Richard Dadd, a painter whose fantastical vision was unconfined by his 43 years in an asylum, has long been shrouded in a narrative of tragedy and mental illness. The artist, who was once a rising star of London's Royal Academy, is now remembered for his murder of his father while in the grip of severe psychosis. However, the upcoming exhibition, Richard Dadd: Beyond Bedlam at the Royal Academy, offers a fresh perspective on the artist, focusing on his artistic output rather than his illness. This article explores the exhibition, the artist's work, and the broader implications of how mental illness is framed in the art world.
A New Look at an Old Story
The exhibition, the first major one dedicated to Dadd in over 50 years, aims to present the artist's career as a coherent whole, free from the narrative of his asylum confinement. Co-curator Sylvie Broussine argues that the 'before and after' narrative is reductive, as Dadd's style changed over time, as it does with many artists. Broussine highlights Dadd's enduring interest in Shakespeare, whose stories he spun into highly wrought fantasies, consistent with his early decision to specialize in imaginative subjects.
One thing that immediately stands out is the tension between presenting Dadd as an artist and acknowledging his mental illness. While the exhibition omits his medical records and only briefly refers to his illness and crime, it also includes works like Titania Sleeping, which suggests that Dadd's retreat into fairyland was not simply a symptom of his detachment from reality. This raises a deeper question: how can we understand Dadd's art without falling into the trap of medicalizing it?
The Artist's Mind
The urge to get inside Dadd's mind is apparently irresistible. Jennifer Higgie, author of Bedlam, a novel inspired by Dadd, agrees that his work intensified in its incredible intricacy and focus on detail. This mania is evident in The Fairy Feller's Master-Stroke, which is shown with Titania Sleeping in the exhibition. However, Higgie also acknowledges that Dadd's characters never seem to interact, and his figures never talk to each other or say anything to each other. This is impossible not to see as a reflection of his own isolation and detachment from others.
Nicholas Tromans, a leading Dadd authority and co-curator of the exhibition, distances himself from the now-discredited approach of treating Dadd as a medical case study rather than an artist. He argues that while we can't know exactly what Dadd thought and felt while making his pictures, his characters' lack of interaction and dialogue is a reflection of his own social isolation.
The Flattening Effect
Andrea Mindel, a member of Bethlem Artist Collective (BAC), worries that underplaying Dadd's illness does the artist a disservice and perpetuates a wider reticence about mental illness. She argues that it's important to own the difficulty of discussing mental illness, especially in institutional settings like the Royal Academy. The RA has engaged a sensitivity panel to provide feedback on gallery texts and plans to signpost NHS support and provide a quiet space for reflection.
Karim Sultan, responsible for exhibitions and artist development at Bethlem Gallery, emphasizes the 'flattening effect' that the gallery promotes as a publicly accessible arts venue. He argues that nobody's really sure who's who until people start speaking to one another, and that if you're coming into the space and working as an artist, that's what you are.
Broader Implications
The exhibition on Dadd has broader implications for the way that mental illness is framed in the art world. It will help to shape the reception of work by today's artists, and it raises important questions about the relationship between art and mental illness. As we continue to explore the connections between creativity and mental health, it's crucial to strike a balance between artistic expression and sensitivity to the experiences of those who have struggled with mental illness.
In conclusion, Richard Dadd: Beyond Bedlam at the Royal Academy offers a fresh perspective on the artist, focusing on his artistic output rather than his illness. While the exhibition raises important questions about the relationship between art and mental illness, it also provides an opportunity to celebrate Dadd's unique vision and to explore the connections between creativity and mental health in a more nuanced and thoughtful way.
