Dialogues Between Nise and Jung: the Expressive Work of Nise Da Silveira and Her Contributions to Analytical Psychology

Junguiana v.39-1, p.127-142

Dialogues between Nise and Jung: the expressive work of Nise da Silveira and her contributions to analytical psychology

Marisa V. Catta-Preta*

Abstract Keywords: Nise da Silveira was a reference in analytical legacy that is still in motion in analytical psychology analytical psychology for basing her work on Jung’s referenc- as a source of research and study. ■ psychology, es, who supported her work and invited her to ex- mental illness, art, museum hibit works related to mental health in Brazil, in an of images of exhibition in Zurich. The objective of this article is to the uncon- analyze aspects of Nise da Silveira’s work and her scious. contributions to analytical psychology. The methodology is the use of bibliographical research on some studies by Jung, Nise da Silveira, and other authors who dedicated themselves to understanding the theme. It is considered that the work with schizophrenics and the reading of images used in the Museum of Images of the Unconscious remain a

* Psychologist with a Jungian approach. Master and Doctoral student in Clinical Psychology at the Catholic Pontifical Uni- versity of São Paulo (Pontífícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo – PUC-SP) at the Center for Jungian Studies (Núcleo de Estudos Junguianos). Professor of the discipline of Analytical Psychology at PUC-SP and at the Metropolitan University of Santos (Universidade Metropolitana de Santos – UNIMES). Supervisor of Improvement in Psychotherapy for adults from the perspective of analytical psychology (PUC/COGEAE). Co- ordinator of the postgraduate course in Jungian Psychology (UNIMES). Author of the book A noite da alma – sonhos e insônia and co-author of Sonhos e Arte, Sonhos na Psicologia de Jung, Jung e Saúde e 95 anos de Paulo Freire. E-mail: [email protected]> e [email protected]

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Dialogues between Nise and Jung: the expressive work of Nise da Silveira and her contributions to analytical psychology

1. Introduction The impact of those who know the Museum To discuss the work of Nise da Silveira is is great, because over there everything is true. to invite the reader to know one of the master There is, in fact, a carefully maintained collection construction guidelines of my education and of of works in series that make it possible to see many colleagues working with the Jungian ap- the patient’s evolution process. There are many proach. Her profound reflections on the reality works cataloged and, when we walk through the of the mentally ill and their social crossings in ateliers, we actually see art being built in the Mu- Brazil, in different political moments and her seum’s daily space. The affection, creation and engagement in the struggles for better public dedication of the museum staff, as well as the health were determinant for a generation of way they actually understand Nise da Silveira’s psychologists who have her as a reference. But work, are spectacular. On my first visit, I left the it was mainly the respect attributed to human Museum fascinated and since then I have not uniqueness and to research in mental health, only studied even more what Nise left behind, not only through more humanized methods but but I have developed a friendship of trust and through paths that seek to give concrete form admiration with the museum staff: Gladys Schin- to the symbolic expression of the unconscious cariol, a psychologist who runs the Museum and images of her patients, in a proposal to analyze who is with Nise since she was still a student; Eu- what Jung brought theoretically for all of us, ripides Junior, who took care of the images and is what delighted me when I first heard about her currently in charge of the Sociedade Amigos do work. As a student, I read her best-know produc- Museu, completing his doctorate in 2015 on art tion, the book “Images of the Unconscious”, in and madness collection; and Luis Carlos Mello, the voice of Alice Marques — a doctor who was who is responsible for the direction and organi- part of her team for years and was a close friend zation of national and international exhibitions — at a Brazilian congress, which sparked my in- of the works. The strength of this team formed by terest in studying Nise’s work. The refinement of Nise, which conducts this legacy respectfully, is the particularities of her work and the way she great and today is associated with several collab- related it to the practice of analytical psycholo- orators and networks around the Museum. It is gy — work approved by Jung and has Von Franz with courage and determination, going through to do the analysis and guidance — brought me various public policies, prejudices of traditional great impact. I understood that if I wanted to psychiatry and lack of support from governments follow the path of Jungian psychology, I would that neglect the cause of mental health, that this have to go to Rio de Janeiro to visit the Museum team goes through decades of work in the Muse- of Images of the Unconscious. When I was there um of Images of the Unconscious — a museum a few years later, Nise was already out of public that is still alive and present in discussions in service and I could not see her. But in exchange analytical psychology. for a small gift that I gave to her, she sent me Nise da Silveira is one of those names that as a souvenir some errata from an exhibition marked not only mental health and Jungian psy- by Carlos, Adelina and Emygdio, given to me by chology but also the national scene of her time. Luis Carlos Mello — which is a gift that I keep Her political positions are known, after all, she with great affection. was a political prisoner in the room 4 — a famous

