Episode 45 - Artistic Expression and Mental Illness

After his death, Vincent van Gogh’s work became some of the most instantly recognizable paintings ever laid to canvas. While he was alive he was relatively unknown, broke, in poor health, and suffering from what was most likely a severe mental illness. Van Gogh would help create the story of the “tortured artist,” or one whose mental illness blessed his art but destroyed his life. This concept has become so common place in western culture that many have referred to it as a cliché, with countless other famous artists being diagnosed with mental illnesses posthumously. What is the connection between mental illness and creativity? Why does it seem that the most creative artists can also be the most mentally unstable? Can talented artists harness some of this so-called creative madness to create art without losing themselves to it completely? Join Drs. Micono and Morelos as they explore the connection between artistic expression and mental illness.