Artistic expression takes on so many different forms: playing an instrument, singing, performing onstage, writing, photography, knitting, sculpting, and the one that likely first comes to mind: painting/drawing. I usually focus on music in this blog, but we can mix it up a little! Therefore, in this post, I would like to share with y’all an artist who was impacted by Alzheimer’s disease: William Utermohlen. Throughout his art career, Utermohlen’s paintings can be categorized into cycles: "Mythological" paintings of 1962-63, the "Cantos" of 1965-1966 (inspired by Dante's Inferno), the "Mummers" cycle of 1969-1970 (which includes characters inspired by the South Philadelphia's New Year’s Day parade), the "War" series of 1972 (referencing the Vietnam war), the "Nudes" of 1973-74, and the "Conversation Pieces" of 1989-1991. Some believed that early signs of Alzheimer’s disease are evident in the “Conversation Pieces,” like shifting spatial perspectives and the focus on an intimate environment. This is evident in Snow, depicted below. As he aged and after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 1995, Utermohlen continued to paint and draw. In particular, Utermohlen focused on creating self-portraits in order to document and express his inner self as Alzheimer’s disease took over his brain. The portraits show grief, pain, resignation, confusion -- it’s heartbreaking to see, but also so valuable in order to get some kind of a sense of the trauma and anguish the person being afflicted is experiencing. Utermohlen’s portraits also show evidence of deteriorating motor functions and spatial awareness, as the lines and facial proportions progressively become less defined. Nevertheless, the portraits help to preserve Utermohlen’s identity, which transcends beyond the physicality of the canvas. This post is only a brief introduction to Utermohlen, and I’d definitely like to share more about him in the future because I find his story and art so inspiring. Next, perhaps I’ll dive deeper into the “Conversation Pieces,” particularly their potential connection to signs of Alzheimer’s disease.
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