‘Migraine Art’
Written on November 15, 2009
A recent library find—Migraine Art: The Migraine Experience from Within by Klaus Podoll and Derek Robinson (North Atlantic Books, 2009) [link for UK], a fascinating & beautiful book I probably would not have discovered if it hadn’t been in the new books section of my local library.
Product description from the publisher:
Migraine Art includes more than 300 powerful illustrations and paintings created by migraine sufferers from around the world. It provides a thoroughly unique window into the subjective world of the migraine sufferer. The idea of collecting migraine art started with a number of public competitions in the 1980s, which encouraged artists, both amateur and professional, to illustrate the pain, the visual disturbances, and the effect migraines had on their lives. The book includes hundreds of these submissions as well as detailed descriptions of different types of migraine visual phenomena.
Covering such topics as migraine signs, triggers, and treatments, as well as types of visual hallucinations and somatic sensations and experiences, the book offers a comprehensive view of the migraine experience. Each category of visual disturbance is accompanied by related artwork. A description of migraine visual experiences of famous historical figures, such as Blaise Pascal and Lewis Carroll, provide historical background on the topic. The book also includes a history of four Migraine Art competitions and information about the Migraine Art collection.
See also:
Migraine Art section by Klaus Podoll at the Migraine Aura Foundation
Migraine art collection at Discovery Health
Migraine art slideshow at The New Times
“Alluring Abstract Art of Agonizing Migraines” at Life in the Fast Lane
Filed in: new books,psychology.
