Aloha Friends,
I am very excited for this print, it's all hand drawn flats, uses yellow for the first time in the series and gets me back into the swing of printmaking. It's been a long summer, full of art and adventures so it's good to get back into the habit. Check back for more prints coming soon. (p.s. I still don't have anything for the letter Z! If you've got a suggestion or a story to share please let me know! 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.
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On The Spectrum (Histrionic Personality Disorder)
2015
Screen Print on Paper
15" x 11"
Details:
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Characteristics:
Histrionic personality disorder (
HPD) is defined by the
American Psychiatric Association as a
personality disorder characterized by a pattern of excessive
attention-seeking emotions, usually beginning in early adulthood, including inappropriately
seductive behavior and an excessive need for approval. Histrionic people are lively, dramatic, vivacious, enthusiastic, and
flirtatious. HPD affects four times as many women as men. It has a
prevalence of 2–3% in the general population and 10–15% in inpatient and outpatient mental health institutions.
HPD lies in the dramatic cluster of personality disorders. People with HPD have a high need for attention, make loud and inappropriate appearances,
exaggerate their behaviors and emotions, and crave stimulation.
[3] They may exhibit sexually provocative behavior, express strong emotions with an impressionistic style, and can be easily influenced by others. Associated features include
egocentrism,
self-indulgence, continuous longing for appreciation, and persistent
manipulative behavior to achieve their own needs.
People with HPD are usually high-functioning, both socially and professionally. They usually have good
social skills, despite tending to use them to manipulate others into making them the center of attention. HPD may also affect a person's social and/or
romantic relationships, as well as their ability to cope with losses or failures. They may seek treatment for
clinical depression when romantic (or other close personal) relationships end.
Individuals with HPD often fail to see their own personal situation realistically, instead dramatizing and exaggerating their difficulties. They may go through frequent job changes, as they become easily bored and may prefer withdrawing from
frustration (instead of facing it). Because they tend to crave
novelty and excitement, they may place themselves in risky situations. All of these factors may lead to greater risk of developing clinical depression.
Seligman, Martin E.P. (1984). "Chapter 11". Abnormal Psychology. W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN 0-393-94459-X.
"Chapter 16: Personality Disorders". DSM-IV-TR Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. American Psychiatric Publishing. 2000
Bienenfeld, David (2006). "Personality Disorders". Medscape Reference. WebMD. Retrieved 10 January 2007
"Histrionic Personality Disorder". The Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
17 June 2012 "Histrionic personality disorder". PubMed Health.
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I'm pretty sure I was inspired by my Helvetica poster hanging next to my bed for this color scheme...
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Mahalo for looking!
Boz Schurr
All work is copyright 2015 Boz Schurr. Please do not use without my permission. Mahalo!
