Psychoanalyst's Artistry: The Psychoanalyst as Photographer

The Association saw its first major photography show at the Winter 2008 Meeting. Sixty images were shown, each one created through film and/or digital processing and printing. Although there were requests to exhibit by other artists, this exhibit was limited to our photographic work. The premise for the exhibit was that the clinical work of the psychoanalyst, which involves coming to know the patient through in-depth experience and creative communication, is analogous to the analyst-photographer's seeing the subject, coming to know it, framing it through the lens, and embracing its essence through the photographic image. This inaugural exhibit, “Psychoanalyst's Artistry: The Psychoanalyst As Photographer,” lasted for one day, Friday, January 16, and, although brief, was by all accounts a welcome addition to the meetings.

All those in the Association who wanted to share their versions of that creative process were invited to participate. Graciela Abelin-Sas, Elise Blair, Joanna Goodman, Jane Hall, William Kenner, Valerie Laabs-Siemon, Mali Mann, Paul Mosher, Lauri Robertson, Bruce Sklarew, Lana Starkman, Mervin Stewart, Heather Thompson-Brenner, and I took the plunge. Since this was a new aspect of the meetings, nothing was routine. The room was converted over Thursday night from a committee meeting space to a photographic gallery and from 8 a.m. Friday until the show opened at 9 a.m. the room was filled with photographers pitching in to unpack images, set up easels, and find suitable space and light for subjects ranging from scenes of a fox hunt with brilliant reds and greens, to haunting landscapes, surrealistic street scenes, frozen moments encased in ice, and unique images of children and grandchildren.

One of the highlights of the show was the discussion by critically acclaimed photographer Jim Blair of National Geographic. Blair, who devoted two hours to the exhibit, had comments that were technical at times but emphasized the creative process with the rendering of mood and feeling. He spoke of capturing the moment, expressing the feeling, and then conceptualizing the image to convey its intrinsic emotion—much as an analyst might work with an analysand. As an example, he commented that my soft image of “Dogwood Blossoms” conveyed a feeling of “love.”

At the end of a busy day, punctuated by animated discussions about where and how an image was taken, its participants reluctantly took down the exhibit. The feedback, however, was so positive that plans immediately formed to look for next year's time and space so talented members could show their artistic side and open that window on their work as analysts.