Artbook Psychiatric department of the Kings County Hospital Brooklyn NY
Annaleen Louwes was the first participating artist in the Beautiful Distress program and took up residence for three months in the King’s County Hospital Center (Brooklyn).
Annaleen about her stay: “I was the odd man out, in every respect. Photography is for these people a picture, proof for an identity card, or a large mural on the wall of an idyllic scene with palm trees. But it is not an art form, while I am an artist. The idea of art they did comprehend but in the form of therapy, like drama therapy for example. But I couldn’t sort myself into that kind of category. Around the hospital lived mostly poor African Americans and Latinos. I remained the intruder. I found this to be very complicated. I felt very humble and small, because of their pain, I was walking around there. For them I remained the white lady, which evokes distrust as well as respect. I went there the white European, to combat against the stigma of ‘poor black crazies’, by making photographs, which just produces more stigmas instead of less. For me that was a real struggle and it took awhile before I found a solution for both issues, in my head and in my work.”
The work that Annaleen Louwes made in KCHC, was bundled in a beautiful booklet Black and white and (some) kind of blue
“Dit boek was onderdeel van de collectie van Petra Jorissen”.
Aandoening Psychiatrische aandoening Auteur Annaleen Louwes Jaar 2015 Perspectief Andere Gezondheidszorg Publicatie type Boek Thema Kunst Zorginstellingen