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room for personalities such as Olga Benário the Brazilian exhibition at an International Con- Prestes and Maria Werneck, among other im- gress and invited Nise to study at the C. G. Jung portant women in the Brazilian political scene. Institute in Zurich, in addition to referring her to She was a character of Graciliano Ramos in his one of his most important disciples to guide her book Memórias do Cárcere, painted by the artist in her works, brings us the idea of the interest Di Cavalcanti, a friend of Manuel Bandeira and of the creator of analytical psychology himself friend of art critics like Mario Pedrosa — who in her works. This happened after an exchanged called Virgin Art what Jean Dubuffet called brute correspondence in which Nise sent the Brazilian art and included the expressions of individuals works to Jung to confirm that they were manda- who were on the margins of our society. las, and he does so, confirming that they were The only woman in her time at the Faculty of really mandalas. Nise later returned to Switzer- Medicine in Bahia, she came to Rio de Janeiro land twice more, taking a case study, and on where she worked as a doctor her entire life. these occasions, deepened her studies in Jung- A Northeastern woman, at a time when these ian psychology even more, in addition to acquir- attributes were enough to generate strong so- ing Jung’s deep respect and interest in the ex- cial and cultural prejudices, Nise was firm and pressions of the unconscious portrayed in Brazil always engaged in the great battle in defense (MELLO, 2014). of the less favored, the mentally ill, who, in her Nise da Silveira’s work illustrates what Jung time, were largely abandoned by their families postulated in his work through his theoretical and by society in psychiatric hospitals that concepts. used abusive methods, excessive drug inter- In this article, I begin a brief introduction to ventions and indiscriminate use of electro- Jung’s own work with psychotic and schizophren- shock (MELLO, 2014). ic patients and his experience with them. For For Jungian psychology, Nise da Silveira’s Jung (2019b): method, which was based on analytical psychology, studies by antipsychiatry authors such To my satisfaction, I was able to prove as Ronald Laing, in addition to a deep study of that the illness, although on a reduce art and mental health, brought important contri- scale, can be treated through psycho- butions due to the fact that it originated in the therapy. However, as soon as psycho- hands of the only psychiatrist in Brazil, with a logical treatment is accepted, the ques- reading in the Jungian approach capable of sys- tion arises about the psychotic content tematizing images of schizophrenic patients and its meaning. We already know that, and creating a museum with these images. The in many cases, we are dealing with a Museum was a creative idea and extremely im- psychological material comparable to portant for the research of those interested in certain materials from neuroses and the symbolic expression of mostly schizophrenic dreams, which are understood from and psychotic patients. The Museum of Images the person’s point of view. However, in of the Unconscious, which currently has more contrast to the content of a neurosis, sa- than 350 thousand works, is a collection of great tisfactorily explainable by biographical importance also for the study of Jung’s analyti- data, the psychotic contents show parti- cal psychology, because there we see his theory cularities that escape the individual cir- alive and expressed in symbols of personal and cumstances of life, which we also obser- archetypical origin (CRUZ JUNIOR, 2015). ve concerning dreams whose symbolism The fact that Jung, upon receiving the photos cannot be correctly explained based in of the Brazilian mandalas sent by Nise, opened personal data (p. 285).

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Next, the article portrays the importance of Jung and who, on the advice of the master’s ad- working with art as a symbolic expression for vice, as she called him, finds in mythology a way Jung, in his own experiences and with his pa- of understanding and systematically studying tients. I consider Jung’s personal experiences the images that over time takes on its indelible and his symbolic expression through paintings mark. The idea of founding a Museum of Imag- and stone sculptures, especially present in his es of the Unconscious with the productions of memoirs and in the Red Book (JUNG, 2010), in patients for research in schizophrenia which, addition to the illustrated works present in his according to Cruz Junior (2015), resulted in a col- work with images painted by patients and in the lection of more than 350 thousand works, most Seminaries Dreams and Visions. of them listed by the National Institute of Historic I continue in the article highlighting Nise’s and Artistic Heritage, was one of her most bril- trajectory in the construction of her work crossed liant creations. The Museum’s collection is the by political and social issues in Brazil and the largest of its kind in the world. To obtain these difficulty of keeping alive the Museum of Images data, the author researched several initiatives of the Unconscious as a serious research work to work with the mentally ill involving artistic ex- based on the concepts of analytical psychology. pression, but none of them is compared to the Silveira (1981) writes: number of works that make up the Museum of Images of the Unconscious (CRUZ JUNIOR, 2015). Certainly, abstract language lends itself In addition, I emphasize the importance of to giving form to personal secrets, satis- the works’ museum and the “living museum” for fying a need for expression without others research in psychology as a place that has more owing them. But in the hospital, this productions cataloged and inserted in the collec- translation of lines into words is rare. Do tion even after Nise’s death, and the importance not be under the illusion that where you of continuing this project and her work in Brazil, see interlocking lines, it means ambition. with the team that follow her steps and contin- I soon became convinced of the impossi- ues the daily work in the research of unconscious bility of establishing codes. Abstract lan- images. Currently, the museum’s staff is directed guage creates itself at every moment, at by the same members who accompanied Nise da the impulse of the forces in motion in the Silveira. They direct the main works of the Muse- unconscious. It was an empirical finding um and its exhibitions in Brazil and abroad, in a (p. 19). struggle to maintain the Museum’s work in the mold of its creator. Finally, I relate Nise’s work to Jung’s concepts, The objective of this article is to analyze as- present in documentaries and authored books in pects of Nise da Silveira’s work and her contribu- which case studies are described and analyzed tions to analytical psychology. The methodology by the author from the perspective of analytical is the bibliographical research of publications by psychology. Her meeting with Jung introduces a Jung, Nise da Silveira and contemporary authors series of gaps to be filled on mental illness by the who dedicated themselves to research through author, who, upon returning from Zurich, creates the reading of their books and published articles. a study group and promotes the museum’s work with information obtained on the collection of 2. The history of Jung’s journey with the C. G. Jung Institute in Zurich (MELLO, 2014). schizophrenic patients I conclude by demonstrating the particulari- Jung (1990) worked at the Burgholzli psychi- ty of Nise da Silveira’s work, which follows the atric clinic attached to the University of Zurich, methodology of reading images postulated by where he became a professor of psychiatry and,

