Title:
Escape and Art Therapy: The Need for a New Art
Author(s):
Dean Patrick Wheless
Author Email:
dwheless@unca.edu
Department:
ART/ART HISTORY
Faculty Mentor(s):
Leisa Rundquist
Eva Hericks-Bares
Abstract / Summary:
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, we see a rise in the incidence of mental health disorders. A lack of social connection is understood to be a leading cause of the nation’s growing mental health statistics and a poor sense of personal well-being. At pivotal points in our U.S. history, we have seen evidence of relationships between the visual arts and our improved overall well-being. Indeed, art has been a historically powerful force in effecting social and psychological change. Since the advent of art therapy in the US in the 1940s, art and artmaking have become a resource that can impact the rise in mental health needs in our country. In contemporary society, new forms of art have the ability to repair or create a social connectedness that has been lost during the pandemic. This research compares and contextualizes the artworks of specific historical artists from the U.S. interwar period with today’s immersive, high tech visual culture. Specifically, digital installations and gaming contain elements of escapism that provide a respite from the stress and anxiety of reality. The benefits of this new genre of Escapist art include the opportunity for the viewer and the artist to disconnect with reality in an effort to support healing, health and well-being.
Publication Date:
May-14-2024
Documents: