Invoking Inner
Vision: The application of an art therapeutic method that builds upon
projective processes at the Csontváry Fine Arts Studio
Introduction:
The Csontváry Fine Arts Studio operates in the Pécs
Foster Home. I would like to present an art education and drawing therapy
method applied in this child-care center.
Inherent expressiveness is an inborn skill,
which through the help of ancestral images provides the opportunity for
formulating our personal relationship with the world itself. This skill emerges
in early childhood and kindergarten years, as a result of social triggering.
Its outstanding results in human culture have
been maintained in folk art, tribal art and ancient arts. Unfortunately, as a
result of modern mass culture and inappropriate public educational practice,
this skill gradually disappears from child imaging. However as a fortune, the
ability itself is never wiped out, it is only refrained in the deep of the
soul, in the world of the unconscious.
In my presentation I introduce an art
educational and drawing therapy method, which is able to recall inherent
expressiveness, our inner vision. The method may successfully be applied on
school-year children, teenagers and even adults. This way they shall again be
capable of utilizing their internal visions, which projects the internal
contents of the unconscious soul. With the help of ancestral images they will
be able to formulate and recognize their internal worlds. The method is built
on an ancient East-Asian Taoist drawing educational procedure. With the help of
internal vision thus developed, the hidden world of the personality is
formulated first, in the form of "personal myths", making it
applicable for therapeutic aims. These unique drawing formulas will be analyzed
in the drawings of emotionally injured children and youngsters in foster-homes.
The Presentation:
Our creative community, made up of children and
youngsters living in Pécs city foster-homes was established in 1987 under the
name Csontváry Fine Arts Studio. Through the past 15 years it has developed
into a part of intellectual value for the city of Pécs. We represent a special
world of human existence formulated with the noble tools of art: the
self-expressional sub-culture and unique emotional world of children and young
people without a healthy family background, growing up in community homes. In
their works the problems and conflicts of modern life are developed, softened
into art through the filter of the child intellect. It is a sincere, candid
world; however, with the help of its self-expression tools, baring basic
strength it addresses the deepest core of our souls.
These children and young people are selected
from the periphery of society, from families struggling with social problems.
They are the victims of serious family dramas and conflicts since early
childhood. Often their lives are accompanied by vicissitudes, lack of love,
emotional dismal, low cultural level and an aggressive atmosphere. The sequence
of failures, feeling of inferiority is present in their everyday lives. In the
school competition and performance oriented atmosphere they suffer educational
difficulties at all times, since due to emotional loads caused by traumas,
their efficiency is lower than of those living in normal families. However, the
Csontváry Fine Arts Studio undertakes the development and improvement of skills
hidden in them. It applies a unique drawing therapy method, which is capable of
recalling inner anxiety caused by emotional traumas, for their symbolic
formulation with the use of the noble tools of fine art. Thus of their inner
emotional problems and difficulties, they are able to create artistic value.
This develops such a basic skill in them, which may be later used in any areas
of their lives, and help them through many difficulties.
The method is based on an ancient, more than
thousand years old East-Asian Taoist drawing educational method.
A characteristic of human form vision is, that
of a visualized object or image, drawing, etc., our impression will be that it
is a unique whole. However objects for us are mostly rich in detail, at first
sight it is not the detail that strikes us, but the whole object, the overall
nature of the form. Meaning, that we do not perceive the form by putting it
together from parts into a whole, but we make an impression of the whole
without consciously analyzing the details and putting them together. It is only
after lengthy contemplation of an object or visual image, when we become
absorbed into the observation of details. In children, this unique, overall
nature of form vision is more expressed compared to that of adults. Children
seem to be impressed by the whole of the image, - in the first place emotional
- instead of perceiving the place of details in the whole, and they mainly
record an unbroken impression of the whole in their drawings.
These form vision principles are absolutely
left out of consideration in the naturalist approach type, wide-spread drawing
practice solely built on external vision, making its students create the whole
form gradually by the perfect tone development of details. The younger the
child, the more they struggle with the task, since they are impressed by the
overall nature, the character of the whole, not by the details. In portrayal
too many details disturb their grasping of the whole. Such inappropriate
drawing education only creates anxiety and inhibitions in children, due to
which they "forget" to draw in their adult years.
