Art therapists explore the unconscious in Freud Museum exhibition

A new exhibition by Goldsmiths, University of London art therapists has gone on show at the Freud Museum, London, as part of the venue’s Festival of the Unconscious - a centenary celebration of Freud’s essays on the subject.

Running until 4 October, someunconsciousthings brings together four years of art works and writing on what Goldsmiths’ experienced art therapists understand the unconscious to be, both individually and as a group.

Tutors on our MA Art Psychotherapy programme have used aspects of art therapy practice to explore their individual and collective understanding of the unconscious. While Freud's essays were in part written as a response to scepticism of the concept; Goldsmiths researchers explore its contested relevance to contemporary art therapy practice.

Art practice in art therapy is given shape by its simultaneous involvement of artist, viewer and curator and its boundaries of time, space and materials. The drama takes place within contexts such as hospitals, schools, prisons and hospices; the players are positioned in relationships of power and unconscious and conscious processes can be explored.

“The project interacts with student learning in that we model a way of using art and writing to explore themes related to our therapeutic work,” Dr Sally Skaife, Senior Lecturer in Art Psychotherapy, explains.

“The collaborative nature of the project is important too; we make art and write separately, and then come together to explore our similarities and differences as we develop the social implications embedded in Freud’s understanding of the unconscious.”

The collective has exhibited twice previously, at the 15th European Symposium in Group Analysis at Goldsmiths in 2011, and the International Art Therapy Conference at Goldsmiths in 2013.

‘someunconsciousthings’ runs at the Freud Museum from 24 June – 4 October 2015 featuring work by Christopher Brown, Kristen Catchpole, Annamaria Cavaliero, Diana Kagiafa, Jon Martyn, Lesley Morris, Lisa Rimmer, Susan Rudnik, Sally Skaife, Robin Tipple, Diana Velada, Jill Westwood.

 

Visit:

The Freud Museum, 20 Maresfield Gardens, London NW3 5SX

Wednesday - Sunday 12.00 - 17.00

Mondays from 20 July – 24 August

Exhibitions are free with admission.