The 2011 National Meeting of the American Psychoanalytic Association saw its third annual exhibit of members' artistry. Previous shows had been limited to visual arts, but the exhibit this year also included fine jewelry and sophisticated woodworking. There were approximately 75 works, each one created by a member or associate of the Association or by a member of the IPA or IPSO. The premise for the exhibit was that analytic work, coming to know the patient through in-depth experience and creative communication, is analogous to the analyst-artist's seeing the subject, coming to know it, framing it through his or her medium, and embracing its essence.
Among the highlights were Ray Raskin's lovely gold and silver jewelry, Wendy Wen's computer generated images which she brought from Shanghai, Moisy Shopper's lovingly worked wooden bowls, and Sebastian Zimmerman's photographs of distinguished analysts. The photography and painting simply get better from year to year. Those who exhibited included Graciela Abelin-Sas, Lauren Katz, Lauri Robertson, Leslie Schweitzer-Miller, Mali Mann, Mervin Stewart, Nathan Szajnberg, Paul Mosher, Peter Mezan, Phyllis Gildston, Susan Radant, Valerie Laabs-Siemon, William Kenner, and me. There were too many excellent pieces, many of professional quality, to single out any one of them except to say that some were chosen by viewers to be part of their own collections.
Once again, one of the artistically and intellectually satisfying features for both viewers and participants was the discussion by acclaimed National Geographic photographer James Blair: Blair devoted many hours to the exhibit, emphasizing the creative process: capturing the moment and conveying its intrinsic emotion—much as an analyst might work with an analysand. He commented on every aspect of the show while inviting comments from the artist. The addition of a microphone this year made Blair's and the artists' comments easy to hear throughout the exhibit and gave rise to a lively conversation among discussant, artist, and audience.
There is always a shortage of space at the meetings so that, as in years past, this exhibit lasted for only one day, Friday January 14, from 9 a.m to 5 p.m.—a sad fact for many members who had hoped to catch it on Saturday. But in the ongoing spirit of a show that is by and for the analytic community, all suggestions, comments, and feedback are welcome in an ongoing dialogue about the art of and the art in psychoanalysis.
Jon K. Meyer, M.D., is past-president of APsaA, a previous Erik Erikson Scholar at the Austen Riggs Center, professor of psychiatry and psychoanalysis emeritus, Medical College of Wisconsin, and a training and supervising analyst at the Washington Center for Psychoanalysis.