Abertura à experiência e preferência em obras de arte figurativas e não figurativas / Opening to experience and preference for figurative and non-figurative works of art / Apertura a la experiencia y preferencia por obras de arte figurativas y no figurativas

A arte não representacional é outra maneira de aludir à arte abstrata, sendo um estilo no qual os objetos não se parecem com aqueles que se apresentam na natureza física concreta. No último século, foram realizadas investigações experimentais sobre estética e personalidade objetivando revelar fatores contribuintes para as diferenças quanto às preferências artísticas. Este estudo explorou as associações entre abertura à experiência e preferência por arte visual. Os participantes completaram a Escala Fatorial de Abertura e classificaram a preferência por quatro imagens diferentes correspondentes à arte representativa e não representativa. A análise estatística dos dados revelou uma correlação positiva entre o fator Fantasia e a apreciação pelas pinturas abstratas (r =.20). Não foi verificada uma correlação estatisticamente significativa entre essa dimensão e a apreciação de pinturas figurativas. Embora esses achados sejam exploratórios, outras medidas mais completas relacionadas às diferenças individuais e preferências artísticas poderão ser utilizadas em novos estudos no Brasil.

Nonrepresentational art is another way to refer to abstract art elating to a style in which objects do not resemble those known in physical nature. In the last hundred years some experimental investigations of aesthetics and personality have been conducted to reveal fundamental factors which contribute to differences in artistic preference. This study explored associations among openness to experience and preference for visual art. Participants completed an Openess Fatorial Scale and provided preference ratings for different paintings corresponding to representational and nonrepresentational art. The statistical analysis of the data showed a positive correlation between the fantasy factor and appreciation for abstract paintings (r =.20). Here was no statistically significant correlation between this same dimension and the appreciation for figurative paintings. Although these findings are somewhat exploratory and more comprehensive measures of individual differences and art preferences could be employed in new studies in Brazil.

El arte no representacional es otra forma de referirse al arte abstracto que se adapta a un estilo en el que los objetos no se parecen a los que se conocen en la naturaleza física concrecta. En el siglo se han llevado a cabo investigaciones experimentales sobre estética y personalidad para revelar los factores contribuintes a las diferencias en preferencias artísticas. Los participantes completaron una Escala Fatorial de Abertura a experiencia y otorgaron calificaciones de preferencia para 4 diferentes images correspondientes al arte representativa y no representativa. El análisis estadístico de los datos mostró correlación entre el factor fantasía y y la apreciación de pinturas abstractas (r =.20). No fue verificada una correlación estadísticamente significativa entre esta dimension y la apreciación de las pinturas figurativas. Aunque estos hallazgos son exploratorios y podrían emplear medidas más completas de diferencias individuales y preferencias artísticas en nuevos estudios en Brasil.

The effect of exchanging drawings with peers on the happiness of children with cancer, aged 7-11 years: A clinical trial.

INTRODUCTION: Improving the mental status of children with cancer is part of nurses' duties in planning nursing care and is achieved in different ways. This study attempts to combine drawing with peer interaction to improve the mental status of sick children and investigate the effect of exchanging drawings with peers on these children's happiness. METHOD: This clinical trial was conducted on a sample of 66 children with cancer, ages 7-11 years, who were randomly assigned to two groups. The intervention was carried out over five weeks by the exchange of drawings between healthy children at school and children with cancer. Both groups of children drew one drawing each week. The children's happiness was measured by the researcher before and after the intervention (i.e., week five) using a questionnaire. RESULTS: The results showed no significant differences between the two groups in terms of happiness after the intervention. The happiness score was 3.15 ±0.34 in the control group and 3.02 ±0.3 in the intervention group before the intervention; afterwards, this score was 3.022± 0.22 among the controls and 3.11± 0.25 among the patients. The comparison of the two groups using the t-test showed P = 0.075 before the intervention and P = 0.11 after the intervention. CONCLUSION: Given the results obtained, future studies are recommended to administer lengthier interventions and enable the physical presence of healthy peers along sick children or to use the exchange of drawings with peers in combination with other psychological interventions so as to promote happiness in children with cancer.

