, in medical facilities and through retail merchandise to destigmatize the conversation around mental health.
More than one billion people are living with mental health disorders, according to data released last month by the World Health Organization.
Norton’s father Chris, who is chief executive officer of Equinox Hotels, said discussions are underway with hotel groups about using Pippins merchandise to benefit the organizations of their choice. The plan would be to provide high-quality merchandise to hotels, stores, bars, restaurants or other companies at no cost that they would then sell and donate the proceeds to the organization of their choice. The late artist’s work would potentially be used on scarves, towels and other items with a purposeful message. There are also talks with the Swiss hotel association HotellerieSuisse to see if its 3,000 or so members would want to come on board.
Two Pippins-centric sites — a business-to-business one and direct-to-consumer one — are expected to be finalized this year, Chris Norton said. To drum up interest in the art and the discussion around it, an Instagrammable public art show, “The Pippins: Dilemma in Color” was staged in the public square and gardens of Hudson Yards a few years ago. “We thought that was maybe the more effective way as a hotel to show it. Obviously, the Related Cos. were extremely supportive of Equinox in putting it in front of the hotel,” Norton said.
Currently, there are 65 prints that have been donated to the Art Students League for a similar purpose and are being sold in their store. Previously, proceeds from prints that were sold during a show in Chelsea benefited Project Healthy Minds. As for what his son would think of how his art is being used to help others, Norton said, “Charles was a pretty generous person. Whenever he gave his art to people, they would hang them up or talk about them. He sensed that these cheeky, almost 18th century figures with their top hats and outfits would get a consistent reaction so he printed stickers.” The artist put them up in New York, in London and anywhere that he traveled. A few weeks ago, Norton saw one on a streetlight in Brooklyn, and another one downtown when he was walking his dog. “I think he would be thrilled that we are sharing his art to help others. He would find that deeply satisfying,” Norton said.
Earlier this month, a three-day exhibition was held at the Arts Student League in New York. As an opening event, there was a panel discussion “Canvas of Courage — Ending Mental Health Stigma Through The Pippins,” which explored how art is being used in mental health advocacy at institutions like Stanford, Columbia, Elmhurst and One Brooklyn. Twenty oversized versions of Norton’s large-scale drawings were on view at the Art Students League.
Norton’s father said the Pippins provide the visual icon to fight the stigma that is attached to the conversation around anxiety, depression, and mental health. Looking ahead he said, “Our goal is to make The Pippins the global icon that signals the fight against the stigma around the conversation of mental health.”
Charles Winthrop Norton’s “Circus.”
Image Courtesy
Currently, One Brooklyn Health and NYC Health + Hospitals Elmhurst have introduced the art to their facilities. Stamford and Columbia University have committed to research using The Pippins as the impetus, according to Chris Norton. In addition, EHL Hospitality Business School, which has a campus in Switzerland with more than 3,000 students, has launched a show of Charles Norton’s work. A high-level design school in London has also inquired about a show, Chris Norton said.
Instead of having a foundation “that collects checks,” Norton said fundraising has been decentralized by supporting organizations via selling Pippins merchandise at retail, which allows the proceeds to be given to local organizations that they think are deserving of the donation. Noting how a rainbow flag, pink bow and a red bow are signs of LGBTQ rights, breast cancer awareness, and HIV/AIDS, respectively, Norton said there is no symbol that is associated with mental health awareness.
Norton recalled how a doctor recently spoke of the powerful impact that The Pippins, which represent people of all walks of life, have on people, during this month’s panel in front of an audience of 150 people. The figures’ duality of showing a thumbs-up sign in the front and pegging a middle finger behind their back is relatable to many, he said. Norton’s openness about his son’s suicide in 2019 also prompts others to share their own tales of struggles, which lead to a shared story.
While the U.S. has “come such a long way” in the last 25 years about mental health issues, there is such a long way to go, “because people would much rather talk about their knee replacement with pride than talk about their struggle with depression,” Norton said. “The show opens up the dialogue. We always say, ‘If you can’t talk about it, you can’t fix it.”
If you or anyone you know is contemplating suicide, a list of suicide hotlines around the globe can be found at www.suicidestop.com. In addition, dialing, texting or chatting 988 in the U.S. will route people to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The Lifeline’s phone number 800-273-8255 is also available to people experiencing emotional distress or suicidal crisis.
