PSYCHOTIC (IN)SIGHT

This exhibition, titled Psychotic (In)Sight, which constitutes the culmination of a five-year PhD journey, aims to foster a deeper understanding of first-person experiences of psychosis. The exhibition primarily highlights Manuela Holzer’s experiential knowledge of psychosis, in which she has found greater clarity and meaning through artmaking and storytelling. The objective of the exhibition is to translate the ineffable and highly stigmatised experience of psychosis into a visceral and emotive experience for the audience, thereby making the experience of psychosis more accessible to others. The exhibition consists of three artistic components: the Shadow Series, the Immaterial Realms Series, and a short film titled Psychotic (In)Sight. Each of these artistic expressions visually reflects Manuela’s evolving personal journey with psychosis from 2017 until 2024.

The exhibition’s title is a direct rebellious comment on the clinical understanding of psychosis as a ‘lack of insight’. The title Psychotic (In)Sight asserts that first-person accounts may provide valuable insights into the experience of psychosis that have the potential to challenge stereotypes and stigma. At the same time, without the (In), the title would read as Psychotic Sight, which encourages viewers to rethink the concept of ‘hallucinations’ in order to reframe the experiences as ‘visions’ or, more broadly, proposes that psychosis is not necessarily purely a ‘disability’ but also has the potential to be a challenging yet meaningful gift that may lead to personal growth.

Photographs taken by Dino Codevilla.