Pictorial size perception in schizophrenia

In this study, we compared visual pictorial size perception between healthy volunteers (CG) and an experimental group (EG) of people diagnosed with schizophrenia. We have been using paintings by Salvador Dalí and Rorschach plates to estimate visual pictorial size perception. In this transversal, ex post facto, and quasi-experimental study, we observed differences between EG and CG. Schizophrenic in-patients perceived sizes about 1.3-fold greater than healthy volunteers (p=0.006), implying that pictorial size perception is altered in some way in schizophrenia. Considering the present and previous results, this measurement of diameter size of first pictorial perception may be a useful estimate of some aspects of perceptual alterations that may be associated with psychotic symptoms in prodromal and acute schizophrenic episodes and other related mental states. Eventually, this may help in preventing people from evolving to acute episodes.

[Devotion to painting in a Parkinson's disease patient].

We report a 77-year-old man who suffered from Parkinson's disease for 12 years. Four years after the disease onset, he started to show excessive hobbyism of painting. His painting skills improved along with escalating enthusiasm. He even held a personal exhibition of his paintings. Dopaminergic treatment was increased as he developed wearing-off phenomenon. Six years after the disease onset, he developed dopamine dysregulation syndrome (DDS). In the same year, he underwent surgery for subthalamic deep brain stimulation. DDS did not improve and he did not lose enthusiasm for painting after surgery. Switching from ropinirole to rotigotine improved the DDS, but did not affect the excessive enthusiasm. At the age of 76, he started to have difficulty in completing the paintings. He had an uncontrollable urge to overlay paint strokes until the colors blurred and the paper was torn. In neuropsychological examinations, Mini-Mental State Examination score was above the cutoff, but Frontal Assessment Battery suggested motor perseveration and disinhibition. In summary, the patient's excessive enthusiasm for painting emerged in association with impulse control disorder (ICD) by dopamine agonist therapy, and subsequent change in his painting style appeared to be related with motor perseveration and/or further escalation of ICD.

A comparative study of art therapy in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy and improvement in quality of life by watercolor painting.

BACKGROUND: There is limited data on the role of art therapy used in cancer patients. We wanted to test the effect of painting art therapy provided by a dedicated professional painting artist on quality of life and anxiety and depression levels in patients having chemotherapy. METHODS: Cancer patients having chemotherapy in the day unit of a medical oncology department of a university hospital were offered to take part in a painting art therapy program (PATP). This program consisted of a professional painting artist facilitating and helping patients to perform painting during their chemotherapy sessions while they were in the day unit, as well as supplying them painting material for home practice. The changes in quality of life domains of EORTC-QLQ-C30 questionnaire and in Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scores (HADS) were assessed before and after the PATP. These results were contrasted with a reference group of cancer patients on chemotherapy but not taking part in the PATP. In order to adjust for multiple comparisons of quality of life parameters between patient groups, we utilized the Bonferroni correction. RESULTS: A total of 48 patients, of which 26 patients did and 22 did not have prior exposure to PATP, were enrolled in the PATP. A control group of 24 patients who did not have any PATP activity during the study period also took part in the study. With PATP, there was significant improvement in global quality of life (F=7.87, P=0.001), and depression scores (F=7.80, P=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the largest comparative PATP experience in cancer patients on chemotherapy and show that PATP is feasible in the clinics. Our results confirm that art therapy in the form of painting improves quality of life and depression in cancer patients having chemotherapy. This effect was more pronounced in patients without any previous experience of PATP.

O impacto da doença de Alzheimer nos autorretratos de William Utermohlen / The impact of Alzheimer's disease in William Utermohlen's self-portraits / El impacto de la enfermedad de Alzheimer en los autorretratos de William Utermohlen

A doença de Alzheimer (DA) desencadeia o declínio progressivo da função cognitiva, particularmente da memória. A doença compromete o córtex frontal e temporoparietal, impactando nas habilidades cognitivas e motoras do paciente. Neste artigo, descrevem-se as mudanças no estilo visual dos autorretratos do artista norte-americano William Utermohlen, produzidas após o diagnóstico de DA, correlacionando-as com as habilidades analisadas com os testes de função cognitiva, a fim de destacar a magnitude da expressão gráfica para a compreensão desta doença.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) triggers the progressive decline in cognitive function, particularly memory. The disease affects the frontal and temporoparietal cortex, affecting the patient's cognitive and motor skills. This article describes the changes in the visual style of self-portraits by American artist William Utermohlen produced after AD diagnosis, correlating them with skills analyzed with cognitive function tests in order to highlight the magnitude of the graphic expression for the understanding of this disease.

