McAlbtraum (2022)
art therapy performance
The significance of mental well-being and its connection to physical health cannot be overstated. Clown therapy acts as a bridge between addressing physical health and mental health in the context of art. In the healing of individuals suffering from various aspects of art, clown therapy helps reduce stress and anxiety. Artistic struggles are generally somber, and clown therapy serves as a distraction therapy, demystifying and humanizing the entire art scene for artists, curators, museum staff, and the audience.
For the development and general well-being of artists and curators, an essential right is the right to play, and this should not be denied due to artistic challenges. In fact, play and the stimulation it provides become even more crucial in these daunting and anxiety-inducing moments. The need for artists and curators to play in their own way, dealing with their own experiences and emotions while engaged in the art scene, has always been emphasized by experts.
Even as connoisseurs, we experience feelings of helplessness and boredom in gallery settings, where concentration is challenging. For artists and curators, this issue becomes even more severe. Hence, clowns play a crucial role here in reaching out to the artist or curator beyond the exhibition and offering individual, playful interventions. Clown therapy benefits individuals who are ill and working in galleries or museums in various ways. Through interactive play and humor, clowns create a conducive and supportive environment that stimulates artists' and curators' adaptation to a pro-art setting, thereby enhancing their acceptance of art projects.
Clown counselors are not only beneficial for artists and curators but also for the staff who are under tremendous stress and pain. It gives them a ray of hope. Artistic clowns also benefit the community by brightening the mood of an exhibition.
performers: Elena Victoria Pastor, Pedro Torres, Dan Peter Sundland, Schwall, Jul Gordon, Zora Gordon, Sultan Alawar, Fabian Jung, Tim Huys
