"On the Spectrum (Jerusalem Syndrome)"

Aloha Friends,

Art is in the works!

I have not had a chance to work on my screen printing series, Places Close to Home, in a little while since I've started working on setting up a home studio. I am very excited to start printing at home, it's been something I've been dreaming about but hadn't had the motivation to do until now. I am forever grateful that the University of Hawaii at Manoa has let me (as an alumni) use their studio space for so long. Hopefully I'll still get back in there for a few larger projects in the future but for now I am busy setting up my new space and so far so good.

And even though I am not fully set up, I am still working away on this series. I love the chaotic look and feel to this latest print. I feel it really captures the mood of this disorder in the vibrating line quality and the splash of yellow coming to the surface.

Check back soon (or on instagram) for some pictures of my set up! Any studio tips or advice for a screenprinting set up is very welcome, mahalo for looking!

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On the Spectrum is a 26 part print series, one for each letter of the alphabet, that explores interactions of mental illnesses, developmental disorders and perceived normalcy as abstract landscapes. Please read my artist statement for more details.

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Artist Statement: There is a strange disconnect between mental illness and normalcy – as if there is a stark dividing line between the two: Black and white, us and them, completely separate. I believe this arbitrary classification, ill, healthy, recovering... is very similar to how we catalog our colors: blue, red, green... The visible color spectrum reflects the human experience. An experience where colors cannot be contained as single, definable points. The spectrum is one band of ever shifting, transitioning hues, as are we – our lives and our experiences are continuous and overlapping, yet discreet.

We all exist in a world with other people. We interact daily with a wide range of personalities. It is not possible to limit your experience to “normal.” We are but one piece in the cosmos. No one exists in a vacuum. So instead of pushing past others whose mental or physical health might not reflect exactly our own, we must embrace.

We are made of many parts: our personalities, our bodies, and our world.

***

On The Spectrum (Jerusalem Syndrome)

2015

Screen Print on Paper

15" x 11" 

$100 (unframed)

Details:

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Characteristics:

Jerusalem syndrome is a group of mental phenomena involving the presence of either religiously themed obsessive ideas,delusions or other psychosis-like experiences that are triggered by a visit to the city of Jerusalem. It is not endemic to one single religion or denomination but has affected Jews, Christians and Muslims of many different backgrounds.

The best known, although not the most prevalent, manifestation of Jerusalem syndrome is the phenomenon whereby a person who seems previously balanced and devoid of any signs of psychopathology becomes psychotic after arriving in Jerusalem. The psychosis is characterized by an intense religious theme and typically resolves to full recovery after a few weeks or after being removed from the area. The religious focus of Jerusalem syndrome distinguishes it from other phenomena, such as Stendhal syndrome in Florence or Paris syndrome for Japanese tourists.

Kalian, M.; Catinari, S.; Heresco-Levi, U.; Witztum, E. "Spiritual Starvation in a holy space – a form of Jerusalem Syndrome", Mental Health, Religion & Culture 11(2): 161-172, 2008.

Don't forget to follow me on instagram if you'd like!

Mahalo for looking!

Boz Schurr

All work is copyright 2015 Boz Schurr. Please do not use without my permission. Mahalo!

"On the Spectrum (Excoriation Disorder)"

Aloha Friends! 

This is the fifth print in my series! I am so excited to have made it this far! If you red my last post you know that the On the Spectrum series is following the colors in the ROYGBIV visible light spectrum. The first prints used more red and this print is the first print that is using orange. The intention is to create a subtle color shift through out the print series (which can only be really seen when they are all lined up together). 

I really enjoy this print because the use of clear gloss ink invites the viewer to further interact with the print (see what I mean in the detail sots below). Thanks for looking! Feedback is always welcome! If you have a personal story with the illnesses and disorders I've chosen, please share, I would love to hear about your personal connections and your suggestions. Mahalo.

