Insane artistic expressions: Osório César's pioneering work and its importance to the psychiatric Reform

• Grant number: 16/01729-2
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): May 01, 2016
• Effective date (End): December 31, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Psychology
• Principal researcher: Silvio Yasui
• Grantee: Giovanna Cristina Fogaça
• Home Institution: Faculdade de Ciências e Letras (FCL-ASSIS). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Assis. Assis , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The actual health politics offer a several and complex network of actions and services. In many of these services it can be found the use of art activities and artistic expressions as an important therapeutic intervention in care production. Generally these daily treatment activities are developed in therapeutic workshops, which are open places found in all Psychosocial Attention Centers (CAPS). More than producing care, these activities are used to generate work and proceeds guided by the principals of the Solidarity Economy. The use of art as source of treatment isn't an innovation brought by the Psychiatric Reform. Since the forth decade, Dr. Nise da Silveira, in a critical and contrary position about the treatment methods used at that age, already developed works and artistic activities with the patients at the Psychiatric Hospital at Rio de Janeiro. Her works are internationally known and a reference to the Psychiatric Reform. Although value and fundamental Nise's work weren't the pioneer. Before her, at the Juquery Alienated Institution, in São Paulo, Osório César, a psychiatrist very related to the artistic scene of São Paulo on the first decade of 20th century, began a research about art as a possibility of treatment. In 1929 he published his main work: Artistic Expression of the Insane - Studies of Signs at Art. He send a copy to Sigmund Freud, who answered showing his satisfaction about the interest on psychoanalysis studies in Brazil. To Dalgalarrondo, he was the first to dedicate deeply and systematically to the analysis of art production by people in mental suffering. Osório César did in São Paulo the firsts combinations between psychiatry, art and psychoanalysis. Even though his contributions made him the pioneer by using art as therapy with psychiatric patients, his work isn't very researched. This research aims to make a bibliography review about Osório César's works at Juquery Psychiatric Hospital at firsts decades of 20th, analyzing its importance to Brazilian Psychiatric Reform. This is a documental research which will use bibliography and documental references.