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in 1905, after studying with Pierre Janet, he con- Another patient heard voices, one of which tinued his experiments with the word association was from God. Jung visited her to read the Bible test. According to Jung (1990), the association every two weeks for six years, reminding her of test popularized his work in the US, with a large the previous reading. The patient improved, con- number of patients coming to see him in Switzer- centrating her voices, which previously spoke land. Jung (2019c) only abandoned the use of the throughout the body, only on the left side. The test when he started his dream analysis work. patient, for Jung (1990), had an unilateral cure, After all, in dreams, it was possible to detect the but, in any case, it led him to understand that the patient’s complexes with spontaneous material intuitive act of reading the Bible with her as the sent daily by the unconscious. voice ordered, somehow brought her from the The cases of psychosis are highlighted in this world of images. article and are reported in his memoirs. One of Jung draws attention to the content of the ’pa- them deals with a patient who made hand ges- tient’s symbolic expression, which is not immedi- tures non-stop. Jung (1990) believed that in or- ately comprehensible to consciousness, but the der to understand the disease, it was necessary fact that we do not understand does not mean to know the patient’s history. When the patient that it is meaningless. Jung (1990) considers died, her brother told Jung that she wanted to that psychotherapy for such cases had already marry a shoemaker but was refused by him, been used by him at the beginning of his career which triggered her process of going mad. At this and does not understand why this method is not moment, Jung understands the gesture of the pa- applicable for many who treat mental illness. tient’s hands, a symbolic expression of her suf- For Jung, healing is possible, and when it often fering due to her loss of the past. happened, others said it was a misdiagnosis and At the time when Jung (1990) was working at did not accept the possibility of the individual Burgholzli, where he was chief physician of the returning to his conscious reality (JUNG, 1990). psychiatric clinic for four years, and describes how There are many cases that Jung reports in his mental illness was seen at the beginning of his work, and his view of each individual is unique, work as a psychiatrist, as an assistant physician: therefore, the method must be a construction based on what the patient brings and it re- Psychiatric teaching sought to abstract it- quires from the psychotherapist an individual self from the patient’s personality and was preparation with personal analysis in addition content with diagnoses, with description to technical preparation. Jung (2019b) realized of symptoms and statistical data. From the that he could not work the symbology behind prevailing clinical point of view, physicians a psychosis without the study of mythology, as were not concerned with the mentally ill as the presence of archetypal images often brought a human being, as an individuality; it was important meanings to the understanding of the patient number x, armed with a long list of narratives expressed by the patient’s soul. diagnoses and symptoms (p. 114). It is interesting to note that, for Campbell, according to an interview portrayed in the book In his memoirs, Jung (1990) reports to learn ‘‘The Hero’s Journey”, mythology also has a with his patients, like was with Babette’s case. pedagogical function, bringing to man an ori- She was a patient who had a prostitute sister and entation in moments of crisis in which rational an alcoholic father, and at age 39, she freaked aspects are not able to encompass the entire out and had delusions of grandeur. Jung saw in experience. Thus, he sees in mythology the in- Babette’s speech the symbolic compensation of dividual’s connection to society, its integration a deep sense of inferiority. and its meaning.