La enfermedad de Alzheimer (EA) desencadena la disminución progresiva de la función cognitiva, particularmente de la memoria. La enfermedad compromete el cortex frontal y parietotemporal, impactando en las habilidades cognitivas y motoras del paciente. En este artículo, se describen los cambios en el estilo visual de los autorretratos del artista norteamericano William Utermohlen, producidos después el diagnóstico de EA, relacionándolos con las habilidades analizadas con pruebas de función cognitiva, a fin de destacar la magnitud de la expresión gráfica para la comprensión de esta enfermedad.

Arte y naturaleza humana XXI / Art and human nature XXI

A través de su técnica pictórica, Giuseppe Arcimboldo nos muestra cómo la solidaridad es un principio universal que logra que, de la armonía de la multiplicidad y diversidad de lo simple, pueda surgir la complejidad de lo grandioso. (AU)

Through his painting technique, Giuseppe Arcimboldo shows how solidarity is a universal principle that achieves the harmony of the multiplicity and diversity of the simple, from which may arise the complexity of the great. (AU)

El uso de técnicas gráficas en investigaciones sobre representaciones sociales / Use of graphics techniques in researchs on social representations

Este trabajo tiene como objetivo reflexionar acerca del uso de técnicas gráficas en investigaciones sobre representaciones sociales. Las imágenes constituyen un sistema semiótico autónomo, que permite explorar sobre los significados sociales construidos en relación a un tema. Configuran narraciones gráficas en las que se entrecruzan aspectos psicosociales y aspectos histórico-culturales. Para esto, y de manera ilustrativa, se presentan los resultados de una investigación sobre la representación social de la vida cotidiana en jóvenes no insertos en el sistema educativo ni laboral formal, denominados por Reutlinger (2001) “jóvenes invisibles”. Las imágenes dan cuenta del espacio social vivido, y a la vez, de un mapa de relaciones que se traduce en la configuración de determinada identidad social. Los resultados obtenidos son concordantes con los logrados con otras técnicas a lo largo de la investigación, lo que da cuenta de la triangulación de fuentes como modo de validar los resultados.

How to look at pictures according to "Mona Lisa gaze principle".

This article educates people how to look at pictures according to the following principle: "move parallel to the picture from right to left and the opposite, and to your surprise you will start to feel that the elements that turned to you from a certain direction will start to move in your brain to every direction from which you view them".

A vida por um fio / La vida por un hilo / Life, hanging on a thread

Sem Théo não haveria Vincent. Pensamos no quanto o ser humano necessita do ambiente para tornar-se real, criar e acreditar. Théo representou na vida de Vincent Van Gogh este porto seguro. Encontramos em Winnicott, em Cartas a Théo e em três biografias sobre Van Gogh as referências necessárias para acompanhar a impressionante trajetória de Van Gogh, um caso exemplar da luta humana pela vida e da difícil caminhada na busca do si mesmo...

Without Théo there would be no Vincent. We think about how much human beings need the environment to become real, create, and believe. Théo represented this shelter in the life of Vincent Van Gogh. We find in Winnicott, in Letters to Théo, and in three biographies on Van Gogh, the necessary references to follow the amazing trajectory of Van Gogh, an exemplary case of human struggle for life and of the difficult trajectory in the search of oneself...

Sin Théo no habría Vincent. Pensamos en lo tanto que el ser humano necesita del ambiente para hacerse real, crear y creer. Théo representó en la vida de Vincent Van Gogh este puerto seguro. Encontramos en Winnicott, en Cartas a Théo y en tres biografías sobre Van Gogh las referencias necesarias para acompañar el impresionante recorrido de Van Gogh, un caso ejemplar de lucha humana por la vida y de la difícil caminada en la búsqueda de uno mismo...

O antídoto do mal: crítica de arte e loucura na modernidade brasileira / The antidote of evil: a critique of art and madness in modern Brazilian

