1. Ian Pritchard Proximal Abandonment (investigating imagery within this psychosocial phenomena) BTEC Level 3 Foundation Diploma Art & Design - Fine Art Pathway
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5. The Science bit! Pioneering child psychologist D.W Winnicott said that fundamentally two things can go wrong in early child development; a) when things happen that should not happen. b) when things that should happen do not. The first category is the traumatic abusive and abandonment experience suffered for example, by children of addicts. The second category is the lack of presence of the emotionally available parent or primary carer – just not being available due to societies stresses, short term priorities, and so on affecting the parenting environment. Psychologist Allan N Schore called this “Proximal Abandonment” - when the parent is physically present but emotionally absent. I have entitled the first of the three of my chosen final artworks based on Winnicott's second fundamental principle.
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11. My development piece is called; “It takes one politician and a truckload of shite to begin a generation of misery” and was transferred using translucent sealant onto green masonry sack.
Scientific research shows that emotional unavailability toward ones children or closest dependents equates to proximal abandonment. There is physical presence but there is no emotional interaction. I would like to equate this phenomenon and apply this notion with substituting “parents/care givers” with our politicians or those in a position of power or trust and “young children” as “us”, i.e. members of the community dependent on these leaders as my subject matter. I have been involved in community campaigns to attempt to prevent the UK's largest ever waste incinerator being built in my community which, as recent official figures show, has one of the worst records in the UK for ill health, unemployment and economic deprivation. The initial approval for this horrendous incinerator scheme has been shown to be one of short term political ambition and corporate get-rich-quick schemes and does not have the best interests of the communities, bio-diversity and local environment affected at its heart. To me this equates to the “Proximal Abandonment” phenomenon.
Further reading: “Psychiatric Tales” a graphic artist's battle against depression/anxiety and his work in mental health care. BBC R4 interview – All In The Mind, 25 th May 2011. Excellent interview.