Anna Odell explores ethical boundaries
Anna Odell’s latest work Rekonstruktion – Psyket (Reconstruction – The Psyche) is now on display at Uppsala Art Museum. Photo: Daniel Olsson
What happens in inpatient psychiatry when a carer enters a relationship with a patient, also resulting in a pregnancy? This ethical dilemma is explored in Anna Odell’s latest work Rekonstruktion – Psyket (Reconstruction – The Psyche), now on display at Uppsala Art Museum.
Odell worked on the exhibition during the autumn when she was employed as Artist in Residence at the Centre for Medical Humanities at Uppsala University. She came to the University with a project idea and the result, a video installation lasting over an hour and some photographic artworks, is now on display at Uppsala Art Museum.
Did it feel different creating art at Uppsala University?
“Not so different, but it’s been good to have a context. It gave me easier access to people working at the University and everything was served on a silver platter,” says Odell.
Started relationship
The video artwork is about Odell's own time in a mental health hospital, where she started a relationship with a male carer and became pregnant. This was a clear violation of the rules, but at the same time the pregnancy led to Anna being helped to leave inpatient care.
An important part of the artwork is a filmed conversation between different people working in psychiatry. They form a fictional working group and discuss how that situation should be handled.
“They knew it was a real case and had to act according to the role they were assigned in the group. Before it started, they had been given access to quite a few medical records, but they did not know about the relationship between the patient and the carer. Gradually, they were given more and more information to consider,” explains Odell.
Three-hour filming
The filming took place over three hours in the beautiful old premises of the former Ulleråker mental health hospital in Uppsala. Erika Sigvardsdotter, Coordinator of the Centre for Medical Humanities, took an interest in the work. In science, the scope for dialogue is much narrower, she notes.
“We talked a lot about it. In many ways, this was similar to a focus group or interviews, but in research you often have a specific goal. This one was much more open and it was incredibly exciting to follow.”
Odell was employed as Artist in Residence at Uppsala University during the autumn. To the left: Erika Sigvardsdotter, coordinator at the Centre for Medical Humanities. Photo: Daniel Olsson
The film then continues with Odell calling her old carers, doctors and even her former partner. She asks them what really happened 27 years ago.
What has been most difficult?
“I had very little time to manage such extensive material. It has taken many, many hours to cut it down. But the hardest thing was to start reading the medical records – that was really hard.”
Satisfied with recruitment
Sigvardsdotter is pleased about the recruitment of Odell as Artist in Residence.
“The things she described in her application are important issues that we want to raise. Psychiatry is a very interesting area for us and thematically we have a focus there,” she explains.
Although Odell is no longer employed at Uppsala University, the collaboration will continue, and perhaps more artists will be employed at the Centre for Medical Humanities in the future.
“The ambition is to continue with this,” notes Sigvardsdotter.
Annica Hulth
Artist in residence
- The Centre for Medical Humanities is a collaboration between the Faculty of Arts, the Disciplinary Domain of Medicine and Pharmacy, and the Department of History of Science and Ideas.
- The Artist in Residence initiative is intended to promote artistic perspectives on medicine, pharmacy and healthcare, and related social and cultural issues. The aim of the project is to investigate and develop new modes of experience and knowledge exchange between artists, researchers and students.