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Jung (2019b) considers that in most cases of Nise not only refused to press the button of schizophrenia, it has already been proven that electroshock but was firmly against the loboto- individuals would not present changes in the my. In her work on Lucio, an intern with schizo- brain, although this was a disease with physical phrenia at the Engenho de Dentro hospital, Sil- and psychological manifestations. He also con- veira (1992) reveals the beautiful sculptures he siders how at Zurich clinic his method was to always produced in the form of warriors, express- treat the psychological investigation of mental ing the struggle between good and evil and the illness. According to Jung (2019b), knowledge of deformation he had in his artistic expressions the individual’s history is essential for any anal- after surgery. Despite Nise’s appeals, his family ysis of the case. allowed him to undergo lobotomy surgery, losing Therefore, Silveira’s (1981) idea of observing all his creative capacity, becoming passive and the patient and understanding that over there is without any stimulus to create images (SILVEIRA, a symbolic expression is aligned with the work 1992). that Jung developed with schizophrenics, which he later extended to his private practice for all 4. Dialogues between Nise and Jung – patients, not only the psychotics and schizo- Art as a symbolic expression phrenics. Nise began her work with patients, whom she The work with reading images that are born used to call clients, with a sewing workshop in in the unconscious and emerge in the conscious- a space without tables and chairs, on the floor. ness was created by Jung, but the scope that For those who did not want to participate in the Nise gave to this practice, with the creation of a workshops, she once took off her socks and gigantic archive that is the museum’s collection, made a ball, so they could play football and have was a huge contribution to analytical psychology a playful space. This shows that, even in situa- in the world. tions where there is no material, it is necessary to be creative and provide a space for the patient 3. The use of art to work with schizo- to create. Thus, Nise turned difficulties into op- phrenia by Nise da Silveira portunities for creative practices, using her sen- When Nise da Silveira created the occupa- sitivity and practicality. In one of the accounts, in tional therapy sector with workshops and a one of her biographies, written by Mello (2014, painting studio, we need to consider that it was a p. 294), she would say: “I have Lampião under courageous initiative, as her action predated the my skin... If I hadn’t, I would have already been antipsychiatry movement that was started with crushed a long time ago.” Cooper and Laing, in England, Basaglia, in Italy, The monitor, in addition to being oriented to besides others who questioned madness revisit- work in the painting studio, participated in the ing the patient’s history as Foucault. study group, studies known and attended by Nise (SILVEIRA, 1992) highlights Laing’s per- many doctors, psychologists and professionals formance because he privileges the psychotic’s from other areas, as well as hospital residents. experience, seeking to understand what is be- Her great friend and doctor Alice Marques, as the hind the disease. Laing was in Brazil in 1978 hospital’s director, manages to open more spac- and, upon visiting the Museum of Images of the es for occupational therapy. The service expands Unconscious, he was moved and kissed Nise’s into shoemaking, basketwork, theater, garden- hands, touched by what he saw and that had a ing, music, carpentry, binding and recreation strong relationship with what he had lived in his workshops. Also, since 1946, there were work- experiences with schizophrenic patients (MEL- shops for woodcuts, painting and expressive LO, 2014). activities, and the works were so important that

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Nise was inspired to create, in 1952, the Muse- something that empirically permeated his life um of images of the Unconscious. In December and practice with his patients. 1946, the first exhibition was held inside the psy- In the recently released book “The Art of C. G. chiatric hospital (MELLO, 2014). Jung”, Hoerni et al. (2019) comments that Jung’s Criticized by traditional psychiatry, Nise has artwork, prior to the release of the “Red Book”, the support of artists and intellectuals who un- which was made public by Shandasani (JUNG, derstood the greatness of her work, such as Car- 2010), had never been published and organized. los Drummond de Andrade, who writes a beauti- Thus, the author brings a classification of the art- ful text in her honor, where he says: work with Jung’s drawings and paintings of his internal costumes and images, landscapes and Nise interrogates the unconscious and watercolors, the sketch of his houses in Kusnacht manages to bring spontaneous artistic and Bollingen, objects in his house with various representations out of it, proof that not types of materials, the drawing of the coat of arms everything in its authors is chaos and from his family that he reworked, stone sculptures annihilation: conditions that generate a in his house in Bollingen, as well as drawings on beautiful activity persist, to be properly cards, stone carved in the memorial of Toni Wolf studied for the benefit of the future man, and Emma Jung. In the “Red Book” (JUNG, 2010), making him more transparent in his inner numerous aesthetically treated and beautiful im- caves (MELLO, 2014, p. 263). ages reveal not only the unconscious aspects of Jung, translated into images and dialogues, but In art, understood by her as the place of stron- also his artistic side that amplifies your symbols gest symbolic expression, she explored several with a wealth of detail and precise traces of those possibilities. When the interns started to draw who are familiar with artistic expression. mandalas, Nise wrote to Jung so the “master” His patients were always encouraged to could validate and confirm that the draws were work on their symbols and expand their mean- mandalas. In a letter he confirms, and years later, ings, even away from his presence and thera- Nise registers for the II International Congress of peutic session. Thus, we have records of images Psychiatry and Jung himself sends Nise a formal of a patient’s spontaneous visions in the Semi- invitation to participate. He opened the Brazilian nars and Visions conferences, where he begins exhibition and highlighted the fact that, in the by explaining that the lectures and this study paintings, there are common themes portrayed by were intended to talk about the transcendent schizophrenics, but the paintings presents bright function through dreams and images expressed colors in the background, which seems, to him, to by drawing and painting, promoting the synthe- show that these patients painted wrapped in an sis of his patient. The idea was to show through affective atmosphere of acceptance by those who this material how it was possible to establish an accompanied them. Nise were with Jung twice in internal conciliation, through the overcoming of interviews, and in her biography, Mello (2014) re- opposites present in the symbolic possibilities counts the emotion of a first meeting and Jung’s (JUNG, 1983). advice that she should study mythology to better For Jung, the symbol is defined in a different understand the images. In addition, Jung also in- way and, in this regard, he writes: “We call a vited her to attend the Swiss Institute, where she symbol a concept, a figure or a name that may completed her education. be known to us in itself, but whose content, use The great encounter between Jung and Nise or purpose are specific or strange, indicating a takes place, therefore, through the images. We hidden, obscure and unknown meaning” (JUNG. know that, for Jung, working with images was 2019c, p. 201).

