Drawing and the unconscious: a practical workshop in imagination and free association

A significant aspect of Jung’s psychology concerns the value of image making through art. As a method for approaching the unconscious, painting and drawing are uniquely placed as vehicles for the exploration of imagery sitting on the threshold between the personal and the collective. Spontaneous/Automatic processes have been utilized throughout modern art as methods of engaging what Analytical Psychology would call depth experiences. By practically engaging with visualization through art making and reading, the connections between inner and outer are made tangible as a ‘third’ communal space - one capable of resonating with a symbolic meaning encompassing both the personal and the collective in psyche. This workshop will provide participants who may have had little experience in drawing and painting to explore psyche as both a personal and collective engagement with the revealing power of art making. Emphasis will be on the development of imagery (seen as both figurative and non-figurative) using spontaneous mark making and a close ‘felt’ engagement with the specific qualities of the media in relation to touch and visual perception. Participants will be encouraged to work without any pre-planning, trusting in the process through aesthetic engagement with that which unfolds in imagination. All materials will be provided. An exhibition of the works produced will be held throughout the conference and, if agreed, may subsequently be uploaded onto the IAJS website to form the focus for theoretical debate via the Psyche in the Arts Network. References: Ehrenzweig A. (1967/71) The Hidden Order of Art Los Angeles: Univ. of Cal. Press. MacLagan D. (2001) Psychological Aesthetics: Painting, Feeling and Making Sense London: Kingsley. Newton. S. (2001) Painting Psychoanalysis and Spirituality, Cambridge University Press