Chapter 2 The ‘Mad Artist Syndrome’

2. 1. Society’s Creation

Clearly the meaning of words such as madness depends on their definition. Subjective words like good/bad, right/wrong, normal/abnormal etc. only gain meaning through definition. Society determines what such words mean over a long time by how it understands and uses them.

Atomic cloud

One could for example argue that the dropping of the two Atom-Bombs over Nagasaki and Hiroshima was good in some way :they stopped the war and made future generations aware of the dangers and risks involved in the nuclear age. And if we can see good in something so terrible then how can we use words such as good in such a narrow-minded way. Some psychiatrists argue that there is no such thing as madness : people differ, they say, occasionally to the degree where they cannot understand each other and may cause harm to themselves or others. Those who represent the majority in their general behaviour call the minority mad. In truth they are only different. This shows that a word can never be an absolutely reliable truth and thus has to be used carefully. This is of particular importance when it involves judging a person and subsequently treating them accordingly (e.g. defining someone as mad and giving them addictive drugs to 'treat' their condition) . History shows just how mistaken we can be about a person, a religion, a government, etc. .

Today at least society struggling to be tolerant of eccentricity and innovation, with some success.

In his book ' Der Dreizehnte Stamm', Arthur Koestler mentions a civilisation which hangs everybody, who shows extraordinary intelligence.

The human race has never been able to tolerate the extraordinary. One way or another we long for explanation and to acquire it we are capable of being totally illogical and blind. Just think of the various religious sects. When we can't comprehend a supposed work of art we tag it 'mad' not because it is but because it helps us deal with this defeat. Surprisingly artists have done little to correct these assumptions .

2.2 Why an artist might like to be seen as mad

' At least my neurosis is creative. It could have been writer's block.' Woody Allen

It seems odd that someone might not attempt to correct a false assumption about or judgement of their character. However, there are of course reasons why artists will sometimes go along with this .

Firstly it might help an artist to cope with criticism from and expectations of the masses, if they assume him/her to be mad (see Chapter 1.2.). No one expects a mad person to be able to express profound theories or motives. Thus an artist might feel quite happy not having to explain his/her every move and thought, and to be human for once. The sense of irresponsibility must be attractive to someone whose job it is to analyse, confront, question and subsequently create new and great things because it allows them to act silly and say stupid things like everybody else. This is not to say that every mad artist was or is just escaping an all too pressurising reality. Eccentricity and outstanding progressiveness are often perceived as mad and the affected person might not care enough about what society thinks of him/her to be bothered to correct the misunderstanding.

In addition, it would probably be rather difficult to amend an error like this , once it has established . Isn't it characteristic of the mad that they are unable to recognise their illness?

On the other hand the connection between genius and madness is so commonly held, even if unjustified, that if an artist is described as mad it is assumed that he/she is also a genius.

In being labelled as mad some artists see the freedom to do something truly outstanding without having to understand, justify or explain it.

2.2 A myth born by documentation

The lives of artists are usually very well documenmted, reaching a vast amount of people, especially since the invention of mass-printing and television. The life, work and illness of van Gogh for example is familiar to a lot of people, while the lives and illnesses of Joe Soaps remain largely unknown.

Bearing this in mind one needs to pose the questions :

R.Michaelis states that to his knowledge there are no more artists in mental institutions than members of any other profession.

In addition one needs mention that occasionallt this documentation is based on half-thruths.

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