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Thus, for Jung (2019c, p. 201), the basis of the portrays the painted images, as well as the au- symbol is the transcendent function that allows thors, with text by Silveira (1981). These docu- us to make the connection between conscious mentaries brought enormous repercussions to and unconscious contents. This gathering of the work of these artists, mentally ill people un- contents can promote a synthesis, another pos- dergoing treatment, and whose history was nar- sibility that results from this union of opposite rated by their own images and analyzed by Nise. contents. Silveira (1981) describes these clinical cases, Thus, symbolic life is not only expressed in analyzes their images and follows Jung’s advice dreamlike or spontaneous images reflected in to use his knowledge of mythology and research art, but may be contained in other forms of rep- with comparative material to interpret symbols resentation of the symbol. The word itself can that expressed archetypal images. These con- have a symbolic meaning or, according to Ramos tents originated from the unconscious, from its (2006), also the symptoms that arise in the body, deepest layers and merged with personal issues as revealed by psychosomatics in analytical psy- with a strong affective content, repressed, for- chology. However, in art, it is viable to observe a gotten and which start to be portrayed in painted possibility of symbolic expression through paint- images (MELLO, 2014). ing, sculpture, music, poetry, among others. When treating each case, Silveira (1981) Considering that the schizophrenic patient used the same methodology that Jung applied has a difficulty in communicating clearly and ob- to dreams: the serial analysis. She placed be- jectively, especially when talking about his emo- fore her countless images of patients, cataloged, tions and what goes on inside himself, Nise da dated and followed the path of the images from Silveira finds in art a strong ally as a proposal for the sequence that revealed the mythical narra- the patient’s symbolic expression. Furthermore, tive. When identifying the myth corresponding possibilities of this expression coming from the to the images, she verified the relationship be- written records of a patient, such as the one of tween its content and the patient’s life history. Beta, a patient who expressed herself in a note- Silveira (1981) clearly observed in the series of book while hospitalized as a psychotic, are also images collected in years of work with patients, truly relevant. In her book, Beta D’Rocha (2002) the transformation of symbols and the patient’s reports that through the studies at the museum return to layers closer to consciousness. She and when she started to attend the art studio, founded, as Jung had done earlier, that the un- she understood how important were the notes conscious psyche had a self-regulation function made by her in a notebook, which was received that naturally led the patient to attempt psychic from her sister to write her experiences at the reorganization and self-healing. Jung (2019c, p. hospital: “From then on, I started noticing the 203) considers that: “Just as the organism ap- connections between one crisis and another and propriately reacts to an injury, an infection or an feeling that they could be translated when seen abnormal life situation, so the psychic functions in the form of symbols. [...] The first observation react to unnatural or dangerous disturbances, was that most of the symbols brought, in their with appropriate defense mechanisms.” entirety, a connection between the inner world For Jung (2019e), the principle of self-regu- and the outer world” (D’ROCHA, 2002). lation can be seen in dreams and spontaneous The painting works of Adelina Gomes, Car- images that are produced, and parts of its mean- los Petrius and Fernando Diniz became docu- ing can be integrated by consciousness, as the mentaries and case studies of unique impor- ego is able to establish a dialogue with these tance. These documentaries were made by Leon unconscious aspects. But in the case of schizo- Hirzman, a famous Brazilian filmmaker, who phrenia, this ego is fragmented and therefore the

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path back to this dialogue is more difficult and ages — she just portrays her and says few things winding. about them. However, the fact that these images The presence of archetypal images requires are shared and come to consciousness allows a another form of magnification around the image great improvement for this patient who changes by the therapist, which he called amplification. her attitude and behavior with other interns and So, Jung (2019e) writes when we are faced with the museum staff and monitors. Gradually, Adeli- an archetypal content: na found a chance to live a little closer to reality. In fact, she dated an intern, and her relationship From there, it is clear that it is a collec- with the male became healthier, as well as her tive emotion, that is, a typical situation excessive aggression disappeared. that is strongly affective, which is not, in Adelina’s case is a study where we see a live the first place, a personal expression, but and dynamic psyche, capable of expressing an only becomes of such a nature at a later internal drama through images, painted in an stage. It is, first of all, a general human imagetic narrative that needs to be translated so problem that, for not having called sub- that there can be an understanding of its content jective attention, seeks to open the way, (SILVEIRA, 1981). objectively, to the dreamer’s conscious- The fact that Nise placed in images this alive ness (p. 247). and dynamic psychic of several patients, such as records of their unconscious lives, empirically For example, Silveira (1981) observed in her validates Jung’s theory, and allows an opening patient Adelina Gomes, whose theme was ma- for important research on schizophrenia, still ternal repression and a bad outcome of a loving seen in a prejudiced way in our culture. relationship strongly repressed by the mother, Silveira (1981) opened several fields for the description of the myth of Daphne. In it, the research. She created a museum of images, fleeing nymph of the God Apollo is transformed maintained painting and art ateliers, trained into a flower. Vegetable metamorphosis appears her technical team in terms of therapeutic at- strongly in Adelina’s images as well as images titude, made precious documentaries of her of the terrible and repressive mother. Sculptures works and inaugurated a study group of Jung also depict these characteristics of the terrible with her team and other health professionals, mother; some compared to Neolithic sculp- as well as patients. She wrote books recount- tures where these mothers even had crustacean ing her work, gave interviews discussing mental claws. The images evolve to newer themes and health issues, held national and international more loving mothers. A version of Demeter and exhibitions showing that schizophrenics were Persephone emerges, goddesses representing able to express their emotions, that they also this inseparable mother-daughter dyad. Until had a voice that, when silenced, is represented Adelina arrives in the image of the Virgin Mary. by images. She performed plays, with tributes Also, in her paintings, after a series of mothers, to Dionysus, a character very much alive in the the cat appears, representing her instincts so paintings of the interns, a frequent theme that strongly repressed. Interesting to note that in interspersed with other gods and pagan gods her first outbreak, Adelina strangles her house’s and goddesses, which portrayed the difficul- cat. Therefore, we realize that the images and ty of suppressing the instincts of human life themes form a plot that can be gradually revis- preached by the Christian life (MELLO, 2014). ited in a clearer way. The schizophrenic patient The Adelina’s case was presented in Zurich paints her images while Nise watches her from and linked to other European case studies. Ac- afar, but the patient does not talk about the im- cording to Mello (2014), Nise reported that Marie

