DAVID
FEINGOLD
IMAGES
ART
STIGMA Through the Eyes of a Bipolar Artist
Bipolar Disorder Reflected
In My Art.
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"My Loyal Vanguard"
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When our self becomes impaired by stigma.​
My Loyal Vanguard was an image I created when I coined the term, the “Bipolar Impaired Self” in my Doctoral dissertation on Bipolar Disorder in my Disability Studies program.
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I was creating an image that reflected the feelings of an Impaired Self: beaten up, tattered, torn with a sense of defeat The strong-looking figure is in stark contrast to his appearance as worn out, injured and sorrowful.
This Art Piece Represents Depression
This Art Piece Represents Alientation
"You see me as an alien"
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When our self becomes impaired by stigma.​
I have bipolar disorder. I am callously feared, avoided, judged, and marginalized even by family and friends who find it hard to engage with me because of my spoiled, bipolar reputation.
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My artwork reflects my feelings of helplessness, despair, and anger, stemming from both fearing and being feared by others.
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This Art Piece Represents Mania
"Mardi Gras"
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Our positive emotions in overdrive.
As if painted up for a grand celebratory day of fun and frolic, a bipolar mask adorns your personality. A once dark, brooding and foreboding becomes an outgoing, lavish, extremely colorful, and joyous optimism when mania comes to town. But unlike Mardi Gras, it comes more than once a year—without warning. And then returns to the bottomless pit as suddenly from whence it came. The marked difference in the bright color treatment of this piece is representative of the vastly different emotional states between mania and depression. Not only do my art pieces have a color palette, so too, do our emotions.
"A Hopeful Future"
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Bipolar Disorder Has a Silver Lining.
t's quite possible to have bipolar disorder and still see the positive in life and dreams in your future. It takes dedication to achieve and maintain good mental and physical health, flexibility to roll with the punches and determination to do it all over again...and again..and again... and again.
This Art Piece Represents Hope
This Art Piece Represents Renewal
"A New Morning"
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Periods of Calm.
There are extended periods of time, when with proper medication and healthy self-care, we no longer feel or behave as if we have a diagnosis of bipolar disorder.
During those times, I take a break from communicating about bipolar stigma and the challenges we face.
You can almost feel the deep cleansing breath being taken while executing this art image.