Traditional European portrayal methods are
characterized by the spatial imaging of forms, using tones, working them out up
to the smallest details. On the other hand, the classic Far-Eastern, mainly
Chinese and Japanese ink painting is characterized by the losing of details,
the beautiful grasping of typical features, characters in forms. The first
picture (1.) is a classic Chinese ink painting, depicting a bamboo. Kuo Hszi a
great Taoist painter taught in the 11th century: "Who learns the painting
of the bamboo, should take a bamboo, and observe its shadow on the wall on a
moon-lit night, because this is how he sees the real form of the bamboo."
With the help of modern technology I created a similar situation. I projected
the shadows of dry plant forms on an overhead projector (thistle, poppy, grass
types, ears, etc.). The plants were organized in a light composition on the
shadow image, at first easier, then later in more complex forms. The appearing
shadow is plane, made up of fine lines and shadows. Although internal details
are invisible on the forms, their enlarged silhouettes expressly show the
typical character of each plant (picture 2.). This does not only resemble the
image situation formulated in Chinese ink painting portrayal methods, but it
also suits the previously described form vision of children, based on the
"unique whole" impression. Through this method they are not paralyzed
in portrayal by overabundant details, and through the emphasizing of form
characteristics the grasping of typical features will also be facilitated for
them, thus dissolving their anxieties and inner inhibitions.
These fine lined natural forms are
outstandingly beautiful, but due to their small sizes, in our everyday lives we
do not perceive them, we just pass by them. However, through this method –
multiply enlarged by their shadows – they offer a wonderful aesthetic
experience. This is what my fosters draw, mainly concentrating on the character
and not on exact proportions creating anxiety, since in case of shadows precise
proportions are of no significance.
Picture 1. – "Bamboo woods" (Classic
Chinese ink painting)
Picture 2. – "Shadow Image of Plant
Forms" (with the help of over-head projector)
Children and teenagers create the images with
pen, paintbrush, black or colour ink, walnut tree steep or colour pencils. Yes,
they are allowed to apply colours. Naturally, as shadows are dark – almost any
colours may be imaged in the forms (pictures 3. and 4.). With this method
children are freed of their inhibitions in both forming and use of colours,
they freely apply their individual personalities, original tastes into their
drawings. On the sheet the area surrounding the form is left plain, on the
paper white, similarly to Chinese artists. Thus the white background, as space
– in a puritan way – becomes a component of the picture; it is filled with
aesthetic values. Just as looking in, through a window, mysterious objects
await us, which at first sight are lost in the enigmatical white of the
background. This way of expression puts their internal unconscious world into
action stronger, than the "spoon-fed" European imaging, which is
mainly aimed at activating our rational personalities, by precisely describing
and depicting the background for us. Consequently in this type of imaging, the
appearing forms simultaneously and automatically develop space around
themselves, also giving it a meaning.
Picture 3. – "Shadow
Study" ink painting of 8 year old boy
Picture 4. – "Shadow
Study" colour pencil drawing of 14 year old girl
Later on I tried to assemble and project more
and more fantastic shadow images of natural forms. For this I did not only
apply the poppy or cornflower and other dry plants, I also used vine-roots,
bird feathers, sea-shells, etc. I pressed the flight equipments of seeds and
fruits between slide-frames, and projected those (picture 5.). At many times in
montage form, but still I organized different shadow images in an organic way,
thus creating mysterious forms. Shadow images considerably leaped away from
reality, but for this reason they resembled many different things at the same
time. In the relatively homogeneous surface of shadows, anything can be
imagined, anything may be depicted. This method freed children, it launched brainstorming,
and associations in them; still the present shadow image assured them a fix,
starting point (picture 6.).
Picture 5. – "The Flight
Equipment of the Elm-tree Seed"
Picture 6. – "Dragon Boy is
Born" ink painting of 11 year old boy
I note here, that the Rorschach-test,
considered a classic in psychological diagnostics is also based on similar
theories. In this case, mainly the analogue operation of thought and
imagination is emphasized. The shadow, implying several meanings at the same
time, opens the conscious, brings something to one’s mind, based on the theory
of similarity. This recognition may also recall present emotional contents from
the unconscious.
