Artistry of the Mentally Ill

As I discussed yesterday, the first few pages of Artistry of the Mentally Ill, by Hans Prinzhorn set up the criteria for viewing pictorial artwork by those who had been institutionalized for mental illness. Dr. Prinzhorn was uniquely qualified to investigate this subject, having been an art historian before becoming a psychiatrist. Prinzhorn posited that the gestaltung, or as the translator put it, the configuration, of the pictorial elements tells the viewer something about the workings of the mind of the artist.

Gestures

I have written a fair number of posts about gestures (Hand Gesture Atlas, Gesture Study, Gestures as Icons, Barrier Series with Gestures, Paired Gestures, Expressive Hands, Hands in Context). My older brother, Michael, who is very low functioning, autistic and nonverbal, has a distinct way of holding his hands and I often wondered why that should be. Prinzhorn noted that Emil Kraepelin, instigated the practice “…to treat disturbances of the expressive gestures as a unit in themselves.” (from Artistry of the Mentally Ill, Hans Prinzhorn New York: Springer-Verlag. 1972 pg 12)

Prinzhorn credits Ludwig Klages as the only one at that time (1920s) to have developed a complete theory of expression. This was published as Ausdruckbewegung und Gestaltungkraft. Grundlegung der Wissenschaft vom Ausdruck [Expressive movement and creative power. Foundation of the science of expression] in Leipzig, in 1921.

“According to his [Klages’s] theory, expressive gestures have the capability of so realizing psychic elements that they are communicated to us directly, as participants. Any motor discharge can be a carrier of expressive processes, not just voluntary movements, but also physiological reflex manifestations such as blushing. From the purposeful movement of the arm, the gesture provoked by joy or anger, to the ‘oral gesture’ of the word and its manifestation in writing or in a picture, the individual psychological element is always communicated to us simply and directly, instead of by rational association.” (from Artistry of the Mentally Ill, Hans Prinzhorn New York: Springer-Verlag. 1972 pg 12)

It so happens that Charles Darwin also studied expressions in The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals, published in 1872. Further study of this subject led to the discovery of involuntary micro-expressions, the observation of which enables a trained observer to determine  a person’s underlying emotional state (see Paul Ekman and the TV Series Lie to Me).

What are gestures to me?

I started this blog to review the history of my relationship with my brother Mike or, more accurately, to review my attempts to relate to, and understand him. I never knew if he knew that I am his brother. I still don’t know.  Since my last visit to see him with my mother and younger brother, I have shifted my approach to concentrate on expressing my own feelings. I have concluded that any relationship with my brother is not possible. He is well taken care of at his group home and I am happy about that.

To me, gestures are a way of conveying emotion. I would like to be able to use gestures, particularly those of the hands, as part of my visual vocabulary. As part of this study, I am looking retrospectively at hand gestures of my brother, in my photographs of him. Perhaps a catalog of these gestures would hold some emotional content for me, and perhaps for others.

Today’s studies

The photograph below was taken at my brother’s school. What struck me about this image was the way he held his right hand.

The watercolor below is a study of that gesture.

Watercolor class study

I also want to include the painting I did in class today. It’s a pear.