‘Why do moths fly like crazy fucks in the night?’ The Creative Impulse as Seen Through the Lens of Louise Bourgeois
November 9th
New York Psychoanalytic Society & Institute
247 East 82nd Street, New York
https://nypsi.org/events/special-event-why-do-moths-fly-like-crazy-fcks-in-the-night/
Sue Pam-Grant presented Why do moths fly like crazy fucks in the night?, an encounter with the inner workings of the mind of Louise Bourgeois, a prolific French-American artist of the 20th century.
A writer, actor, and visual artist, Pam-Grant took the audience on an exciting interdisciplinary journey reflecting on Bourgeois’ psychic life.
Well-versed in psychoanalytic literature and concepts, as well as a long-term analysand, Bourgeois used psychoanalytic concepts to inspire her art over the course of many years. Utilizing art as a means of self-exploration, Bourgeois’ artworks reflect her inner struggles with abandonment, misogyny, sexuality, fear and anger. Bourgeois’ complex relationship with creativity and psychoanalysis sets the scene for an interesting consideration of art, mental health and the relationship between them.
Following Sue Pam-Grant’s performance, there was a panel discussion with two psychoanalysts who have long been devoted to the visual arts. Britt-Marie Schiller, Ph.D. and Luca Caldironi, M.D. each presented a paper discussing psychoanalytic considerations of creativity from various perspectives (Freudian, Bionian, etc.).
One of the panelists, Dr. Schiller, an analyst in private practice in St. Louis, has written extensively on psychoanalysis and art. She has published in JAPA articles that consider the art of Louise Bourgeois, whose making of art is the focus of the performance, from various analytic perspectives. The other panelist, Dr. Caldironi, has also written numerous articles on artistic creativity and, in addition to maintaining his private analytic practice, is the founder/owner of an art gallery in Venice.
The discussion was set to raise clinicians’ awareness of the origins of creativity as related to mental health as well as the ways creative practice may improve mental health.
