Madness in its place:a visual representation of insanity

Official URL: https://risc01.sabanciuniv.edu/record=b1421137_(Table of contents)

The history of madness is the dark passenger of humanity. It is the uncharted world of our times which remained in ambiguity and ravaged by endless arguments and discussions. On the other hand the madness is a concept with many identities which reflected generally the will of rational mind and with the birth of asylum in classical period, these identifications caused its confinement and alienation from society. Through a research on the subject, this thesis tries to discover the transformation of insanity and its boundaries. Therefore, this thesis' primary aim is to connect the madness to the three notions which are closely related with the subject. These are nature, confinement and the artistic creativity. For each part, first a background information is given, then the relation with madness will be covered, elaborating the arguments further with different comparisons between reason and insanity. The study through references to the works, explains madness by focusing on these interconnections; and tries to construct an emotional bridge between a rational society and the alienated mad. Chaotic, bewildering, passive or aggressive, violent or subjugated, insanity may not be a heavenly gift with its painful and destructive consequences, but within its undeniable existence, lies a domain to be explored without limitations. Lastly, the thesis will be concluded within the framework of "x1", the heroine of the depicted journey into the insanity, and the main figure of the exhibition.