The Kaleidoscope Cats of Louis Wain
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- Опубликовано: 28 авг 2021
- Louis William Wain was an artist who had earned admiration and national fame for creating anthropomorphic domestic cats, often portrayed in a very playful cartoon style. However, if you were ever to look into Wain's work on most places online, the first results would not be a scene of friendly looking animals having a tea party or picnic, but instead you find yourself in a picture book straight out of Alice in Wonderland. A psychedelic scene of feline faces warping in geometric patterns and tendrils of bright colours. The more you seek an explanation to these weird and wonderful works of art, the more a tragic tale unravels, exposing a gentle soul with a fractured mind, brought on by mental illness and losing those closest to him. This is also a very slight debunking video on the topic surrounding schizophrenia being an attribute to his work. It still remains clouded in mystery as to what exact mental condition Louis Wain burdened, but it's still undoubtedly clear that his work would continue to fascinate observers for many years. His art has featured for case studies and textbooks in Psychology, and even the famous writer H G Wells would look back on his work saying "He invented a cat style, a cat society, a whole cat world. English cats that do not look and live like Louis Wain cats are ashamed of themselves." As an art fan who particularly favours outsider art that beautifully displays the complexity of the human mind, I became instantly fascinated in Louis Wain's work. And today, I am very excited to share his story to you, that reveals the fragile mind of a creative genius, that was so very often misunderstood. And whom, whether intentionally or not, defined a completely unique style in anthropomorphic animal art. This is the story and artwork of Louis Wain.
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Sources:
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"I am happy because everyone loves me." made me tear up. I like the idea that this was him expressing gratitude. I'd love to think that despite his suffering, Wain died feeling appreciated and loved for the joy he brought people through his art.
I wept also. That’s what it takes to make a person happy and so many good people don’t get to feel that
Same. Teared up. Something so bitterly painful and yet in a sense happy about the picture.
Thats a powerful image to be sure.
That simple illustration reminiscent of his old style when he was healthier made me misty-eyes as well. If there is Heaven, I hope he is happily spending his days with all his feline friends.
Totally broke me. I'll be tearing up randomly all week now, lol.
me going into this: neat, psychedelic cat artist
me at the end: [sobbing and holding my cat]
I don’t regret getting toxoplasmosis even for a second. Best parasite ever.
Same.
Not only did he capture our hearts, he let out his soul into his art.
All of his little kat souls 😉
i can only guess that the image of the cat smiling with the text 'i am happy because everyone loves me' is either simply a cat expressing joy at humans loving it or, as you said, louis wain expressing his thanks and gratitude to his followers for trying to help him
That's certainly my take on it, for whatever reason I always feel so bitter-sweet when looking at the "Everyone Loves Me" cat. Considering what his life was like, it resonates so many hard-hitting meanings.
@@BlindDweller it's actually a relief that all those psychedelic cat images were just him experimenting with his style and not symptoms of his mind deteriorating like with brian charnley. schizophrenia is fucking *scary*
@@Casandraelf Could his brain have been sensitive enough to some things in common food or drink use at that time, that he got psychedelic experiences due to that, rather than due to a permanent delusional disorder? Or could he have seen psychedelic images drawn by others at the pauper asylum?
@@SeekingTheLoveThatGodMeans7648 could be, but i like the other possible alternative, which is much simpler: dude was bored af in the asylum and started screwing around with his style to entertain himself
The guy for what I can gather was a sweetheart that probably would have had a better life today with the advancements in mental health and medicine.
It is my belief that he was most likely a high functioning Aspie who has been spuriously misdiagnosed with schizophrenia and was, during life, burdened with the struggle of having to support six very dysfunctional, overbearing and codependent women when his father died. Women who refused to encourage his artistic passion or his relationship with the one woman who both understood and encouraged him while loving him unconditionally. When he lost his wife he lost his way and his family beat him down emotionally then had him put away. His first experiences with exploitation took place within the walls of his own family home. Many of his illustrative works did not have dates on them so it is simply presumption when people say that they were the result of a broken mind. There is actual evidence that he was still producing works of art in his latter years that were not of the psychedelic sort but were very normal and very creative. This is all speculative and I am not buying it. We artists are often misunderstood and very often we are aspergian.
