Unithematic Drawing no. 1

Unithematic Drawing no. 1, Charles Benefiel, 2008, red ink on paper, 12 x 9 inches

Red Devil

Barbara Suckfüll, (1857-unknown)  


All Suckfüll’s drawings, which have an aerial perspective, depict the domestic objects that were brought to her cell. There is no three dimensional space and each flattened object is outlined with a succession of 2s, crosses or pinpricks which form chains in an attempt to establish boundaries. (Dissolving of the ego in psychosis leads to the inability to determine where the subject ends and the Other begins.) Suckfüll, it appears does not have the co-ordinates with which to understand the physical world. As there is no fixed view point she found it necessary to turn the paper as she worked. With both the object and the name placed on the paper via the gesture she attempts to stop meaning from sliding off.In an attempt to build herself a structure each word is pinned down with a full-stop. Here the nurse or ‘Red Devil’ brings in a washbasin:

And.Today.It.Is.Sunday.Too.The.First.Sunday.After.The.Assumption.Too.And.So.It.Will.Be.The.Twentyfirst.This.Is.Fine.I.Think.And.That.Is.the.Washbasin.You.See.I.Have.Drawn.That.Too.One.Time.Too.And.Then.Today.The.Redhead.Brought.Cold.Washing.Water.It.Was.Too.Cold.What.She.Brought.Today.And.The.Second.Devil.Was.On.The.Lookout.I.Heard.That.Myself.Too.


From Art and Psychosis by Miranda Argyle

Written Language

© Sophie Tottie /BUS 2012. Written Language (line drawings) XV 2009, ink on paper, 216 × 113 cm. Photo: Marcus Schneider. Courtesy of Andrae Kaufmann gallery

Brush II

© Sophie Tottie /BUS 2012. Brush II 2010, ink on paper, 216 × 113 cm. Photo: Marcus Schneider. Courtesy of Andrae Kaufmann gallery

Untitled, 1966

Untitled, Eva Hesse, 1966

Forest and Sun

Forest and Sun, Max Ernst, 1927

The Museum of the Void

The Museum of the Void, Robert Smithson, 1969

Dark Black Lonley Space

Deep inside my heart, Louise Bourgeoise and Tracey Emin, 2009—2010, archival dyes printed on cloth, 76.2 x 61 cm

Formless

Formless, Jean-Michel Basquiat, 1983

March 8 1860

Dear Sir, 

I am in a Madhouse and quite forget your name or who you are

You must excuse me for I have nothing to communicate or tell 
of and why I am shut up I dont know I have nothing to say so 

I conclude 

Yours respectfully,
John Clare 

(Letter to J. Hipkins)

John Clare was an English poet who was born 13 July 1793 in Helpston, Soke of Peterborough, 
Northhamptonshire and died 20 May 1864 in Northampton General Lunatic Asylum.