***

On the Spectrum is a 26 part print series, one for each letter of the alphabet, that explores interactions of mental illnesses, developmental disorders and perceived normalcy as abstract landscapes. Please read my artist Statement for more details.

***

Artist Statement: There is a strange disconnect between mental illness and normalcy – as if there is a stark dividing line between the two: Black and white, us and them, completely separate. I believe this arbitrary classification, ill, healthy, recovering... is very similar to how we catalog our colors: blue, red, green... The visible color spectrum reflects the human experience. An experience where colors cannot be contained as single, definable points. The spectrum is one band of ever shifting, transitioning hues, as are we – our lives and our experiences are continuous and overlapping, yet discreet.

We all exist in a world with other people. We interact daily with a wide range of personalities. It is not possible to limit your experience to “normal.” We are but one piece in the cosmos. No one exists in a vacuum. So instead of pushing past others whose mental or physical health might not reflect exactly our own, we must embrace.

We are made of many parts: our personalities, our bodies, and our world.

***

On The Spectrum (Excoriation Disorder)

2015

Screen Print on Paper

15" x 11" 

$100 (unframed)

Details:

Characteristics:

Excoriation disorder is defined as "repetitive and compulsive picking of skin which results in tissue damage."

Research has also suggested that excoriation disorder may be thought of as a type of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).[5] Excoriation disorder and OCD are similar in that they both involve "repetitive engagement in behaviors with diminished control" and also both generally decrease anxiety.

Dell'Osso B, Altamura AC, Allen A, Marazziti D, Hollander E (December 2006). "Epidemiologic and clinical updates on impulse control disorders: a critical review". Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 256 (8): 464–75. doi:10.1007/s00406-006-0668-0. PMC 1705499. PMID 16960655

Odlaug BL, Grant JE (September 2010). "Pathologic skin picking". Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse 36 (5): 296–303. doi:10.3109/00952991003747543. PMID 20575652

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Don't forget to follow me on instagram if you'd like!

Mahalo for looking!

Boz Schurr

All work is copyright 2015 Boz Schurr. Please do not use without my permission. Mahalo!

"On the Spectrum (Dissociative Identity Disorder)"

Aloha Friends!

After spending a magical week in Japan (blog post to follow) I am back teaching and preparing myself for another day in the studio this upcoming weekend. Until then I am going to continue to write and post about this print series in an effort to catch to where I actually am (my posts are a few weeks past due, whoops!) After such a dark, heavy print as was Cotard Delusion, this new print is much lighter but no less chaotic. The hand drawn lines are meant to be an artist's interpretation of a mental illness, personality disorder, etc as an abstract landscape. Each individual's experience with mental heath is unique and the goal of this work is bring attention to these unique experiences as right or wrong but to be viewed through a lens of acceptance.

As you may have noticed I am trying to stick to very specific colors for this series. The first print and letter of the alphabet, Asperger's Syndrome, started with the color red. I used this color because it is the first color in ROYGBIV also known as the visible light spectrum. If you read my artist's statement the use of the colors becomes clear. The second print, Bipolar Disorder, used a lighter, slightly more orange red and the third print, Cotard Delusion, becomes even more orange still. The color shift will continue so on and so forth till I reach the 26th print, letter Z, which will end in a lovely violet. Thank you for reading! I will update you on art, travel and teaching again soon! Thanks for reading!

***

On the Spectrum is a 26 part print series, one for each letter of the alphabet, that explores interactions of mental illnesses, developmental disorders and perceived normalcy as abstract landscapes. Please read my artist Statement for more details.

***

Artist Statement: There is a strange disconnect between mental illness and normalcy – as if there is a stark dividing line between the two: Black and white, us and them, completely separate. I believe this arbitrary classification, ill, healthy, recovering... is very similar to how we catalog our colors: blue, red, green... The visible color spectrum reflects the human experience. An experience where colors cannot be contained as single, definable points. The spectrum is one band of ever shifting, transitioning hues, as are we – our lives and our experiences are continuous and overlapping, yet discreet.