@@clairebeane3455 His wife was something else by the sounds of things. He deserved better in life. Thank you for that brief biography, gave me more understanding.
In addition, if Louis Wain lived today, he would see a very different attitude about having pets than during his lifetime.
@@dreagin4821 of course and about everything else including better treatment in asylums.
@@clairebeane3455 I agree whole-heartedly!
The last one with the happy message got me a little misty-eyed. I'm sure there were times in the asylum (or even before) where he felt lonely and forgotten, only for his fans to come out in support of him. I'm sure that really reminded him that people admired his work and gave him some fulfilment that had been missing for a long time. It reminds me of a time where after 28 years of depression, I finally really felt the love of my family, where the depression had previously hidden it from me, in a manner of speaking. It is a warm and rejoicing feeling. Very beautiful.
I’m not crying! You’re crying.
@@43MinutesWithJamieRose no i'm not, i just caught something in my eye
I'm so happy, I have suffered from depression, most likely from a very difficult childhood. Truly wonderful therapists and medications have allowed me to have a family of my own, where my goal was "To do things differently." Art and creativity I find helps me even now, and also so many others that have anxiety and depression. I'm so glad he had access to materials (of any sort) during even the worst time. I had always imagined those exotic cat drawings to be painted, that he obtained the results he did with chalk and colored pencils! WOW!
This man invented the Mandelbrot fractal before Mandelbrot had graduated from HS. And he did it FREEHAND. Unbelievable psychedelic cats!!
You're right!
Freehand
what a magnificent place to be
producing such beautiful timeless pictures
the movement of life-force.
@@WobblesandBean Sadly, I don't get colorful patterns when I rub my eyes, just white spots. There's some thought that Van Gogh's Starry Night was actually a close representation of his perceptions at the time. What do you think? I'd love to discuss it with you, perhaps after dropping acid, or any psychedelic you favor. ;)
It also looked like he was designing paisleys which have a bit of Mandelbrot in them anyway.
@@squirlmy As a former art teacher, and someone that has suffered from depression, it was very important to me to show people that Van Gogh did not make his greatest creations when he was deeply into his mental illness. While many were painted while staying in the hospital, he often was put in the hospital for eating his paints (very toxic), and behavior that made him unable to work at all. The hospitals were good for him, no worry about eating and where to sleep and money, and he would begin to work again. Though his physicians were often shocked by his work, they would also be shocked by other modern works of art at the time. The myth that mental illness makes one more creative, needs to be broken. often fragile people are great artists, but only by controlling and helping that can they be creative in a good way!
Thank you for making this video.
For the longest time, I've only seen Louis Wain as "that schizo cat drawing guy" and I'm genuinely glad you've humanized him in a way I've never seen him as before.
His final cat drawing made me smile while making my eyes water at the same time.
Incredible work, my man.
Louis Wain probably wouldnt cry at that statement, instead laugh and be happy that others enjoy his life. What a man.
As a schizophrenic, I love whenever we are portrayed as actual humans. Far too often we are reduced to monsters for cheap clicks.
@@informitas0117 dude how did you type that out? Shouldn’t you be tripping the fuck out or something?
The duration that the “I am happy cat” was on the screen starting at 14:47 I was open mouth crying. I am autistic and often struggle with my mental health and feel some sort of connection with Wain and often use cats to calm down when I am overwhelmed. I’d heard about Wain before but I’ve never seen this specific work nor had I heard context like this. I’ve never felt the desire to get a tattoo but this drawing moved me so much I just might get one. Thank you so much for this video.
This man really just said "I love cats a lot and I want you all to join me in that love" and then society told him he was wrong and bad. This man really made the UK enjoy and love cats only to be outcast. This is a great video man
I don’t really cry at art but the cat smiling really brought a tear to my eye. Because we see the love he truly had.
As an artist who has spent time in a mental hospital, I can say that your theory about him simply pushing his limits as an artist sounds pretty reasonable. When it feels like you are being imprisoned, and all you have are art supplies and your imagination, you can spend days working on something intricate like this. I loved drawing huge, extremely detailed pages of fractals and patterns to pass the time.
