An Art Therapist's Inquiry Into the Art and Artists Of
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Finding Humanity: An Art Therapist’s Inquiry into the Art and Artists of the Holocaust by Elizabeth Hadara Hlavek A Culminating Project and Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School, Mount Mary University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Art Therapy Milwaukee, Wisconsin December, 2019 © Copyright by Elizabeth Hadara Hlavek ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2019 Finding Humanity: An Art Therapist’s Inquiry into the Art and Artists of the Holocaust Approved by Emily Nolan [electronic signature] 12/12/2019 ________________________________________ __________________ Emily Nolan, DAT, ATR-BC, LPC (Chair of Committee) Date Lynn Kapitan. [electronic signature] 12/12/2019 _______________________________________ __________________ Lynn Kapitan, PhD, HLM, ATR-BC (Second Core Faculty) Date David Gussak. [electronic signature] 12/12/2019 ______________________________________ __________________ David Gussak, PhD, ATR-BC (Committee Member) Date Anna Menyhert. [electronic signature] 12/12/2019 _____________________________________ __________________ Anna Menyhert, PhD (Committee Member) Date iv Abstract This article style dissertation is an art therapist’s investigation into the art and artists of the Holocaust. The three articles it contains appear in the chronological order of the author’s inquiry: first theory, followed by research and, lastly, implications for practice. The author defines the art of the Holocaust as a unique phenomenon of interest, emphasizing its abundance and detailing the content of the work, then makes thematic connections to art therapy theories, concluding that the art of the Holocaust resonates with humanistic approaches to art therapy. The research study comprised a phenomenological inquiry into the experience of creating artwork during the Holocaust, applying Giorgi’s (2009) descriptive phenomenological psychological analysis to reach a collective description of the phenomenon. Five participants—four survivors of the Holocaust and one child of a Holocaust survivor—were interviewed and provided a narrative account of their art making while interned in camps or ghettos. The study results suggest that making art was both purposeful and beneficial to the artists. Specifically, art making served the purposes of providing a witness, leaving a legacy, and retaining a sense of humanity. Benefits included reinforcement of a non-prisoner identity, affirmation of existence, sense of hope, feelings of safety, and an ability to develop or embody relationships. The themes that arose in this study can be used to guide clients in art therapy practice within the existential philosophy of logotherapy, which emphasizes meaning making to facilitate healing and personal growth. v Acknowledgments Sincere thanks to Miriam Alon, Samuel Bak, Judy Jacobs, Frederick Terna, and Yehuda Bacon for their time and bravery. I appreciate your willingness to participate. Additionally, I would like to thank Eliad Moreh-Rosenberg, Liat Shiber, Anat Bratman-Elhalel, Sima Shachar, Tereza Maizels, Nancy Hartman, and Suzy Snyder for meeting with me and helping obtain images of this valuable work. Thanks to Dr. Emily Nolan for her professionalism and dedication, Dr. Lynn Kapitan for always pushing me, and Dr. Bruce Moon for defining existential art therapy and allowing me to blur the boundaries of retirement. Special thanks to Dr. David Gussak for continuous support, enthusiasm, and discourse. And thanks to Dr. Anna Menyhert for her warmth, thorough feedback, and willingness to participate in this project. I am truly grateful to my committee. An enormous thanks to my supportive cohort, especially Dr. Lauren Leone, who has been my rock. Dedication In memory of Halina Olomucki, whom I wish I could have met. vi Table of Contents Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................... v List of Tables ................................................................................................................. ix List of Figures ................................................................................................................ ix CHAPTER 1: Introduction .............................................................................................. 1 CHAPTER 2: Artistic Resistance During the Holocaust .................................................. 8 Abstract ............................................................................................................... 8 Introduction ......................................................................................................... 8 Art Making in Camps and Ghettos ..................................................................... 11 Categories of the Artwork .................................................................................. 15 Portraiture .............................................................................................. 15 Landscapes ............................................................................................ 17 Interactions Between Inmates ................................................................. 19 Scenes of Life Before the War................................................................ 20 Depictions of Brutality ........................................................................... 20 Arts Contributing to Community ....................................................................... 21 The Choice to Create ......................................................................................... 23 Implications for Art Therapy ............................................................................. 24 Portable Studio....................................................................................... 24 Trauma Treatment .................................................................................. 25 Meaning Making .................................................................................... 27 Conclusion ........................................................................................................ 28 References ......................................................................................................... 29 CHAPTER 3: A Phenomenological Inquiry Into the Art of the Holocaust ..................... 36 Abstract ............................................................................................................. 36 Introduction ....................................................................................................... 36 Literature Review .............................................................................................. 38 Method .............................................................................................................. 40 Participants ........................................................................................................ 40 Yehuda Bacon ............................................................................ 42 Samuel Bak ................................................................................ 42 Frederick Terna .......................................................................... 42 Miriam Alon ............................................................................... 43 vii Judy Godos-Jacobs ..................................................................... 43 Research Design ................................................................................................ 43 Procedures ......................................................................................................... 44 Data Analysis .................................................................................................... 45 Results.. ............................................................................................................. 47 Discussion ......................................................................................................... 50 Witnessing ............................................................................................. 51 Comfort ................................................................................................. 51 Hope ...................................................................................................... 52 Affirmation of Existence ........................................................................ 54 Autonomy .............................................................................................. 54 Identity .................................................................................................. 55 Limitations ........................................................................................................ 57 Conclusion ........................................................................................................ 59 References ......................................................................................................... 60 CHAPTER 4: A Logotherapeutic Approach to Art Therapy .......................................... 64 Abstract ............................................................................................................. 64 Introduction ....................................................................................................... 64 Theoretical Framework ...................................................................................... 66 Application to Practice .....................................................................................