We all exist in a world with other people. We interact daily with a wide range of personalities. It is not possible to limit your experience to “normal.” We are but one piece in the cosmos. No one exists in a vacuum. So instead of pushing past others whose mental or physical health might not reflect exactly our own, we must embrace.

We are made of many parts: our personalities, our bodies, and our world.

***

On The Spectrum (Dissociative Identity Disorder)

2015

Screen Print on Paper

15" x 11" 

$100 (unframed)

Details:

Characteristics:

Dissociative identity disorder (DID), previously known as multiple personality disorder (MPD), is a mental disorder on the dissociative spectrum characterized by at least two distinct and relatively enduring identities or dissociated personality states that alternately control a person's behavior, and is accompanied by memory impairment for important information not explained by ordinary forgetfulness.

Dissociation, the term that underlies the dissociative disorders including DID, lacks a precise, empirical and generally agreed upon definition.[7][16][17] A large number of diverse experiences have been termed dissociative, ranging from normal failures in attention to the breakdowns in memory processes characterized by the dissociative disorders. Thus it is unknown if there is a common root underlying all dissociative experiences, or if the range of mild to severe symptoms are a result of different etiologies and biological structures

"The ICD-10 Classification of Mental and Behavioural Disorders". World Health Organization.

Lynn, SJ; Berg J; Lilienfeld SO; Merckelbach H; Giesbrecht T; Accardi M; Cleere C (2012). "14 - Dissociative disorders". In Hersen M; Beidel DC. Adult Psychopathology and Diagnosis. John Wiley & Sons. pp. 497–538. ISBN 1-118-13882-1.

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Details of the print are also available on society6:

Don't forget to follow me on instagram if you'd like!

Mahalo for looking!

Boz Schurr

All work is copyright 2015 Boz Schurr. Please do not use without my permission. Mahalo!

"On the Spectrum (Cotard Delusion)"

Aloha Friends,

This print is the third in my ongoing On The Spectrum series. This print was featured in the 87th annual Honolulu Printmakers Juried Exhibition! I also won an award for excellence! Plus the print sold! CheeHoo!!! It was a lovely evening and I am very grateful for getting the chance to show some work again. The show is up till March 20th and was curated by the amazing Chicago-based screenprinting duo Sonnenzimmer! Don't miss it!

***

On the Spectrum is a 26 part print series, one for each letter of the alphabet, that explores interactions of mental illnesses, developmental disorders and perceived normalcy as abstract landscapes. Please read my artist Statement for more details.

***

Artist Statement: There is a strange disconnect between mental illness and normalcy – as if there is a stark dividing line between the two: Black and white, us and them, completely separate. I believe this arbitrary classification, ill, healthy, recovering... is very similar to how we catalog our colors: blue, red, green... The visible color spectrum reflects the human experience. An experience where colors cannot be contained as single, definable points. The spectrum is one band of ever shifting, transitioning hues, as are we – our lives and our experiences are continuous and overlapping, yet discreet.

We all exist in a world with other people. We interact daily with a wide range of personalities. It is not possible to limit your experience to “normal.” We are but one piece in the cosmos. No one exists in a vacuum. So instead of pushing past others whose mental or physical health might not reflect exactly our own, we must embrace.

We are made of many parts: our personalities, our bodies, and our world.

***

On The Spectrum (Cotard Delusion)

2015

Screen Print on Paper

15" x 11" 

$100 (unframed)

Details:

Characteristics

The Cotard Delusion (also Cotard's Syndrome and Walking Corpse Syndrome) is a rare mental illness, in which the afflicted person holds the delusion that he or she is dead, either figuratively or literally.

The delusion of negation is the central symptom in Cotard's syndrome. The patient afflicted with this mental illness usually denies their existence, or the existence of a certain body part, or the existence of a portion of their body. Cotard's syndrome is in three stages: (i) Germination stage—the symptoms of psychotic depression and of hypochondria appear; (ii) Blooming stage—the full development of the syndrome and the delusions of negation; and (iii) Chronic stage—continued, severe delusions and chronic psychiatric depression.

