Artemis(s)ion. Note sui linguaggi artistici della follia

The idea of some relationship between genius, creativity and madness is old. But this idea, emphasized by common sense, always divides scholars. In fact, on the one hand, some believe that the traits of “schizoid” personalities can be functional to creative tendencies and artistic talent. Others, on the other hand, think that there can be no relationship between genius and madness: indeed, they believe that the development of psychopathological manifestations gradually hinder any form of innate talent. As we all know, these different considerations of the relationship between genius and madness have also inspired Art Brut and Psychopathologie de l’Expression. In any case, beyond these points of view, how does one consider the expressive values of the artistic languages of madness? Are they referable only to the delusional expressions: i.e. to the literal, symbolic and metaphorical meaning of the sentences? Or, beyond these meanings, can the artistic languages of madness also have expressive, emotional and cognitive liberating values? In this paper, I will try to answer these questions using an iconographic corpus consisting of sketches, drawings, paintings, and numerous delusional texts produced by a schizophrenic subject. The examination of these materials mainly concerns the expressive and artistic codes used by the patient, as well as the emotional and cognitive modes characterizing them. So apart from the linguistic, communicative, and/or referential psychotic aspects, I will try to bring out the emotional, liberating, cathartic and compensating functions that the artistic languages of madness can allow.