Later on, when the imaging of fantastic,
mysterious beings is well done by children, they go on drawing them just
"by heart". I then do not apply any shadow images, models (pictures
7.-10.). In these pictures fantastic beings, surrealistic, fairy-tale like
worlds appear. It is also a characteristic of this approach that it often joins
elements, which in real do not fit together, but they are depicted as an
organic whole. These unique beings are symbols at the same time. Through them
strong feelings are expressed, experiences are condensed in them, and these
experiences may already be unconscious as well. After all, internal tension,
anxiety is projected on the visual symbols created by the imagination of the
teenager, condensing past traumas and experiences. Thus unconscious problems
may often appear or be projected unwillingly. In case of adults, not only
tensing anxieties are freed this way, but also, the problems appearing in their
drawings are analyzable intellectually.
To these pictures often brief stories, tales,
personal "myths" told by the artist are coupled. Many times they verbally
name their symbolic beings. Personal stories may emerge with symbolic value out
of these, modelling their worlds, and their relationship to the world.
Picture 7. – "Humiliation" drawing of
15 year old boy
These unique image formulations will be
analyzed in the drawings of emotionally injured foster teenagers. Due to
limitations of length I may only flash a few works of my rich collection.
The Point of Drawing
Analysis:
-
As
a starting point, and system of comparison I use the ancestral image
(archetype). The still operating Marxist rooted sign-scientific school rejects
the existence of these, and it regards all symbols accidental, optional,
decided by communal agreement (convention). Communal agreement is a conscious
process, such as the work of a law-maker in parliament. On the other hand in
case of ancestral symbols there has never been any communal agreement. Western
science – mainly psychology – has also proven statistically, that ancestral
images exist as the basis of human culture. Referring here, for example to the
studies of the American Rhoda-Kellogg. Based on these I apply the symbol
analyses of C. G. Jung, the Rorschach-test, the Koch type Tree-test and
Rhoda-Kellogg. I shall also apply the results of culture anthropological studies
carried out between different archaic communities, the symbol analyses of
folk-art, and the symbol definitions of different symbol collections,
mythological symbols. Although, symbols have a joint root deep in the human
psyche, naturally the symbol appearing on a given work gets a unique meaning,
influenced by the personality and the given culture.
-
I
regard the stories of teenagers, told about their drawings extremely important.
In this case visual information is really supplemented and specified by verbal information.
-
The
subsequent creation of drawings is also extremely important for the artist,
together with those patterns which appear in several drawings, since these are
the ones that carry the basic emotional problems. It is also of importance, what
changes these patterns go through on subsequent images, since this is how
emotional processes are revealed.
-
Also
misinterpretation is prevented, if the personality, life circumstances,
previous life information of children are compared with the drawing during
analysis. Family environment, cultural environment now and before may also be
of importance, previous educational strategies applied on the child, the type
of visual training in kindergarten and school is also important. The
intelligence and field of interest also has to be taken into account. The
message of symbols apparent in the drawings is better understood if we gain
more supplementary data of the artist.
The Drawings and What's Within:
At first, let's look at a wonderful emblem, the
tree of life symbol (picture 8. – by Béla (12 year old boy). The tree of life
or the ancient tree of life symbol may be found in both tribal art and
folk-art. It depicts the basic struggles of human life. The human is born into
a material world, but through its life it endeavours a higher, intellectual
world.
On the drawing the tree of life, symbolizing
the life-path of the human, emerges from a small mound, representing the mother
womb. The tree of life leads upward, into the clouds, into the world of
sunshine. On the path of the tree of life, miniature, ant-like beings struggle
their ways up to the skies in groups.
