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Psychological effects of art
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Throughout history, Art has been the subject of contrasting opinions. It is without doubt that the aesthetics of Art, and the process of creating it, can bring happiness to ones life and provide inspiration for many, but we also associate Art with troubled souls such as Vincent Van Gogh, Richard Dadd and Mark Rothko. Regarded as some of the most important Artists' of their time, it is well documented that they all struggled with mental health issues in some form. Did Art contribute to their declining mental state, or did they use this as a vehicle to communicate matters that words simply couldn't express? As Adrienne Sussman, who wrote the article 'Mental Illness and Creativity: A neurological view of the tortured artist' (Sussman 2007) states “Our culture is full of assumptions and stereotypes about how the mind works, perhaps none so enduring as the legend of the 'tortured artist'. The contradiction of the genius who creates great artwork despite (or because of) mental illness has been part of Western legend for thousands of years. The Image is durable, but science has not yet been able to conclusively verify or disprove it” It was this argument that lead me to consider whether art is indeed good for our health, and if so, to what extent it could assist in the role of treating a disease, or mental illness. This essay will discuss the introduction of Art Therapy as a medical tool, and how this new form of treatment has evolved to become a popular practice in treating many neurological disorders. Furthermore, if Art Therapy, which is still regarded as in it's infancy as a study, can be regarded as a form of healing, or more so as a placebo, which can subsequently improve the well-being of a person and their quality of life. Alt... ... middle of paper ... ...lly, much of the components required to communicate visually are still intact. This study highlights the importance of art therapy as a form of treatment, but only in a neurological sense. Although the long-term benefits of art therapy are currently unknown, it is not beyond reason to conclude that this form of treatment would only be effective in improving the patients well-being and quality of life, rather than to assist in the cure of such illnesses. Art therapy has also been widely utilized in the field of mental health. According to (The Mental Health Foundation, 2014) “1 in 4 people will experience some kind of mental health problem in the course of a year”. Therapy and/or medication may not be required for all forms of mental health, but for more severe disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, intervention is key to treating and possible recovery.
People from all around the world suffer from many different anxieties and troubles. They turn to things they enjoy so that they can forget reality and be somewhat happy or simply to communicate with one another. Most of the enjoyment is temporary and not sufficient, that is why they continue doing what they do. Creative Arts Therapy, also known as Expressive Arts Therapy, helps those who find themselves completely lost and have nowhere to go or anyone to go to. They can express themselves however they please. In order to better understand arts therapy one must have a knowledge of creativity, emotions and, of course, people.
Van Gogh’s works have been deeply considered and examined to unfold the mysteries of his mental illness. It was in Arles, southern France of 1888 where Van Gogh was an accomplished artist on his own, but still not having had much notice, when his me...
Drawings and other self-generated forms of visual art produced by people suffering from mental illness sparked the interest of psychiatrists around the end of the 19th century. They were considered “outpourings of the mind in turmoil” (Rubin 6). Fascinated by these samples of artwork, psychiatrists began to study them in an attempt to better understand the creator and the illness. Art therapy is a fluid, adaptable and evolving field. Today art therapists employ a variety of methods and work in a variety of rehabilitation settings, but the focus of this paper is the use and benefits of visual art therapy in correctional settings. Unfortunately, there has been little research to measure the effectiveness of art therapy in prison. Researchers are still in the early stages of understanding what art therapy does, how it does this, and why it is effective. Through art therapy programs, prisoners are able to more fully come to know themselves and are therefore fore able to authentically participate in life and community as well as develop an ongoing motivation towards recovery.
I will first address Vincent van Gogh and his tempestuous life and the magnificent art that was the result of his illness. According to Dr. Deitrich Blumer, in the article “The Illness of Vincent van Gogh”, she writes, No incidents of mental illness are recorded among van Gogh’s ancestors” (American Journal of Psychiatry Blumer 519). According to her research and that of Gastaut, a former Doctor of Vincent’s, he likely suffered an early brain injury as a child because of what is observed from childhood pictures contrasted against later self-portraits in which he is painted with a significant craniofacial asymmetry (Blumer 519). His condition would later be exasperated by his drinking of absinthe, an alcoholic beverage that is known to cause hallucinations.
I am an artist. That is not a disclaimer or a boast; it is a statement of position. I believe in the undeniable importance of art and the futility of censorship. I also believe that art is one of the best indicators of the mood of a culture. Scholars, doctors, therapists, and lawyers can attempt to explain us to ourselves, but their testimony, while useful, will almost always be dry and lacking in emotional depth. I am proud to write in defense of a group that predates and outlasts all other professional analysts of the human condition-creators of art.
