Art and Psychopathology

Arnulf Rainer Untitled 1975

Oilstick on Photograph

Rainer, a contemporary Viennese painter, returns us to the triangle between patients (the insane), physicians (doctors, therapists, etc.) and artists (who come into contact with either one or the other, or both). Rainer, like Debuffet, established a large collection of psychotic artwork of some 500 works alongside a considerable library. He incorporates elements of this work into his own experience using the works of the insane as ‘masters’ and inspiration through his associations with Dr. Leo Navratil (director of a psychiatric hospital in Vienna) and patient, Johann Hauser. Navratil works not as an art therapist, but encourages patients to consider themselves as working artists, with the help of Rainer.

“Like Dubuffet, Rainer ranks the work of such artists as slightly above his own and is proud to hang such works alongside his own.” (McGregor 1989:313-315)