Mad Art: An examination of what drives artists to madness

Painters: Francisco Goya, Vincent van Gogh, Georgia O’Keeffe, Mark Rothko, Edvard Munch.

Musicians: Ludwig van Beethoven, Chris Cornell, Ian Curtis, Chester Charles Bennington, Kurt Cobain.

Writers: Edgar Allen Poe, Ernest Hemingway, Virginia Woolf, Hunter S. Thompson, David Foster Wallace, Anthony Bourdain, Sylvia Plath.

All are artists who suffered emotional disorders, neurosis and breakdowns, and, in some cases, tragically ended their own lives. Why do so many artists deal with mental illness? What drives them to madness? Certainly, anyone who has participated in artistic pursuits can attest, there are many reasons. Some of it has to do with predisposition. Art, intrinsically, revolves around self-expression, analysis, observation, and critical thinking. Those with such a skillset are often people with strong convictions and emotions. Many are drawn to artistic pursuits to express their pain, as a method of self-examination, or to reflect on past traumas. Others are trying to communicate a message, idea, or belief. Often, this is done with criticism and satire. Artists use their mediums to probe and parody things they see as problems in their cultures, societies, and lives. Unfortunately, though, sometimes this critical awareness leads to cynicism and pessimism.

Bleak outlooks can exacerbate already-existing negative feelings. Ernest Hemingway said, “Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.” Artists have unique thought patterns and views of the world. The intention of their craft is to speak their truth and wrestle with the struggles in their lives. Perhaps it has more to do with the profound desire to create something that resonates with others. It may have less to do with the nature of the individual and more with the nature of the work. Generally, to pursue art is to give up on more conventional societal goals – a fulfilling career, job security, a steady income, et cetera.

It’s likely part of the reason many artists have a distaste for capitalism. Financial stressors are layered on top of other pressures, like trying to create a piece of immortally recognized artwork. To make matters worse, artists typically work in isolation for long periods. An author, for example, can write a novel for years and years, and by the end of it still have nothing of use. The nature of writing demands immense periods of delayed gratification. And if an artist is not showing their work and getting feedback, thoughts of insecurity and self-doubt arise. In some extreme cases, individuals have even developed atelophobia, the intense fear of imperfection and making mistakes.

Even if an artist manages to obtain success, they still go mad. Sometimes it’s the realization that their success, contrary to previous belief, did not bring them happiness. Sometimes, now that their artwork is in the public consciousness, they have opened themselves up to new waves of criticism and negativity. Other times, it’s the fear they won’t be able to create another piece of equal achievement. Whatever it is, the artist is haunted. Or perhaps it is the lofty, artistic goals that bring about madness. Consider films like Whiplash or Black Swan. The endeavor for perfection and greatness can often lead to the deterioration of mental well-being. The artist can push away loved ones and become obsessed with their work, losing touch with the world and what is most important to them.

Michelangelo Buonarroti, the painter of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, is thought to have had obsessive-compulsive disorder because of how painstakingly flawless his pieces were. Charles Dickens is also believed to have shown signs of OCD, rearranging furniture, pouring over his writing, and working like, for lack of a better word, a madman.

But many would attest to the exact opposite; that art does not create neurosis but contains it. For some, art is their savior, their outlet, their therapy. It is a way to deal with problems and, even in isolation, can lead to community, support, and friends. Art can be the force that drives people to madness or the only thing keeping them from it. •

Image from Wikimedia Commons