The Fifth Annual Art Show of the American Psychoanalytic Association was held at the 2013 National Meeting on Friday, January 18. The works of 23 artists drawn from the members, Affiliates, and Associates of APsaA as well as IPA members received its usual warm reception.
The formal title of the show was “The Artistry of Psychoanalysis: The Psychoanalyst as Photographer and Artist,” emphasizing the way in which psychoanalysis stimulates and encourages the arts. The show's point of view is that psychoanalysis is a creative endeavor for both psychoanalyst and patient and that being involved in, or close to, that creative endeavor stimulates creativity in other forms. I include being “involved in or close to” because while all the participants are informed about psychoanalysis, some of the artists who made major contributions are non-analyst Associates of APsaA.
To emphasize the theme of creativity in psychoanalysis and derived from it, I ran a continuous loop Power Point presentation using personal examples to speak directly to what it means to have a life in psychoanalysis and to invest in the creativity that comes from it.
New artists who embraced that creativity this year included the photographers Richard Honig, Norman Clemens, Richard Michael, and Sheldon Goodman; and painters Ellen Kolansky, Linda Paglierani, and Cheryl Seaman. Allen Palmer brought a text and photographic documentation of the Boston Psychoanalytic's previous, long-term, and fondly remembered institute building.
Among those who regularly exhibit at the show were Raymond Raskin with his Southwestern jewelry and Moisy Shopper with his woodworking. Works from photographers who are regular exhibitors were Bruce Sklarew's abstractions, the portraits of analysts and psychotherapists by Sebastian Zimmerman, William Kenner's action shots of riding to the hounds, Paul Mosher's landscapes from New Zealand, Arnold and Arlene Richards's views of China, Robert Welker's elements series (earth, wind, water, and fire), Robert White's studies of his local landscape, Lauri Robertson's always delicate Nantucket landscapes, Valerie Laabs-Siemon's travel landscapes, especially of Venice, and my studies of the Italian Lake District and the American Southwest.
Painters who frequently contribute were Graciela Abelin-Sas, who, in addition to a photograph of Patagonia, showed two paintings of her retreat in the Berkshires and Mali Mann, who showed two abstract paintings and one portrait of a little boy digging in the sand at the beach.
For those who would like to see the show again or for the first time, the coverage in TAP may be supplemented by color views of the show and some artists' works at the following link: .
The show is so successful and appreciated because it is a place where we can demonstrate what we love and enjoy in addition to, or as an outgrowth of, the creativity in our professional work.
Jon Meyer, M.D., is professor of psychiatry and psychoanalysis, emeritus, Medical College of Wisconsin; clinical professor of psychiatry, University of Maryland and Georgetown University Schools of Medicine; past Erik Erikson Scholar-in-Residence, Austen Riggs Center; past president, American Psychoanalytic Association.