The British Journal of Psychiatry (2002) 181: 0
© 2002 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
Psychiatry in pictures
ROBERT HOWARD
Trained at art schools in Brighton, Glasgow and Munich, Olivia Gillow is a
professional artist whose current work focuses on paintings of landscapes and
the experience of mental illness. Over the past 10 years, despite initial
compliance with mood-stabilising drugs, she has had five in-patient admissions
for bipolar disorder and, at the time of writing, has chosen to maintain
herself with fish oil, homoeopathic medication and regular contact with the
Manic Depression Fellowship. During one of her admissions she shared a room
with a woman with obsessive—compulsive disorder and Insistent
Rub is based upon the distressing hand-washing rituals of her fellow
patient. The image of the hands and stream of water were carved in low relief
and then painted in to give the picture a striking and distinctive visual
impact. Obsessive—compulsive disorder has been the theme of other works
by Gillow, in particular an installation involving a door. When turned, the
door handle just goes round and round without any action. Carved around the
doorframe are the words: ‘If you were suffering from obsessive
compulsive disorder you would have to turn the door handle again... and
again... and again... and again before you could enter the room’. The
picture is in the collection of the Bethlem Royal Hospital Archives and Museum
(telephone 020 8776 4307). With thanks to Patricia Allderidge, archivist and
curator, and to Olivia Gillow for giving permission to reproduce her
picture.