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Louise von Franz helped her organize the imag- Silveira (1981) coined some concepts that es and Jung himself also included some of the symbolically and imagistic express her “ther- Brazilian images in the archive of the C. G. Jung apeutic work.” One of these expressions is the Institute, in Zurich. “catalyst affection” which represents the possi- For Jung (2019d), love could only exist with bility of a therapeutic space that provides the pa- the presence of instincts and spirituality to- tient’s creative expression through an affective gether. The denial of one of these instances can and encouraging bond. Silveira (1981) showed lead the individual to a huge division that is still an enormous concern with the qualification and present in contemporary times. Thus, we see training of the monitors who would be closest to that Adelina’s story, although with sociocultural the patients. For this, they should not intervene crossings, is still present in the history of many in what they were painting, but provide, as in women who suffer from love disappointments chemistry, a speed of reactions from an encour- and have a fragile ego to deal with this pain and aging and therapeutic posture. suffering. Von Franz (1999) will discuss the importance Regarding the mandalas, as they began to of an affective field in the bond with the patient, appear in the occupational therapy sector, Nise which can provide a transforming space. Gambini sent photos to Jung and he recognized this sym- (2008, p. 138) uses the idea of what he calls the bol that appears in several paintings of his pa- “ground” of therapeutic work, that is, the space tients and that appear in religions (MELLO, 2014). capable of causing transformations to arise and Jung (2019f, p. 356) comments that “[...] man- be born with the presence of the patient and the dalas preferably appear after states of disorien- psychotherapist. Therefore, we see that Silveira tation, panic or psychic chaos”. Its objective is, (1981) understood the therapeutic importance of according to Jung, to transform chaos and bring a monitors who, even though they are not psychol- certain order into a compensatory attitude of the ogists, should assume a posture of investment psyche, whose self-regulating function we have in their own internal process and knowledge, so already dealt with before. that they could be with the patient without par- On the agenda of the analyses cases carried ticular interventions, as they knew that just as in out by Silveira (1981) and published as studies the analytical process, when observing the paint- and research sources, the stories of Lucio and his ings and living with the patients, they would also sculptures of warriors that culminated in his sad be transformed. For this reason, they frequently end after the lobotomy surgery are included in her participated in the events and study groups of second book. After the surgery, she describes how the Museum of Images of the Unconscious. The Lucio’s creative soul was captured and destroyed. catalyst affection was an encouraging attitude, Unable to make contact with the art again, when but not directive, as to what the patient would he did, sometimes he had only an unwilling ex- paint. pression and all of his talent did not even seem Another expression of Nise is what she calls to have existed at all. Also, the paintings of Emy- “emotion of dealing”, which is about doing or gidio, portraits of the disorder of the unconscious expressing oneself with the hands, with thera- psyche where the inner world coincides with peutic action. Or even “the innumerable states the external and intersect disorderly, gradually, of being”, an expression that was inspired by through his painting, these spaces were delim- the reading of Antonin Artaud, a French poet ited, which was reflected in his improvement as who was admitted to a psychiatric hospital, well (SILVEIRA, 1992). According to Mello (2014), who was able, even as a patient, to make a se- the art critic Mario Pedrosa praised his painting vere criticism of traditional psychiatry and the and considered him an artistic genius. use of techniques such as electroshock. Silveira

