Depression and Art: Klaas Koopmans
These sketches were made by Klaas Koopmans (1920-2006) during his admissions as an inpatient for depression. He drew his fellow patients in psychiatric hospitals on the back of his cigar boxes and note paper. Department rules didn’t permit him drawing or painting. He made these secretly. He had bipolar disorder. His last admission to a psychiatric hospital was in 1963. His drawings can now be seen in Museum Martena in Franeker, The Netherlands.
I think they are very nice, a lot of emotion is simple drawings, looking very vulnerable. What do you think?
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February 22, 2009 @ 12:37 pm
Thanks for tweeting this.
Adversity generates creativity. I agree there is a warmth about these pictures thats quite wonderful. I wonder why people were not allowed to draw there? I have a book (at work so I can’t give the reference here) called ‘the art of learning medicine’ by (I think) Lester. She spent a couple of years sketching medical students – I almost get flashbacks looking at it – but a drawing captures so much more than a photo.
Carl
@Clwydian
February 22, 2009 @ 6:04 pm
I agree. They are full of emotion and the colours are gorgeous. When I was in the hospital for ECT I brought my drawing board, paper and pecils. I was a soothing exercise to stop worrying about what was happening to me and to just get lost in my drawing.
Given how extremely scared I was about having ECT, even though I felt confident it was the right thing to do, my drawingtools brought a sense of solace and normality to my experience. I was very scared about having ECT and about any permanent effects I might be left with. It turned out my memory was no worse than before except for in the months immediately following the ECT, and the only “talent” I lost was my ability to spell. Which seems to be permanent. I used to be a great speller, rarely made a mistake, now I continually misspell words, even the same words over and over.
I have heard others in my art classes mention drawing and painting was not allowed in the hospitals they went to. Why would that be?
Thanks,
…aqua
February 22, 2009 @ 6:07 pm
Can’t think of a sensible reason to forbid drawing in the hospital. Some units have special programs but enough spare time to do some drawing, most tools for drawing can’t be used for commiting suicide or they can supervise the drawing if the have enough personnel.
Done any drawing lately?
Kind regards Dr Shock
February 23, 2009 @ 12:26 pm
De zwarte aura’s zijn zichtbaar!
Painters and Psychiatry | Dr Shock MD PhD
November 14, 2009 @ 6:09 pm
[…] a lack of concentration and all other symptoms? Art can be comforting or even a form of medication. Klaas Koopmans (1920-2006) a Dutch artist who during his admissions as an inpatient for depression drew his fellow patients in psychiatric […]