Florida Psychoanalytic Center

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Risk Factors in Suicide: Mark Rothko and His Art
Speaker: John Hartman, Ph.D.

September 21, 2019 at 8:30 am - 12:00 pm

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to describe risk factors in the assessment of lethal suicidal intent by means of an examination of the artist Mark Rothko’s life history, his art, and his completed suicide. While Rothko’s suicidal crisis seems to have been touched off by a medical diagnosis, other risk factors be seen to have been operating since his early childhood. This paper examines both the psychiatric risk factors like early object loss, recurrent depressions, substance abuse, and relationship disruption as well as more intrapsychic risk factors like affect flooding, self and object splitting, narcissistic vulnerability, and unconscious fantasies of surviving the suicidal assault. The paper also includes a speculative account of elements of Rothko’s art, his extensive use of color/shading, transparency, and translucency that resemble responses on the Rorschach Test that have been shown to predict suicidal lethal intent.

Learning Objectives

  1. Learning the psychiatric risk factors for lethal suicide intent.
  2. Learning the intrapsychic risk factors for lethal suicide intent.
  3. Learning the application of these risk factors to the case of the artist Mark Rothko.

Biography

Dr. John Hartman received his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology for the University of Michigan and his psychoanalytic training in Michigan Psychoanalytic Institute. His is Training and Supervising analyst at the Florida Psychoanalytic Center. His Affiliate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry, University of South Florida. he has taught at UCLA and for 32 years at the University of Michigan where he was associated with the Departments of Psychiatry and Psychology as well as the Center for Russian and Eastern European Studies.

His scholarly work has included a psychoanalytic approach to small and large groups. He is co-author of the books Analysis of Groups and ‘I Remember Every Day’: The Fate of the Jew of Przemysl During World War II. His latest publication is “Anna Freud and the Holocaust: Mourning and Survivor of Guilt” published in The International Journal of Psychoanalysis.


Registration Type




* Special rate for Psychiatry Residents and Psychology Doctoral Students, Interns, and Postdocs. Proof of student status may be requested.

About Scientific Meetings

Program Committee Chair: Eugenio Duarte, Ph.D.

Scientific Meetings are large public events where renowned analysts from around the country are invited to present papers and clinical material. In addition to the formal presentation, attendees have an opportunity to engage in questions, comments, and discussion with the speaker.

Scientific meetings are held three to five times per year on Saturdays from 9.00am to 12.00pm. Meetings will be held in person with light breakfast served, as well as streamed over Zoom.

Scientific Meetings are open to anyone who has an interest in psychoanalysis. CME’s and CEUs are offered.

Event Details

Date:
September 21, 2019
Time:
8:30 am - 12:00 pm
Event Category:

Venue

Hyatt Regency Coral Gables
50 Alhambra Plaza
Coral Gables, 33134
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Phone:
(305) 441-1234