Eleventh International Conference on The Inclusive Museum

Abstract

The paper addresses the sistematic implementation of arts as a way to make sense of the traumatic memory, as effective mode of work with people suffering posttraumatic stress. In trauma treatment it is not the verbal account of the event that is important, but the nonverbal memory of the fragmented sensory and emotional elements of the traumatic experience (van der Kolk, 2003). Art therapy has long been recognized as a method that constitutes a primary process (Kramer, 1958; Levick, 1975; Naumburg, 1966; Rubin, 1984; Ulman and Dachinger, 1975) that taps into the non-verbal realm of imagery (Cohen & Riley, 2000). Successful art therapy can serve to integrate right and left brain functions that, in turn, help integrate experiences (McNamee, 2003, 2004, 2005), especially on a non-verbal level.The artistic process provides a means by which the traumatized person can express experiences, memories, and emotions that he or she may not be able to put into words, thereby providing a common language by which the client and therapist can communicate. Within this realm, Museums -full of human experiencies through pictures and sculptures- can provide a set of images that can help traumatized persons: a) to legitimate themselves in pain in front of society, b) finding a “safe” image where they can feel protection. c) to project their traumatic memories into a shared heritage. c) to narrate their feeling inside a recognized place of Culture.