The visual art of contemporary artists with epilepsy

Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders encountered in clinical practice, affecting approximately 1 of 50 children and 1 of 100 adults in developed countries, with a higher prevalence in developing countries. Epilepsy is called a hidden disability because people with the condition usually appear normal between seizures. Yet, ironically, the appearance of someone having a seizure is anything but hidden from view and is often dramatic and frightening. Consequently, epileptic seizures have been depicted in art through the ages, colored by views on its medical, social, and psychological aspects. The history of epilepsy in pictorial art was reviewed during the last Mansell Bequest symposium (Engelsen, 2004) as well as elsewhere (Schachter, 1996) and will not be further explored in this chapter. Artists who themselves have epilepsy present a unique view of their condition. Over the years, I have collected the works of contemporary artists with epilepsy, compiling much of it along with the artists' written comments in a book (Schachter, 2003). In addition to its pictorial qualities, the art is replete with insights into the experiences of having seizures and living with epilepsy. This chapter presents examples from my collection, organized by the apparent connection between the pictorial subject and epilepsy as currently understood from a medical perspective. © 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.