God I thought one of those kaleidoscope cats were the last but no, just a simple smiling cat giving thanks for everyone supporting him. That one honestly made me tear up.
I wasn't expecting to want to cry after watching this. You've done a beautiful job humanizing an artist I've literally only ever seen referred to as "a schizophrenic artist who did weird cats." I've never even gotten to see this much of his paintings from before that period, and I have NEVER seen the final picture before. My heart aches for him. As someone who loves cats myself, I can definitely see the affection he poured into his paintings-- he captured their expressions and goofy charm perfectly.
Thank you for this video. I'm so glad I finally got to know him and his work better.
"I am happy because everyone loves me" was a wonderful, emotional, yet sad painting that hit me quite hard. I personally believe it was him expressing his gratitude regarding the situation of money being raised for him, however I feel any of the other interpretations is equally valid. Thank you very much for sharing this artist with me.
Damn, what a lad. People like these give me hope for the well-being and love of animals. I alwaya loved cats, nearly like an obssesion. But it’s nice to see that i am not the only one to cherish and adore them so much.
"I am happy because everybody loves me" the tears...
Very glad to see him depicted as more than just "oooooh schizophrenia scary mentally ill person" like his condition was some sort of spectacle, his experience did definitely impact his work but every artist's experience does. I find it very interesting that even in the institution he still turned to drawing cats specifically, he literally just thought in cats. It reminds me of the comfort I find in drawing animals myself, how as a kid I would always fixate on stories about animals; the only way I was able to read stories about people as a kid was by imagining them as animals. This was very much a symptom of my autism, I can't say that Wain was autistic himself but seeing a similar experience makes me really relate to him.
This dude could see into the motherfuckin cat matrix and painted it. A true legend
he took shrooms with the cats .
@@jonathanlove7078this is what i thought but how did he get the shrooms?
@@chokeeartist cat poop
His mosaic cats would be very hard to produce if it were some severe schizophrenia. Too much effort. Too much thought. Too much consistency.
They may have been provoked a schisophrenic episode caused by stress. Sometimes things like that happen and pass. However, it's a pure speculation and I would support the theory that this was just his art finding another way to speak to a viewer.
I agree. I think that most artists grow, change and push the limits of their talents. Particularly if they are stuck in an asylum. What other outlet of expression would he have?
I'm schizophrenic and I don't think you know what you're talking about. "Too much thought", what does that mean? "Too much effort"? If I get some random delusion I will work on that idea for days without sleep. I know other schizophrenics that make art just like this artist, and while I'm too bad of an artist to copy them, i see the symmetry in walls and ceilings mist days.
@@informitas0117 I said "severe" schizophrenia because that's what is usually speculated he had. I did not mean to say that people with schizophrenia can't be artists. But what I wanted to say - it doesn't matter if he even had one. Schizophrenia doesn't make you into an artist. You make you into an artist.
@@informitas0117 just to emphasize - I meant debilitating stage. It usually has a lot of symptoms that are like depression - they are also called "negative symptoms". This is why I said "too much thought, too much consistency". It's just would be very hard like for a depressed person it would be very hard. I do apologize if you felt uncomfortable or offended. I know people with schizophrenia and was also diagnosed with it myself. I didn't use the exact wording I meant to.
I myself am autistic, in addition to having ADHD and an anxiety disorder, so while I'm only one person, and not a psychologist by any means, I personally see many autistic traits in Wain.
Take, for example, his lack of business and social awareness- something I personally relate to. His intense love for cats may very well be a manifestation of a special interest; a passionate interest, sometimes obsessive, for a subject.
I've also experienced psychosis before, and I don't believe he showed any signs thereof. It seems to me like his later art simply leaned towards experimentalism, rather than a deteriorating mental state, something which is seemingly proven by his very last piece, which in all honesty made me cry. A lot.
As I often feel guilty for being so intense about my own special interests and hyperfixations and being "too much", it's genuinely so very touching to see someone loved and praised for their passion and eccentricities.
As someone who’s autistic myself, I truly believe that Wain probably had it in some form. Between his focus on one specific subject matter, inability to adjust to work outside of this interest, and the comorbidity of anxiety and depression, it seems very likely.