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(1981) said that this expression would be more the patient could actually be reintegrated into appropriate than the word schizophrenia, which society. Therefore, Casa das Palmeiras served as labeled and diagnosed the patient taking away a bridge between institutionalization and the re- from his humanity. Now, if we think of the com- turn to social life (MELLO, 2014). plexes, appointed by Jung of subpersonalities, For Nise, psychiatry was something she inte- present in the psyche of all of us, whose core is grated into her trajectory, as well as Jung, who always linked to an archetype, we can visualize brought his psychiatric experience as an import- this plurality of ways of being that can surface in ant passage of fundamental learning in her life. consciousness, especially if the ego, the great In 1950, Jung writes to Bleuler’s son a letter, as teacher of consciousness, present deep fissures, he continues with his father’s work at the psychi- as in the case of schizophrenia. atric clinic Burgholzli: For Jung (2019c, p. 87), the complex is formed by a cluster of associations with an accentuat- I owe a great deal to psychiatry and have ed or traumatic affective tone. Artaud’ vision of always kept myself inwardly close to it, these countless states that can be experienced, from the beginning I was concerned with actually reveals the multiple nature of our psy- a general problem: from which stratum do che, since Jung’s complexes are endowed with the most impressive ideas of schizophre- their own energy and behave like personali- nia come? The resulting issues apparently ties that he calls “partials”, even possessing a took me far away from clinical psychiatry “physiology of their own” and schizophrenia will and made me wander around the world. deliberately manifest themselves as partial per- On these adventurous journeys, I discove- sonalities (JUNG, 2019e). red so many things that I never dreamed Therefore, there are many contributions from of in Burgholzli; but the rigorous way of Nise da Silveira with her work, which are not lim- observing, which I learned there, accom- ited to a series of paintings saved and expressed panied me everywhere and helped me to by patients but are part of a research of great so- objectively understand the strange psy- phistication, presenting a series of images that che (JUNG, 2019a, p. 171). reveal the archetypical character of the human stories to which they are related. Silveira (1981) also had another interesting In addition, many patients presented im- feature: she used to observe patients, especial- provement in their clinical condition and related ly when they were painting or performing some better with their families, with other interns and activity. According to the author, she liked to with the team. That was when Nise created Casa see the expressions and the force that propelled das Palmeiras, a clinic where the patient made them to the images. This made it different from a transition from the hospital to his family and her looking at the images, as she participated in community life. It was a home for the patient to their creation in a silent but affective way. spend part of the day and still have reference to The observation and research were con- the treatment previously received and to work stant, as well as the studies ranged from Jung with art as an expression of his emotions. In this to Bachelard, Machado de Assis, Freud, among sense, we can say that Silveira was a precursor many other names that she left in her private of the Psychosocial Care Centers (CAPS), as Casa library. This list of readings was left by her to das Palmeiras was a place just for the patient to be discussed in the study groups, fulfilled until spend the day, accompanied by family members today by the BENEDITO project, a group of peo- or alone. Nise was very concerned about the is- ple interested in debating the contents of texts sue of the graduate and wanted to ensure that proposed by Nise.

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In her old age, like Jung, she came closer to and Niseans seeking to expand these ideas by instinctual life and nature, especially the ani- fostering studies and research. mals she loved. She had several cats and wrote Nise da Silveira’s extensive work, still alive about the symbolism of cats. She considered the today and expanded to various groups through- animals as co-therapists because, due to their out Brazil, needs to be constantly revisited and unconditional affection, they were able to bring further deepened. We do not take full advantage the patient from his internal images to a bit of of the immense legacy she left us for research, conscious reality. At the end of her life, she used especially with psychotic and schizophrenic pa- to go to a Buddhist retreat in Santa Tereza. She tients. The legacy that Nise left us didactically died saying she was going to “other galaxies” demonstrates the structure of the psyche pro- and wrote in a poem that the space poet “carries posed by Jung, composed of deeper layers of the neither staff nor bag” because she has freedom collective unconscious that are manifested by ar- (MELLO, 2014). chetypal images. She portrays in her relationship built with the patient and respecting his inner po- 5. Final considerations tential, what Jung understood as a constructive Whenever it is about Nise da Silveira, one has method in the therapeutic relationship. the impression of having forgotten something of In her work, we see the myth alive and under- the countless possibilities and contributions she stand what Campbell said throughout his life, brought to psychology. It always seems little to about the transformative and educational power portray what this great woman and professional of mythical narratives, the sacred origin of these did for mental health and analytical psychology, narratives that portray the human and are pres- especially in Brazil. ent in the most archaic images manifested by Nise da Silveira was the first Brazilian to our psyche, crossing our cultural and personal study at the C. G. Jung Institute in Zurich, to complexes. meet Jung and receive his recognition for her In her book Cartas a Spinoza, we see her look work. If that were not enough, she continued at the transpersonal and we visit the frontiers of her work with schizophrenics and researched constructed rather than fragmented spirituality. the manifestations of archetypal images pres- In her love for Antonin Artaud, we see her empa- ent in the symbolic expression of these pa- thy with his ideas and poetic language. tients, following the same perspective that Nise has an imagery speech present in the Jung created in his method of reading images, narrative of her patient’s clinical cases, where based on amplifications and studies of com- she transforms their biographies into lives full of parative material in mythology and alchemy. symbols and emotion. It gives back to these peo- Currently, we are going through a political ple, who were so mistreated and objectified by moment where we still hear about aggressive traditional psychiatry and society of prejudices, techniques and interventions for healing pa- a symbolic life. By returning this to her patients tients. The discussion of medicalization and or clients, she is able to restructure a certain psy- the possible return of psychiatric hospitals chic and affective balance, making everyone less reminded us of the dark times that Nise went socially invisible. through in her practice as a psychiatrist. As Nise treats symbolic expressions as her sec- professionals who listen to the human soul, we ond language, always dedicating herself to the need to be attentive to the noises announced study of art, music and theater. She had great art- to destroy the freedom gained and the advanc- ist friends and everyone’s support because they es of mental health. We still have a lot to learn understood this second language — the symbol- from Nise and Jung and we have more Jungians ic language. After all, the artists also go through