Em meados da década de 1940, a psiquiatra Nise da Silveira organizou ateliês de pintura e modelagem com os pacientes do Centro Psiquiátrico Pedro II. A produção desses ateliês – hoje acervo do Museu de Imagens do Inconsciente – chamou a atenção de cientistas e intelectuais da época. O interesse suscitado pelas obras não se restringia à sua utilidade no tratamento psiquiátrico: elas também exemplificavam um novo conceito de qualidade estética e, ainda, assumiam papel central num debate político mais amplo, sobre o lugar do louco e da loucura na sociedade. É com esse pano de fundo que se desenrolam as análises do livro, dividido em três capítulos. O primeiro traça um panorama do modernismo brasileiro. O segundo aborda as influências teóricas contidas na noção de “arte virgem”, do crítico de arte Mário Pedrosa. E, por fim, o terceiro faz uma análise comparativa da categoria de “arte virgem” com a de “arte bruta”, do intelectual francês Jean Dubuffet, salientando as especificidades da experiência brasileira. O autor se detém a uma problemática histórica, estudando um período marcado tanto pela ebulição da “arte informal” quanto pelo questionamento das práticas psiquiátricas, de onde resultou o reconhecimento da “arte de loucos”. A partir daí arte e loucura combinaram-se de tal forma que, hoje, quase ninguém duvida do potencial dessa união. “Este é um livro para artistas e críticos de arte e para profissionais que lidam com a loucura e a arte”, recomenda o editor da coleção.

O antídoto do mal: crítica de arte e loucura na modernidade brasileira / The antidote of evil: a critique of art and madness in modern Brazilian

Em meados da década de 1940, a psiquiatra Nise da Silveira organizou ateliês de pintura e modelagem com os pacientes do Centro Psiquiátrico Pedro II. A produção desses ateliês – hoje acervo do Museu de Imagens do Inconsciente – chamou a atenção de cientistas e intelectuais da época. O interesse suscitado pelas obras não se restringia à sua utilidade no tratamento psiquiátrico: elas também exemplificavam um novo conceito de qualidade estética e, ainda, assumiam papel central num debate político mais amplo, sobre o lugar do louco e da loucura na sociedade. É com esse pano de fundo que se desenrolam as análises do livro, dividido em três capítulos. O primeiro traça um panorama do modernismo brasileiro. O segundo aborda as influências teóricas contidas na noção de “arte virgem”, do crítico de arte Mário Pedrosa. E, por fim, o terceiro faz uma análise comparativa da categoria de “arte virgem” com a de “arte bruta”, do intelectual francês Jean Dubuffet, salientando as especificidades da experiência brasileira. O autor se detém a uma problemática histórica, estudando um período marcado tanto pela ebulição da “arte informal” quanto pelo questionamento das práticas psiquiátricas, de onde resultou o reconhecimento da “arte de loucos”. A partir daí arte e loucura combinaram-se de tal forma que, hoje, quase ninguém duvida do potencial dessa união. “Este é um livro para artistas e críticos de arte e para profissionais que lidam com a loucura e a arte”, recomenda o editor da coleção.

El caso Van Gohg: un análisis sobre los modos de compensación de la psicosis en Van Gogh / Van Gogh’s Case: an analysis on the ways of compensation of psychosis in Van Gogh

El presente trabajo tiene como objetivo determinar cuáles fueron los modos de compensación de la psicosis en Van Gogh. Se busca indagar los recursos que posibilitaron al artista remediar provisoriamente, la carencia simbólica. Como fuente biográfica principal se utiliza el intercambio epistolar entre el pintor y su hermano Theo. El análisis que se efectúa es de carácter exploratorio, bajo los aportes de Jaques Lacan. Se procede a examinar la categoría de fenómeno elemental para interrogase sobre la alucinación y la posibilidad de una construcción delirante. A continuación, se compara la solución de Joyce con la de Van Gogh para sostener el anudamiento. Finalmente se conjetura que fueron dos los recursos de compensación que utilizó el pintor para reparar la falla del nudo: por un lado, sus relaciones imaginarias con Theo y Gauguin y por otro lado, su producción artística, aunque éstos no fueron suficientes para evitar el destino del pintor.

Frida Kahlo: a pintura como processo de busca de si mesmo / Frida Kahlo: la pintura como proceso de búsqueda de sí misma / Frida Kahlo: the painting as a process of searching herself

A partir do estudo da vida e da obra da pintora Frida Kahlo, este trabalho propõe reflexões sobre a natureza das forças que impeliam a artista a retratar seus estados emocionais de forma pungente. As falhas na maternagem e suas consequências são examinadas na relação que Frida tinha com seu corpo, seus relacionamentos afetivos e sua feminilidade. Seus autorretratos criavam uma função especular restituidora, e sua arte denotava um intenso processo de busca de integração e de encontro consigo mesma.

A partir del estudio de la vida y obra de la pintora Frida Kahlo, este trabajo propone reflexiones sobre la naturaleza de las fuerzas que la estimulaban a la artista a retratar sus estados emocionales de manera punzante. Las fallas en maternagem y sus consecuencias son examinadas en la relación que Frida tenía con su cuerpo, sus relaciones afectivas y su feminidad. Sus autorretratos creaban una función especular restituidora, y su arte denotaba un intenso proceso de búsqueda de integración y de encuentro con ella misma.

