Tuesday, October 04, 2011

Carlton Davis, author of the memoir Bipolar Bare will making a keynote speech entitled "Metaphors for Madness" at the 21st Annual Conference of The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance of California in San Jose at the San Jose Airport Garden Hotel on October 15, 2011.

Mr. Davis' speech describes his view of Bipolar Disorder and Depression as an illness that can be understood in a different way through metaphors and art. Davis draws his metaphors from masterpieces such as the "Myth of Sysphus" painted by Titian, "The Scream" painted by Edward Munch, "Melencholia" engraved by Albrecht Durer, and Marcel Duchamp's "L.H.O.Q.Q," the Mona Lisa with a mustache. Davis will show how these metaphors and the art of Vincent Van Gogh relate to his own experience and his own art as described and pictured in the book, "Bipolar Bare, my life's journey with mental illness." The book is about Davis' thirty year struggle with the disorder and how he found recovery

The speech is a visual delight that covers not only the aspects of the illness demarcated by engaging art, but recovery and the conundrum of medication, which is a hot button issue in the mental health community. Conference attendees will be treated to some startling conclusion, and reasons to laugh at the stark reality of Depression and Bipolar illness.

Carlton Davis, AIA, CDT

Principal

The Art Dock

Pasadena, CA

626-840-7997