Wednesday
17 May 2006
19:00 - 20:30
Vincent Van Gogh was an artist whose work can truly be described as being ahead of its time. He struggled even to sell his paintings during his lifetime, but is now regarded as one of the 19th century's greatest artists. He is also a well-known example of an artist who suffered from mental illness.
In 1888 Van Gogh experienced a psychotic episode, famously cutting off part of his own ear. He voluntarily entered a psychiatric hospital, where the admitting physician described him as suffering from acute mania with hallucinations of sight and hearing'. Could these hallucinations have influenced some of his most famous paintings?
It has also been argued that the painting Starry Night, with its swirling night sky, may have represented the haloes seen by patients treated with digitalis, a drug that Van Gogh took to counteract his epilepsy.
Was Van Gogh simply a creative mind plagued by madness, or did his mental illness actually enhance his artistic abilities? You can (almost) ask the man himself, as Anthony Slinn will be attending in character as Van Gogh. We will also address the science behind the idea that madness and creativity often go hand in hand, with the help of Sabine Bahn and Michael Maier, experts in psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia and manic depression.
Join us for what promises to be a unique and fascinating evening.
Event organised by
The European Dana Alliance for the Brain and Imperial College London