Schizophrenic Inspiration

The history of schizophrenia is a dark and haunting one, as it has been with many other mental disorders. People who suffered from schizophrenia were accused of being possessed by demons and were put away, due to fear. It's dictionary definition reads, "Schizophrenia, also called dementia praecox- a severe mental disorder characterized by some, but not necessarily all, of the following features: emotional blunting, intellectual deterioration, social isolation, disorganized speech and behavior, delusions, and hallucinations." While further researching this topic, I began to think of what positive aspects this stereotypically life destroying illness could possess. Creativity is something abstract, yet beautiful, which individuals seem to appreciate no matter what. People suffering from mental disorders such as schizophrenia, DID and Bipolar Disorder have been known to have episodes of great creativity and many have created amazing works of art during those episodes. 

Louis Wain was an English artist born in the year 1860 and whose life seemed to be a recipe for artistic success. He was born with a cleft palate and his parents were directed by their physician to not allow young Louis to enter school until the age of 10. That alone caused many difficulties for him. Four of his sisters never married, which was rare in those times. His youngest sister was determined insane and was admitted into an asylum. His life seemed very dramatic and different, which seemed like great inspiration for his artistic passion. He married and when his wife became ill they took in a cat who comforted her. He would teach the cat, who they named Peter, many tricks to lift his wife's spirits. He also began to paint Peter and various other cats doing human activities. After his wife's death he published his cat paintings. 

Throughout his artistic career, his paintings show the progression of his mental disorder. While at the beginning, his cat paintings seemed completely normal, they soon became completely erratic and abstract. His cat no longer a cat, but a magnificently colored pattern. He was known to be misunderstood many times, due to his incomprehensible speech. His schizophrenia became so severe that he even began to feel weary of even his sisters. His delusions worsened and he began to walk the streets at night and would also rearrange the furniture while the rest of the family slept. His family could no longer care for him and he was sent to a mental hospital in Tooting in South London, England where he remained for the rest of his life until his death in 1939. Some may say that his disorder may have been completely negative, since it caused him his family and his career, but I believe his condition made his art special. It wasn't simply creativity, it was true talent and inspiration. It is unfair to think though that his inspiration had to come from such a mentally debilitating disorder.

 His work still remains an abstract wonder sought out by collectors. Wain may have been affected by his schizophrenia, but as some may agree, it only made his works of art that much more intriguing.