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Geoff Harrison Arts

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Oliver Sacks 1933 - 2015

September 7, 2015 Geoff Harrison

In his essay for the book "Asylum - Inside The Closed World of State Mental Hospitals" by Christopher Payne, acclaimed neurologist Oliver Sacks writes of the original concept of asylum as refuge, protection and sanctuary.  The Oxford English Dictionary describes asylum as "a benevolent institution affording shelter and support to some class of the afflicted, the unfortunate or destitute."

Sacks writes of one called Anna Agnew who was judged insane in 1878 after several suicide attempts and her attempt to kill one of her children.  She felt profound relief when the institution closed protectively around her and having her madness recognised.

"Before I had been an inmate of the asylum a week, I felt a greater degree of contentment than I had felt for a year previous.  Not that I was reconciled to life, but because my unhappy condition of mind was understood, and I was treated accordingly...."  Anna Agnew

The decline and eventual closure of institutions for the insane is well documented, not to mention the catastrophic consequences for many of the former inmates.  But beyond all this, Sacks reminds us of the immeasurably deep sadness of mental illness, a sadness reflected in the often grandiose but melancholy architecture of the hospitals that once housed the mad.

In Journal Tags Oliver Sacks, Christopher Payne, Asylum
← Is There Anybody Out There?More Than Observation →
  • Architecture
    • Jan 3, 2017 Art and Architecture In Perfect Harmony Jan 3, 2017
    • Sep 10, 2016 Architecture Way Ahead Of Its Time Sep 10, 2016
    • May 28, 2016 Intimate Interiors May 28, 2016
  • Art History
    • Apr 22, 2018 Getting The Message Across Apr 22, 2018
    • Mar 31, 2018 A True Poet Of Nature Mar 31, 2018
    • Feb 3, 2018 To The Tortured Artist.....Get Over It Feb 3, 2018
    • Jan 7, 2018 From Abstraction To Figuration - The Unusual Journey Of Fred Cress Jan 7, 2018
    • Dec 9, 2017 Landscapes and Mindscapes Dec 9, 2017
    • Nov 12, 2017 Alnwick Castle Nov 12, 2017
    • Oct 22, 2017 The Irritatingly Versatile Jacob Van Ruisdael Oct 22, 2017
    • Oct 8, 2017 W C Piguenit - Fame By Association? Oct 8, 2017
    • Jul 26, 2017 Adolph Von Menzel Jul 26, 2017
    • Jul 16, 2017 Rogier Van Der Weyden Jul 16, 2017
    • Jun 5, 2017 From Railway Clerk To Painter Of Twilight Jun 5, 2017
    • Apr 18, 2017 Edward Burra Apr 18, 2017
    • Mar 18, 2017 Living In A Parallel Universe Mar 18, 2017
    • Jan 31, 2017 The Lost Forests Of Gippsland Jan 31, 2017
    • Oct 1, 2016 Sounds Of Silence Oct 1, 2016
    • Sep 10, 2016 Architecture Way Ahead Of Its Time Sep 10, 2016
    • Aug 21, 2016 Gustave Dore's Mid Victorian London Aug 21, 2016
    • Jul 31, 2016 The Poor Side Of Town Jul 31, 2016
    • Jul 21, 2016 Melodrama In Art Jul 21, 2016
    • Jun 25, 2016 King Frederick The Musician Jun 25, 2016
    • Jun 22, 2016 Peder Severin Kroyer Jun 22, 2016
    • May 28, 2016 Intimate Interiors May 28, 2016
    • Mar 10, 2016 Shadowy Figures in Degas's Ballet Classes Mar 10, 2016
    • Oct 7, 2015 Jacob Van Ruisdael Oct 7, 2015
    • Aug 23, 2015 More Than Observation Aug 23, 2015
    • Aug 18, 2015 Down and Out In Paris Aug 18, 2015
    • Aug 6, 2015 The Importance of Down Time Aug 6, 2015
    • May 17, 2015 The Apotheosis Of War (1871) May 17, 2015
    • Jan 28, 2015 Johan Christian Dahl Jan 28, 2015
    • Dec 13, 2014 Night Hawks Dec 13, 2014
  • Australian Art
    • Oct 8, 2017 W C Piguenit - Fame By Association? Oct 8, 2017