This paper is based on the study of Frida Kahloïs life and work, and it takes into consideration the nature of the strengths that impelled the artist to depict her emotional inner states in a touching form. The failure in her maternal supply and its consequences are discussed considering Frida's connection with her body, her relationships and her femininity. Her self-portraits created a mirrorïs repairing function, and her art showed a strong process of searching integration and contact with herself.

Visões de Van Gogh: imagem e auto-imagem / Views of Van Gogh: image and self image / Visiones de Van Gogh: imagen y auto-imagen

Inserido no campo de estudos da psicologia da arte, este artigo pretende explorar a complexidade envolvida no estudo do pintor holandês Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890), dada a extensa produção sobre o fenômeno em que se transformou e a diversidade de perspectivas pelas quais é abordado. Partindo da indagação: quem foi Van Gogh?, algumas visões do artista foram apresentadas, revelando o imaginário constituído em torno desta figura. Posteriormente, estas imagens dialogaram com a auto-imagem do pintor, delineada a partir do estudo de sua correspondência. A auto-imagem de Van Gogh emerge da articulação dos aspectos que, nas diferentes visões apresentadas, aparecem isoladamente: sua pessoalidade, a arte e a loucura

Inserted in the field of studies of psychology of art, this paper intends to explore the complexity involved in the study of dutch painter Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890). This difficult is due to the extensive production about the phenomenon he has become, as well as to the diversity of perspectives from which he is discussed. Beginning with the question: who was Van Gogh?, some views of the artist had been presented, disclosing the imaginary around this figure. Then, these images were thought in regard to the self image of the painter, delineated from study of his correspondence. The self image of Van Gogh emerges from the articulation of three aspects which had appearead separately in the previous presentation: his personality, art and madness.

Disease painting or painting disease: how does illness and hospitalisation affect children's artistry?

There are numerous speculations about famous artists and how their perception was affected by their medical conditions. In this study, we examined how illness and hospitalisation affect children's art. A total of 157 paintings by 122 hospitalised children were interpreted by three reputed artists. Works of ill children were compared with those of a control group from an international art exhibition. We also comment on how diseases influenced the technique of famous artists to further examine the possible impact of illness on the artistry of hospitalised children. Developmental delay in painting was evident in the study group. Use of ready-made schemas was a common practice (55%). 56% of the work from patients older than eight years failed in perspective and site perception. The theme in 89% of the drawings had no human figures. Projection of self sufferings, prominent elementary lines, and reflection of distorted perception could be clearly recognised in various study materials; anxiety about assigned surgery was exhibited by scribbling. There exists a close relationship between medicine and humanities. The interpretation of fine art from a medical perspective may help to increase our appreciation of the suffering of an individual. It is obvious that diseases change the artistic style and inner perspective. The question is how do healthcare specialists view this?

O trabalho da arte e construção da subjetividade no feminino / El trabajo del arte y construcción de la subjetividad en el femenino / The work of art and construction of subjectivity in the feminine

As ideias psicanalíticas desempenham um papel fundamental na aproximação entre arte, ciência e loucura. No estudo de caso de Adelina Gomes, um dos artistas do Museu de Imagens do Inconsciente - no Engenho de Dentro, Rio de Janeiro, procura-se discutir questões relacionadas à expressão do feminino e da subjetividade, por meio das imagens produzidas durante mais de quarenta anos de internação psiquiátrica.

Las ideas psicoanalíticas desempeñan un papel clave en el acercamiento entre el arte, la ciencia y la locura. El estudio de caso de Adelina Gomes, uno de los artistas del Museo de Imágenes del Inconsciente - en Engenho de Dentro, Río de Janeiro, Brasil, tiene por objeto debatir cuestiones relacionadas con la expresión del femenino y de la subjetividad, por medio de las imágenes producidas durante más de 40 años de internación psiquiátrica.

The psychoanalytic ideas play a key role in bringing art, science and insanity closer to each other. In the case study of Adelina Gomes, one of the artists whose works are displayed at Museum of Images of the Unconscious - located at Engenho de Dentro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - the author seeks to discuss issues related to the expression of the feminine and of subjectivity by studying images produced during more than 40 years of psychiatric hospitalization.