The Myth of the Mentally Ill Artist

Chapter 7 examines the actual study findings related to art and mental illness and concludes that this connection has not been decisively established. The chapter looks at popular studies that have attempted to prove that artists disproportionately suffer from mental illness. The author argues that these studies rise or fall based on how they are conducted, or the quality of the research, and proceeds to look closely at this quality question. The author argues something very different from the art–madness equation: that art is rooted not in disorder but in variations of personality. It’s personality that’s predictive, not emotional disturbance. The author concludes by locating the actual source of artist “torture” in the qualities of mind produced by openness.