Schizophrenia: Painting picture to shatter the myths
By I. Christianto
JAKARTA (JP): She enthusiastically displayed her 20-page drawing book and explained in detail the theme of each drawing. Most of them, made with a ball-point pen, resembled sketches. The point was clear: they were about grievance and grief. In many of the drawings she depicts eyes -- eyes looking out of flowers, eyes looking out of leaves. Every eye is crying.
She looked somewhat uneasy. Then she said she wanted more drawing books and better painting materials for her next creations. She wanted to draw her fantasies and more flowers which look like eyes with teardrops.
"I want to write things in my imagination. Sometimes I project my fantasies into my paintings to make them look better," Eva (not her real name) said.
Eva, who has also produced some oil paintings, is in her 30s and suffers from the psychiatric disorder known as schizophrenia.
Her work, along with 160 paintings produced by more than 70 other sufferers, will be put on display and auctioned here in an event called Painting and Schizophrenia: It's Not Just An Imagination.
And why not? Even the famous painter Vincent Van Gogh is understood to have suffered from the disorder.
The event will take place at Taman Ismail Marzuki art center from Oct. 8 to Oct. 10. It has been organized by the Indonesian Psychiatrists' Association (IDAJI) in collaboration with Janssen Pharmaceutica to mark World Mental Health Day, which falls on Oct. 10, and National Mental Health Day, which falls a day earlier.
F. Erika Kusumawardani from the organizing committee said that so far, the public response to the event has been beyond expectations.
"Originally we expected only 60 paintings. The public have paid great attention. It is has been really welcome," she said.
Many of the painters are from Jakarta, but there are also submissions from artists in Ujungpandang, Manado, Padang, Denpasar and Surakarta.
Erika says that prices will range between Rp 5,000 (US$0.5) and Rp 3.5 million. "Minimum rates are set by the painters, which they will receive if the paintings are sold. If we receive more, the money will be shared between the painter, the psychiatrists' association and the hospital or unit where the painter is or has been undergoing therapy."
She said the organizing committee has also assessed each of the paintings. Eight winners will be announced on Friday.
Painting is among the activities most recommended by occupational therapists who treat schizophrenic patients. The two other most common treatments are medication therapy and psychotherapy, according to Heriani, a psychiatrist from the University of Indonesia School of Medicine and Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital in Jakarta.
Occupational therapy is an activity in which the patient is involved in a variety of creative tasks and activities related to daily living. This may include the manufacture of handicrafts, welding, carpentry, pottery, painting, music, weaving, embroidery and other activities.
Heriani said the painting exhibition and auction is part of efforts to raise the pride and dignity of schizophrenia sufferers.
"This is to make the public aware that people suffering from schizophrenia are still capable of creating something impressive. We hope the patients' pride and dignity rises as a result, and the same goes for their families," she said.
For Eva, painting helps her express her emotions and vivid imagination.
"Painting also keeps me busy so that I don't have time to get angry," she said.
"Once, when I was angry, I burned my whole collection. I regret that, and now I always try hard not to get angry," said Eva, who has been painting ever since she was a child.
Her family discovered Eva was suffering from the disorder while she was at junior high school. But the disorder has not stopped her getting on in life, even though she failed to finish senior high school. Besides being an accomplished painter, she is now married with two children.
"My husband and children know that I suffer from schizophrenia and they understand," she said.