What is Depression?
Depression is a feeling of low mood that lasts for a long time an it affects your everyday life. it can make you feel hopeless, despairing, guilty, worthless, unmotivated and exhausted. It can have an affect on your self esteem, sleep, appetite, sex drive and your physical health.
In its mildest form, depression doesn't stop you from leading a normal life, but makes everything harder to do and seem less worthwhile. At it's most severe, depression can make you feel suicidal, and can be life threatening.
Depression in Art
Depression, anxiety, angst, grief and loneliness: despite its frequent occurrence in people's lives and attempts to de-stigmatise mental health, we still find it difficult to discuss psychological distress. Yet for centuries, the darker and more complex parts of our psyches – from generalised low spirits to diagnosable mental health conditions – have served as an inspiration to artists who have depicted these very human experiences with sensitivity, nuance and empathy.
Vincent Van Gogh
Vincent Van Gogh (1853–1890) famously known simply as the 'mad' artist during his short lived life. As time has moved on, an we are more aware of what madness truly depicts, the man was simply battling with many demons. The mythologising of the 'mad' artist is particularly associated with him famously mutilating his own ear following a fight with the artist Paul Gauguin and then sent the remnants to Gabrielle Berlatier.
Van Gogh's own chronicling of the incident's aftermath in Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear (1889) has helped cement the now-legendary incident as a prime example of mental instability and artistic genius. But even the painting itself is a bit of an enigma: the piercing stare and visible injury suggest great pain, but the calmly applied vertical paint strokes and carefully outlined shapes nod to focus, maybe even calmness. It's also difficult to argue that bodily mutilation and self-harm is ever something to celebrate, even when tied to great works of art. |