    • Jan 31, 2017 The Lost Forests Of Gippsland Jan 31, 2017
    • Oct 1, 2016 Sounds Of Silence Oct 1, 2016
    • Oct 24, 2015 The Other Pro Hart Oct 24, 2015
  • Film
    • Feb 17, 2018 Seeking Authenticity - Barry Lyndon Feb 17, 2018
  • Installation art
    • May 13, 2016 The Mirror Woman May 13, 2016
    • May 8, 2016 Melbourne's Lost Biennale May 8, 2016
    • Apr 18, 2016 A Dazzling Sun In A Gallery Apr 18, 2016
    • Jul 5, 2015 Wrapping The Reichstag Jul 5, 2015
  • Journal
    • Mar 17, 2018 A City In Flux Mar 17, 2018
    • Mar 3, 2018 Art Of The Night Mar 3, 2018
    • Feb 3, 2018 To The Tortured Artist.....Get Over It Feb 3, 2018
    • Jan 20, 2018 Painting And Photography Jan 20, 2018
    • Dec 9, 2017 Landscapes and Mindscapes Dec 9, 2017
    • Aug 2, 2017 Conceptual Clap Trap Aug 2, 2017
    • Jun 20, 2017 Fairfax Cutting Arts Journalists Jun 20, 2017
    • Jun 12, 2017 Time Passages Jun 12, 2017
    • May 8, 2017 Melbourne's Other Art Fair May 8, 2017
    • Jan 21, 2017 Travel And Thought Jan 21, 2017
    • Nov 29, 2016 Christchurch Dealing With It's Pain Nov 29, 2016
    • Sep 18, 2016 What Are Art Galleries For? Sep 18, 2016
    • Jul 12, 2016 Robert Rosenblum 1927 - 2006 Jul 12, 2016
    • May 21, 2016 Dealing With Asperger's May 21, 2016
    • May 8, 2016 Melbourne's Lost Biennale May 8, 2016
    • Apr 23, 2016 The Renaissance - A Fresh Perspective Apr 23, 2016
    • Apr 4, 2016 Art And Sport Apr 4, 2016
    • Mar 18, 2016 Unemployed Arts Graduates; Are Universities To Blame? Mar 18, 2016
    • Jan 17, 2016 Howard Arkley Jan 17, 2016
    • Jan 2, 2016 St Lukes Jan 2, 2016
    • Dec 19, 2015 Andy Warhol and Ai Wei Wei Dec 19, 2015
    • Nov 8, 2015 Selling Holland Nov 8, 2015
    • Oct 1, 2015 Is There Anybody Out There? Oct 1, 2015
    • Sep 7, 2015 Oliver Sacks 1933 - 2015 Sep 7, 2015
    • Jul 31, 2015 Evening Jul 31, 2015
    • Jul 16, 2015 Procrastination Jul 16, 2015
    • Jun 21, 2015 Why Produce Art? Jun 21, 2015
    • Jun 10, 2015 Higher Consciousness Jun 10, 2015
    • May 30, 2015 Andy Warhol May 30, 2015
    • May 26, 2015 Calm After The Storm May 26, 2015
    • May 14, 2015 Evelyn Williams (1929-2012) May 14, 2015
    • May 5, 2015 Being There At Lillico May 5, 2015
    • Apr 27, 2015 Being There Apr 27, 2015
    • Mar 17, 2015 Teaching At The Pakenham Living & Learning Centre Mar 17, 2015
    • Mar 7, 2015 Opening At Burrinja Mar 7, 2015
    • Jan 4, 2015 Melancholy In Art Jan 4, 2015
  • Landscape painting
    • Mar 3, 2018 Art Of The Night Mar 3, 2018
  • Levitan
    • Mar 31, 2018 A True Poet Of Nature Mar 31, 2018
  • Museum
    • Feb 11, 2017 Sir John Soane's Museum Feb 11, 2017
  • Photography
    • Aug 6, 2016 Diane Arbus - Photographer of Oddity Aug 6, 2016
    • May 21, 2016 Dealing With Asperger's May 21, 2016
    • Feb 25, 2016 When Less Is More And The Value Of Disappointment Feb 25, 2016
    • Jan 31, 2016 James Casebere Jan 31, 2016
    • Jun 27, 2015 Gregory Crewdson Jun 27, 2015
    • Nov 26, 2014 Gregory Crewdson Nov 26, 2014
  • Renaissance art
    • Jul 16, 2017 Rogier Van Der Weyden Jul 16, 2017
    • Jun 25, 2016 King Frederick The Musician Jun 25, 2016
    • Apr 23, 2016 The Renaissance - A Fresh Perspective Apr 23, 2016
  • Russian Art
    • Apr 22, 2018 Getting The Message Across Apr 22, 2018
    • Mar 31, 2018 A True Poet Of Nature Mar 31, 2018
  • Spanish art
    • Nov 12, 2016 Antonio Lopez Garcia Nov 12, 2016
  • Tortured Artist
    • Feb 3, 2018 To The Tortured Artist.....Get Over It Feb 3, 2018
    • Apr 7, 2016 How To Handle Criticism Apr 7, 2016

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