On The Influence Of Melancholy On Artists

Artists and their creative expression that are regarded as “queer” or even “crazy” are often endowed with a highly sensitive disposition,and is a peculiar trait present amongst writers,poets and painters,for example.Frida Kahlo is the subject of this study that discusses the nature of her melancholy and its effects on creativity.Kahlo was one of the outstanding artists of the 20 th century who underwent both physical,emotional and psychological torture,but despite it all,she never gave up on her art which sustained her throughout her artistic path.By translating her suffering onto her paintings,she managed to imbue her works with a sense of power that highlighted her strength as a female artist that garnered her respect and admiration from those who were attracted by the uniqueness expressed in her work.This thesis centers on a number of actual examples or cases to establish the psychological link between melancholic depression and artistic creativity.Feelings of restlessness,irritability,hurt,tenderness are all forms of emotion that not only heightens one's sensory perception but these “passions” when given an outlet for expression actually culminates into a strong urge to create.Which often leads to a genuine or more truthful expression as emotions and feelings are not suppressed but are given space to be exorcised.We may infer from Kahlo's experience that young artists who are just starting out to paint would do well to be more self-aware.By being attuned to one's own emotions,one may better develop a sensitivity to feelings that can bring about artistic development.Being better able to transform our own internal feelings of unease such as chaos or anxiety into works of art as well as the feelings of melancholy while being a highly painful emotion,can at the same time also give inspiration to suggest a truthfulness in art that endures.