I have kept for twenty years a tattered and stained copy of a Matt Groenig cartoon entitled “How to be an Artist in Torment.”The cartoon asks if you were sickly, peculiar, alienated, or picked on as a child and, if so, did that make you feel superior? Another cell catalogs the requisite psychological impediments of the creative personality—rage, confusion, and self- doubt—and describes the proper look to emulate: an “overall postpunk neobeatnik semidisheveled drab yet hip look.”The cartoon portrays the artist’s studio companions as lice and rats. Finally, it asks if you are thin and exhausted from staying up nights fretting over an idea, or in a related vein, “Can drugs really be considered art supplies?” What Groenig laughingly and lovingly describes is the romantic stereotype known in France as les peintres maudits, or “accursed painters.” It’s a syndrome, however, that extends easily to writers, musicians, and performers. Art historian Douglas Hall describes the four key attributes of the doomed creative genius: alienation, poverty, weakness, and brilliance—the latter being essential if one is not to pass into historical obscurity. The twentieth century is littered with such talented and troubled souls: Jim Morrison, Jackson Pollack, Dylan Thomas, Warhol, Judy Garland, and Van Gogh. Yet the uncontested high priest of the syndrome is Amedeo Modigliani.
Edgar Allan Poe was the epitome of a tormented genius. He possessed uncontrollable and self-inflicted internal problems. In addition, Poe was plagued by external difficulties—some preventable, some not. Most doctors today would pronounce Poe to be bipolar, chronically depressed, and perhaps even OCD. Most people today, and any day, would declare Poe to be self-obsessed and arrogant, or—at the least—snobbish. His personal life would also be considered less than ideal, though how much he was personally responsible for is still unknown (Hutchisson 19). Art, however, often springs from controversy and instability. In fact, Jacqueline Langwith, editor of Perspective on Disease & Disorders: Mood Disorders, notes that “creativity appears to be associated with mental illness” (Langwith 8). Furthermore, remarkably few artists had anything short of incredible—especially incredibly difficult—lives. Poe suffered from internal “handicaps” and an interesting life, both of which showed up in his unique writing. Edgar Allan Poe's mental disorders, pride, and negative relationships within his family are reflected in “The Cask Of Amontillado” and “The Tell-Tale heart,” and gave them their characteristic qualities.
A 1949 study of 113 German artists, writers, architects, and composers was one of the first to undertake an extensive, in-depth investigation of both artists and their relatives. Although two-thirds of the 113 artists and writers were "psychically normal," there were more suicides and "insane and neurotic" individuals in the artistic group than could be expected in the general population, with the highest rates of psychiatric abnormality found in poets (50%) and musicians (38%). (1) Many other similar tests revealed th...
Van Gogh’s mental state: his way of putting his emotions into his work helped develop the typical artist’s persona we know today
“Art therapy is a form of therapy in making of visual images (paintings, drawings, models etc.) in the presences of a qualified art therapist contributes towards externalization of thoughts and feelings which may otherwise remain unexpressed”(Walter & Gilory, 1992).
...ve them of their inspiration and interfere with their creativity. It is a thorny, and relatively new, question, and Jamison merely outlines the controversy without offering an opinion on what should be done to rectify the situation, leaving the door open for further research. Mental illness in artists is a fascinating subject, and Jamison does an excellent job of providing a through portrait of many artists who have grappled with manic-depressive disorder, in addition to exploring how these disorders affect creativity and productivity. Jamison also maintains an awareness of the objections to her attempts to draw a correlation
One of the disadvantages of art therapy is that the therapist is more vulnerable to misinterpretation in terms of the objective understanding of content. Care must be taken not to make rapid interpretations on the specific piece of art which might prevent or even deny the client the satisfaction of discovering and finding out for herself (Case and Dalley, p. 65). This is because art therapy involves a lot of interpretation, it is understandable that critics about this technique are similar to that of psychotherapy. The client’s images can come across as many things with contrasting ideas, but only the individual themself can explain it. The therapist is urged not to point out obvious red signals, instead they should allow the client to come up with their own interpretations. Their own interpretations alone are something to make note of as it may shed some light on the client's thought process about the
Art can benefit the unhealthy as well. With 34,000 soldiers coming back from Afghanistan as proposed by Barack Obama, there are many who consequently have mental disabilities or post-traumatic stress disorder. To cope with depression, or other symptoms, many doctors have used art programs...
The link between creativity and mental illnesses is a topic that has been debated for centuries. The great philosophers Plato, Socrates, and Aristotle all discussed the connection as well. Even in today’s society, there is an ever-present stereotype that creative individuals (i.e. poets, writers, artists, designers, etc.) suffer from bouts of depression, mania, or mental illnesses. It is an age-old question: does depression/mania effect creativity? There is a lot of evidence that both supports and denies the truth behind this question. Some researchers believe the link between depression and creativity is strictly genetic while others believe there is none at all. The argument for this discussion will mostly support the argument that creativity is absolutely a result, cause, and remedy of mania. The manic-depressive illnesses discussed in this debate will mostly include bipolar disorder, mania, and depression. However, there are a lot of factors that play a role in this debate. To discuss, we must first define creativity, the creative process, manic-depressive illnesses, and rumination.