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many metamorphoses similar to the so-called the importance of dreams with access to the un- “crazy”, but are able to return from the world of conscious and the importance of having a sym- images without being consumed by them. They bolic life that brings meaning to us. have an ego that supports this contact and are So Nise and Jung lived the world of images able to share and transform their emotions into and learned to look beyond verbal expression. art, without being overwhelmed by unconscious Both realized that, in addition to words, there is content. After all, we know that the symbol is an a message expressed in other symbolic forms, energy transformer that can take us from a psy- and that even in words we can see symbols ex- chic level to another. press themselves. In order to translate the sym- Jung also obtained in the image his other lan- bols, Jung reminds us that the intellect alone will guage, expressing himself through images and not take care of it and, therefore, it is necessary giving immense importance to his symbolic life. to resort to other ways of reading the symbolic We see this throughout his life reported in his language and the messages of the soul. Under- memoirs and of which his books are testimonies standing these images was the task of Jung and of his ways of thinking about human being in Nise. Expanding this legacy is the work of all of their psychic dimension. In his last essay, ded- us! ■ icated to the book “The Man and His Symbols”, completed a few days before his death, he leaves Received on: 03/24/2021 Revised on: 06/25/2021 his last message for lay people. He emphasizes

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Resumo Diálogos entre Nise e Jung: a obra expressiva de Nise da Silveira e suas contribuições para a psicologia analítica

Nise da Silveira foi uma referência na psico- pesquisa bibliográfica com alguns estudos de logia analítica por pautar seu trabalho nos refer- Jung, Nise da Silveira e outros autores que se enciais de Jung que a apoiou e a convidou para dedicaram a compreender o tema. Considera-se expor trabalhos realizados na saúde mental no que o trabalho com esquizofrênicos e a leitura Brasil, numa exposição em Zurique. O objetivo de imagens empregadas no Museu de Imagens deste artigo é analisar aspectos do trabalho do Inconsciente permanecem como um legado de Nise da Silveira e suas contribuições para a que ainda está em movimento na psicologia psicologia analítica. A metodologia é o uso de analítica como fonte de pesquisa e estudo. ■

Palavras-chave: psicologia analítica, doença mental, arte, museu de imagens do inconsciente.

Resumen Diálogos entre Nise y Jung: la obra expresiva de Nise da Silveira y sus contribuciones a la psicología analítica

Nise da Silveira fue una referencia en psicología bibliográfica con algunos estudios de Jung, Nise analítica para guiar su trabajo sobre las referencias da Silveira y otros autores que se dedicaron a com- de Jung que la apoyaron en su trabajo y la invitaron prender el tema tratado que sustenta este análisis. a exponer obras realizadas en salud mental en Bra- Se considera que el trabajo con esquizofrénicos y sil, en una exposición en Zúrich. El objetivo de este la lectura de imágenes utilizadas en el Museo de artículo es analizar aspectos del trabajo de Nise da Imágenes del Inconsciente, quedan como un lega- Silveira y sus contribuciones a la psicología analíti- do que todavía está en movimiento en la psicología ca. La metodología es el uso de la investigación analítica como fuente de investigación y estudio. ■

Palabras clave: psicología analítica, enfermedad mental, arte, museo de imágenes del inconsciente.

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References CRUZ JUNIOR, E. G. Do asilo ao museu: ciência e arte ______. Os arquétipos e o inconsciente coletivo. nas coleções da loucura. 2015. 385 fls. Tese (Doutorado em Petrópolis, RJ: Vozes, 2019f. (Obras Completas 9/1) Museologia e Patrimônio) — Centro de Ciências Humanas e Sociais, Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, ______. Psicogênese das doenças mentais. Petrópo- Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 2015. lis, RJ: Vozes, 2019b. (Obras Completas 3)

D’ROCHA, B. A história de Beta. Brasília, DF: Ministério ______. Psicologia do inconsciente. Petrópolis, RJ: de Saúde, 2002. Vozes, 2019d. (Obras Completas 7/1)

GAMBINI, R. A voz e o tempo. São Paulo, SP: Ateliê, 2008. ______Seminários das visões. Trad. Petho Sandor. São Paulo, SP: 1983. HOERNI, U.; FISCHER, T.; KAUFMANN, B. A arte de C. G. Jung. Petrópolis, RJ: Vozes, 2019. MELLO, L. C. Nise da Silveira: caminhos de uma psiqui- atra rebelde. Rio de Janeiro, RJ: Hólus, 2014. JUNG, C. G. A natureza da psique. 1916. Petrópolis, RJ: Vozes, 2019e. (Obras Completas 8/2) RAMOS, D. G. A psique do corpo. São Paulo, SP: Sum- mus, 2006. ______. A vida simbólica. 1935. Petrópolis, RJ: Vozes, 2019c. (Obras Completas 18/1) SILVEIRA, N. Imagens do inconsciente. Brasília, DF: Alhambra, 1981. ______. Cartas de C. G. Jung: volume II 1946-1955. Petrópolis, RJ: Vozes, 2019a. ______. O mundo das imagens. São Paulo, SP: Ática, 1992. ______. Memórias, sonhos e reflexões. São Paulo, SP: Circulo do Livro, 1990. VON FRANZ, M. L. Psicoterapia. São Paulo, SP: Paulus,1999.

______. O livro vermelho. Petrópolis, RJ: Vozes, 2010.

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