Generally, the mentally-ill are considered good for nothing and are treated as such. But at Saint Camille they are not only treated but art is a major form of therapy for them as they also eke a leaving out of it.
“I start with yellow. It gives me the courage to continue and finish a piece of art.” Alexandre Amouzou, 29, has over the past eight months come to find his comfort in visual arts, in the colour yellow, he narrates to Daily Trust.
“The sun is very often represented in yellow. This means life, vivacity, force and most of all heat and passion which are two elements I particularly need in my healing.”
The eye-opening sights upon entering St. Camille Centre at Calavi are the sculptural silhouettes lined on the veranda adjacent to the gate as the lights draw attention to the various multicoloured art canvasses in various dimensions giving an interesting balance to the silhouettes and the fast setting night fall.
All eyes on me. The interaction between the guest and the works is immediate as each one ensures that you get more than a glimpse on your first glance – before starting an independent conversation with each piece.
The name St. Camille is synonymous with Grégoire Ahongbonon caring for the mentally-ill. Beyond its walls, very little or nothing at all, is known about the visual arts haven the Centre is breeding.
Patients like other staff, are busy putting their work materials together either as part of preparations for the day’s therapy or for business or for both purposes.
The works – mostly untitled – are generally brightly coloured and in abstract forms. They reflect the innermost thoughts, desires and aspirations of the patients who have used various mediums including textile, sculpture and painting, among others, to express themselves.
Among the materials used are wires from old burnt out tires and polythene bags which are recycled to sculpt various animal and human forms.
According to Sylvain Bridet-Lamoureux – who was once mentally-ill having suffered depression before becoming a specialist in art therapy for the mentally-ill – the therapy process starts with the choice of using recycled materials.
“Society discards the mentally-ill as these items are discarded. No one bothers to find out where they end up. But St. Camille bothers. ‘Cleans’ them up and brings out their beauty, which their families later admire and want to associate with.
“It is the same process these recycled items go through and when we are done with the art, people now want to adorn their homes and environments with them. The whole process gives the patients self-worth and motivates them to bring out their best,” he said.
As part of the healing process of patients, their creativity is explored from as early as their first days at the Centre with some deciding to go on with it all the way.
According to Ahongbonon, ‘a man who does not work, even if he were healthy, he is not different from one who is sick. The dignity of a man is in his work. Work is the first medicine for his healing.’ And if the work these patients find to engage in is art, they have full support like any other.
Why art? “Sylvain does art for therapy. He approached me when he heard about what I was doing with the patients and he informed me that he did art for therapy for patients like mine. I was overjoyed to have his help and welcomed him wholeheartedly.”
For the past eight months, he has trained no less than 50 patients in various forms of art including sculpture, painting, installation and mixed media. For him it is about engaging the minds and creativity of the patients in a way that gets them to think constructively and also see the physical results of their handwork.
Getting the students interested in art isn’t so easy a task at first. But afterwards, they get into it and some don’t want to stop, Bridet-Lamoureux informed.
“I can’t work on my own yet because I am still in formation. But my contribution in any group work I do is visible. You can tell it’s me,” says an excited Gloria Ahomlanto, 24, as she showed off the sleek platform shoe she incorporated into the group painting.
“Art helps me to focus better. I never liked visual art but I love performing especially comedy.” Although she doesn’t think she will go on with her paintings after her treatment is over, Ahomlanto is very sure about her comedy, for life.
Patients like Mathieu Bonou, 20, never dreamt that they would be producing art works. His relationship with art was from a distance. At the time his most interesting type of art was paintings. Now he creates sculptures from recycled materials.
On what inspires him, he said: “When I see these condemned tyres that can no longer fulfil their original purposes or these polythene bags which the wind blows all over the place to unknown destinations, I remember what my life was like before I found new purpose at St. Camille through my treatments and rehabilitation.
“Each work I create helps me increase the value I place on myself and motivates me to do even more. The most pleasing for me is when people show an interest in my work,” he said, with a sparkle in his eyes.
Visibly overcome by emotions, Ahongbonon showed our reporter a photograph of one of the patients and the state he was in when he first arrived at the facility.
Seeing all these excite him beyond words. “I’m happy. They were once considered lost but today they are men of themselves. I take all of them as precious jewels. Each one for me… it’s difficult to express my feelings. What these people have become and what they are making of their lives is more than any price they are valued for.
Looking back at the time when the world had given up on them and now when they are making sense of their lives what are their feelings, the artists say visual arts is the most interesting part of their therapy and the one which is void of all forms of inhibitions to them.
