Art and madness in 20th century Brazilian psychiatry

Abstract

This article explores the role of Brazilian art therapy in the 20th century in facilitating linguistic encounters through non-linguistic media for psychotic patients, influenced by the vanguardist movements of the time and framed by Jaspers’ theory of language. Osório Cesar’s interpretations of patients’ artwork, Nise da Silveira’s focus on artistic expression, and Lula Wanderley’s use of Relational Objects exemplify the potential of non-linguistic media to bridge the communication gap in therapy. These approaches highlight the importance of symbolic content and bodily experiences in conveying meaning. Art therapy, shaped by its relationship with vanguardist movements, harnesses non-linguistic media to create linguistic encounters, allowing psychotic patients to communicate their distress and reshape their reality. This holistic approach enhances mental and emotional well-being by integrating artistic and bodily experiences into therapeutic practices, fostering meaningful transformation.

Keywords

art-therapy Brazilian modern art psychosis anti-asylum struggle

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