All this is unconsciously expressed in the
drawing of the child, showing that its whole being is upward endeavour,
development shows toward recognition of knowledge. However, - according to the
artist – a python has coiled up on the tree (also well visible on the image),
obstructing the way of the upward struggler. The ants, that are not clever
enough cannot break through the obstacles, they are eaten up by the snake. It
is exactly this natural upward movement and will to know, that is often
suppressed in our children with false, inhuman, unlively Prussian education,
which does not teach the searching and nursing of real values, but
unfortunately teaches the serving of the requirements in the consumer society.
This effect extremely strikes disadvantaged foster-children who have
experienced many emotional traumas. The teenage boy was taken to the
foster-home from a family,
Picture 8. – "Tree of
Life" ink painting by Béla (12 year old boy)
where all, except the artist were mentally
disabled. Thus at home he was unable to receive the intellectuality he
instinctively searched for. In the school at the housing estate they did not
pay much attention to him either, so he failed many subjects before getting to
the foster-home. The drawing was created not much later, representing this life
circumstance. By the end of the year, he improved in all subjects. Picture 8.
was created as a result of this period.
Picture 9. – "In-between
Prison-walls" by István (13 year old boy)
The building of the foster-home is not a
prison, its gates are open, children may leave the building area, and what's
more it does not have an internal school, the pupils attend the schools in the
area. However, in an emotional sense it is a locked up, unique world. It tries
to imitate real life and the family; however, children still live in this
alienated situation distant from a healthy, real life as necessity. This unique
state is expressed in the drawing of a 13 year old boy child (picture 9.). Its
artist gave the title "In-between Prison-walls". Two emotional
reactions to living in this closed world are depicted in the picture with
persuasive power of expression. On the male like side (viewed on the left) anxiety
in the closed world is revealed in the form of aggression. Aggression is
implied by the teeth in open mouths and the emphasis of tooth shapes around the
bodies. On the other, female type side (viewed on the right) we may perceive
another type of emotional reaction to suppressed anxiety, the feeling of
helplessness, the attitude of refraining into passivity. This is convincingly
implied to us by the handless "Barbamama" type body formation. It is
also interesting, that this woman like body seems to be of ghost nature. The
mother of the boy has passed away at his early ages.
Picture 10. – "Strange
Being" by Béla (12 year old boy)
Of picture 10. its 12 year old artist commented
the following: This is a strange being.
It has not eaten for a long time, it was very hungry. One night he stretched
out his net, and fortunately many beings got stuck in it. He ate them all up,
but he ate so much that his veins blew up of too much food, and he bled to
death and passed away (free quote). This is also a unique emotional
situation of foster-home life. The longing for food, hunger may also express
emotional hunger. On the one hand he is extremely in need of love and
acceptance, he is starved, and on the other hand he is also anxious about these
feelings, as he has been disillusioned in this sense many times. He is
instinctively frightened by getting to love somebody, and again lose that
person not much later. Children living in normal families are bound to the same
parents and grand-parent throughout their whole lives. In contrast, foster
children drift from parents, to step-parents, to foster-parents, to
foster-teachers and to patrons. Throughout their lives they have to be bound to
different adults. People in the world stop by them for a few seconds, they toss
a piece of love-crumb to them, they
feel sorry for them, then they go on and do their own businesses. Children take
these love-crumbs serious, and thus
they are mainly disillusioned.
These traumas lead later to the situation, when
in adult years they are unable to make up a long-lasting partner relationship,
and start a family.
As I have already mentioned this "internal
vision", "self-expression imagination" has been vividly present
in early childhood. In older children, teenagers in today's civilization, due
to social effects it is mainly suppressed. For this suppression in our mainly
modern world, the over-emphasis of rationality is responsible, which makes us
forget the improvement of the irrational sphere at the same time. (In more
natural cultures this is different.) Irrationality is also a psychological
function, – emphasized and noted by C. G. Jung – overemphasizing the rational
establishment of culture inevitably leads to the devastation of irrational
aspects of culture. The balance of the two and their harmonic improvement is
healthy.
A case study
The following pictures - drawings by a teenage
girl from the foster home - encapsulate a two-year period from the age of 16 to
18. She was diagnosed with an emotionally unstable personality disorder and
from time to time she had an obsessive-compulsive urge to cut her forearm with
a blade. During this period all her drawings centred on the themes of blood,
blood- and teardrops, sharp edges, piercing, screams and crying. Sometimes she
gave a title or added a sentence to her pictures – these appear between
quotation marks.