Berrios G.E. and Luque R. (1995) Cotard's delusion or syndrome?. Comprehensive Psychiatry 36: 218–223

Yarnada, K.; Katsuragi, S.; Fujii, I. (13 November 2007). "A Case Study of Cotard's syndrome: Stages and Diagnosis". Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica 100 (5): 396–398. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0447.1999.tb10884

***

Don't forget to follow me on instagram if you'd like!

Mahalo for looking!

Boz Schurr

All work is copyright 2015 Boz Schurr. Please do not use without my permission. Mahalo!

"On The Spectrum (Asperger's Syndrome)"

Aloha Friends,

I've started a new print series that should keep me busy through the rest of the year. On the Spectrum is a 26 part print series, one for each letter of the alphabet, that explores interactions of mental illnesses, developmental disorders and perceived normalcy as abstract landscapes. Please read my artist Statement for more details.

***

Artist Statement: There is a strange disconnect between mental illness and normalcy – as if there is a stark dividing line between the two: Black and white, us and them, completely separate. I believe this arbitrary classification, ill, healthy, recovering... is very similar to how we catalog our colors: blue, red, green... The visible color spectrum reflects the human experience. An experience where colors cannot be contained as single, definable points. The spectrum is one band of ever shifting, transitioning hues, as are we – our lives and our experiences are continuous and overlapping, yet discreet.

We all exist in a world with other people. We interact daily with a wide range of personalities. It is not possible to limit your experience to “normal.” We are but one piece in the cosmos. No one exists in a vacuum. So instead of pushing past others whose mental or physical health might not reflect exactly our own, we must embrace.

We are made of many parts: our personalities, our bodies, and our world.

***

On the Spectrum (Asperger's Syndrome) 

2015

Screen Print on Paper

15" x 11"

$100 (unframed)

Details:

Characteristics

As a pervasive developmental disorder, Asperger syndrome is distinguished by a pattern of symptoms rather than a single symptom. It is characterized by qualitative impairment in social interaction, by stereotyped and restricted patterns of behavior, activities and interests, and by no clinically significant delay in cognitive development or general delay in language. Intense preoccupation with a narrow subject, one-sided verbosity, restricted prosody, and physical clumsiness are typical of the condition, but are not required for diagnosis.

American Psychiatric Association (2000). "Diagnostic criteria for 299.80 Asperger's Disorder (AD)". Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th, text revision (DSM-IV-TR) ed.). ISBN 0-89042-025-4. Retrieved 28 June 2007.

Klin A (2006). "Autism and Asperger syndrome: an overview". Rev Bras Psiquiatr 28 (suppl 1): S3–S11. doi:10.1590/S1516-44462006000500002. PMID 16791390.

Mahalo for looking!

Boz Schurr

All work is copyright 2015 Boz Schurr. Please do not use without my permission. Mahalo!

"Lucky Catacles"

Aloha Friends!

I am working on a new series of prints and I wanted to share some of my progress with you, from conception to completion. This is my "step by step" process! p.s. these prints and more will be in the at the Honolulu Printmakers Annual sale! Check it out!

First Step: Draw during all your meetings.

Second Step: Make a vector image (maybe add a background).

Step Three: Get yourself into the studio (this step is the hardest!).

Step Four: Instagram! (Don't lie, you all do it)

p.s. follow me if you'd like: http://instagram.com/bozschurr

Step Five: Print and Print! Try new things!

Step Six: Mock up some tshirts for next time! (Check back for the final product!)

Be sure to check out the Honolulu Printmakers webpage! and Facebook page for upcoming events and details about the annual print sale! Hope to see you there!

Mahalo for looking!

Boz Schurr

All work is copyright 2014  Boz Schurr. Please do not use without my permission. Mahalo!