Selections from the 2012 Art and Psyche in the City Conference

Ami Ronnberg, Co-chair of ARAS Connections and member of the Art and Psyche Group

It is a great pleasure to introduce the following articles by Diane Fremont and Aurélie Athan.  They are part of our series of presentations from the Art and Psyche in the City conference, which was held at New York University and co-sponsored by ARAS in 2012.  A common theme runs through both presentations – of finding spirit in matter.  Diane Fremont reflects on the way spirit and body converge in the work of the New York artist Kiki Smith.  Through the metaphor of the body as “clothing, vessel, and ground” Diane explores how the artist evokes the indwelling spirit, intimately and tenderly through her choice of materials and feminine forms.  Aurélie Athan invites us to follow her on her walks through the city streets each week for a year from ARAS to her supervision with a Jungian analyst.  She is delighted and surprised by the many fountains she finds on her way in the asphalt jungle of the city, offering joy and renewal through their flowing, cascading and life-giving waters.