Picture 11. –”When it hurts inside, let it
hurt even more”
16 year old girl
Once, while drawing one of these pictures she
ran out of the studio, up to her bedroom to be found minutes later cutting her forearm.
The background provides us with a possible
answer to her compulsive behaviour. After her 14-year-old mother gave birth to
her, she left her in the hospital. She was taken to infant foster care and grew
up in foster homes. She never got to know her father.
At the age of 15 she met her mother who had no
intention to build a relationship or care for her. Realizing that she was not
wanted caused a disturbance in her sense of self: involuntarily she questioned
the validity of her existence.
Picture
12. – Silent scream |
Picture 13. – Blood drops |
Picture 14. – Hurt |
Picture 15. – “Life is a Sin” - Crying blood and
tears
After this painful recognition a constant
self-harming urge emerged. Whether it was an attempt to affect her mother, to
seek attention or a self-loathing, self-punishing act, we can only make
assumptions; but probably more aspects were involved.
Cutting her forearm was also a chance to regain
sense of self. Being unwanted indirectly corresponded to being non-existent.
The warmth of her blood, its vivid colour, the flowing liquid was clear proof
of her existence. Inflicting pain on her own body was a confirmation and
reassurance, because only a living person can be hurt. Out of numbness it
created an intense sensation.
Self-harm helped her to regain autonomy and
release tension. The physical pain may have been the means to distract her from
the emotional pain.
Picture 16. – ”Don’t lick your wounds and
don’t cry in public”
Picture 17.
– Shadowy figure of unknown father I.
Picture 18.
– Shadowy figure of unknown father II.
The pictures with the title “Shadowy figure of the unknown father”
were inspired by dreams she had of an unrecognizable figure she identified as
her father.
All the way through this crisis she has been
treated only by the means of art therapy. She was producing these drawings for
two years. By carrying out the thoughts about self-harm in art, the urge to
make them real was eliminated. After the two-year period she stopped cutting
herself and her drawings contained different topics, new colours and less
unsettling symbolic figures.
|
|
Picture 19. –
The godlike figure has two different eyes – similar to (Picture 15.)
crying blood and tears, but the subject is much more hopeful. An arrow is
pointing upwards to the stars. The picture below depicts a winged bird-like
being and a shooting star, suggesting that the artist started a symbolic way up
to the stars.
Picture 20.- |
Summary
My method provides an opportunity not only to
teenagers, but also for adults, to find this "internal vision" in
ourselves again, and with the help of it to be able to express ourselves,
expose the deepest dimensions of our being. The method is also a procedure,
since starting out of the natural forms of external reality gradually, from
point-to-point it leads to the exposition of the internal world and its forms.
For the teenager the mythic-symbolic image and the verbal definition is of
healing power in itself, since modelling the world and his/her internal
conflicts this way, he/she can "play" or "study" solutions
on the model level, and the problem is exposed from the personality at the same
time, on the "plain of the paper sheet". Feelings and emotions are
projected onto the figures created by him/her, thus internal anxiety is
decreased, and inhibitions are loosened. This method of revealing the soul is
less dangerous for the "self", than other direct therapeutic
technologies, since problems here may be expressed on the level of symbols,
they do not have to be directly undertaken. In the procedure of conflict-processing
the problem is not solved directly but on the path of symbolic models, even
unconsciously, which is much easier. For a teenager this may also be of such
value, as if he/she has solved the problem in reality, which is often
impossible due to their life circumstances. As a matter of fact it is an
emotional cleansing process, carried out spontaneously.
Literature:
1. István Platthy: Personality
Improvement of Foster-Children and Youngsters with Fine Art Equipment.
Improvement Education professional journal, 1994/2-3.
2. István Platthy: Teenager Years'
Personal Myths. The Analysis of Drawings by Foster-Children. Aimless Teenage
Years. Study volume. Pont Publisher, Budapest, 2002. Improvement Education
professional journal, 2003./4-5.