Schizophrenia: Painting picture to shatter the myths

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.