In Luce (On Light)

The project foresees the realization of an artistic workshop for young adolescents affected by eating disorders (ED) in the care of the Regina Margherita Children’s Neuropsychiatric Hospital in Turin.

A characteristic of ED is an inability to accept error, so activities focus on developing their abilities in a continuum that also involves error and the possibility to rectify it. Expressive work that gives attention to the body and its expressive capacities is extremely useful because it meets the patients on the same, symbolic plane – that of the body.

Art integrating words with the motor/sensory dimension enables the participants to overcome the mind-body dichotomy and, at the same time, plays a role in social therapy, enabling them to rediscover their own creative potential in their lived experience free from judgment.

Cognitive autonomy that encompasses the capacity to resolve problems and make decisions is a particularly complex area for adolescents with ED. Although persons suffering from anorexia test high in communications skills and levels of responsibility, they lack the skills for self care and social contact. The comprehension and sharing of their emotions is promoted through art and the creation of a common language.

The artistic workshop is made up of 104 hours (80 hours of direct activity and 24 hours of team work, organized meetings and family occasions) during which art helps and supports the discovery of creative solutions, strengthening the capacity for choice and the rediscovery of the strengths of the young participants. Through doing and sharing a common project, the artistic workshop fosters an occasion where each participant can experiment with a positive group dimension, contributing to it in order to realize a collective product