As for the kaleidoscopic cats, they don’t seem like the byproduct of hallucinations to me. They’re very precise with repetition in patterns, which is something I will sometimes do in my art whenever I feel overwhelmed. With the presence of zentangle and mandala art being upheld as methods of stress relief in modern day, I think this method of doing art is a lot more visible and accepted.
The man had talent, for instance, the "Kitty Discipline" picture at 8:10 to 8:38 is hilarious!
IMHO, his artwork shows that he was a capable draftsman, meaning that his attention
to detail and the fine aspects of his art displays an organized, structured personality
type. I'm not an MD, and whatever condition he might have had is a mystery...,
haha, I love that one too
it's very cute and funny :)
Thanks for this take on Louis Wain’s mental health. He did suffer from depression & anxiety throughout his life. These are mental illnesses in their own right & are not a precursor to schizophrenia. He wasn’t institutionalized until around the age of 60 & it is incredibly rare to develop schizo. that late in life with or without the presence of toxoplasmosis. It’s more likely that he had undiagnosed bipolar disorder or that the horror of being institutionalized is what facilitated the chaotic, psychedelic cat drawings.
It may or not been schizophrenia, anxiety and depression can be just as debilitating and as a man he had a lot of responsibilities, and were supposed to be strong, never cry or show weakness. I wonder if life just knocked him over and over.
"I am happy because everyone loves me."
That genuinely hurt...
I haven't cried that much since I was a kid. I had quite a bit of cats growing up and unfortunately most of them had either died naturally or due to a freak accident that was outside of my control and I didn't have any time to process so I would just have to forget about them and move on with my life which was never easy to do.. so the last painting of the cat smiling with the quote "I am happy because everyone loves me" was really cathartic for me. So all I have to say is thank you for introducing to such a wonderful person and an amazing artist (and as I've been lately getting into studying art I aspire to be like him one day). Keep up the amazing content
Beautiful video, I ended up chasing my cat for a huge cuddle & some tears. As an artist who struggles with many similar aspects of mental health I've always loved Louis. I'm so happy to find something humanizing him & discussing his work with such care. I wish he could see how loved he is now 😭❤️
I don't know how I stumbled onto your channel just a couple days ago, but I'm very glad I did (I'm guessing I watched that Francis Bacon documentary and the algorithm did the right thing for once). The artists you're covering are exactly the ones I need to know about; I've loved all of them so far. I'll be looking forward to more!
So glad my channel was a pleasant surprise for you! Definitely expect a video or two covering Francis Bacon in the future, I am a humungous fan of his :D
I came across it today & have no idea how it showed up. But I have enjoyed the videos I've watched.
Louis Wain is a big reason I learned about outsider art and, as a result, changed my perspective of art, he and Henry Darger. It’s comforting to see people come from less fortunate backgrounds and create art for its own sake, whether they’re financially successful or not. It brought them solace to create, it made them happy, so they did just that. As someone who’s struggled with confidence and self-esteem most of their life, it’s good to remind myself that I’m allowed to indulge in creative endeavors for fun’s sake. You’ve earned yourself a subscriber, looking forward to future videos. :)
I started sobbing looking at the "I am happy because everyone loves me." artwork. It gives off a feeling of knowing you are loved and appreciated
Please, PLEASE keep making more of these. 5 is nowhere near enough. I need more. You're fueling my art addiction, Yuko Tatsushima has blown up into my top 10 of all time list thanks to you. Great content.
Just found this channel today and I can safely say I feel the same, I love this content and I'd love to see more!
What a beautiful soul. I was especially impressed by how popular Louis Wain was for a short time. Thank you for honoring his art!
i've recently learned more about louis wain and who he was as a person. i first knew him as a "schizophrenic cat lover/artist" and was more disturbed by his psychedelic pieces. however, learning more about him, he seemed like a genuine, sweet person who loved cats and loved making art. the idea of the psychedelic pieces being him experimenting with his art makes a lot of sense. i hope the last few years of his life were comforting and happy. "i am happy because everyone loves me" is such a sweet message to everyone who supported him
your voice is super comforting, and made learning about him and his works a lot less frightening. thank you
Something about "I am happy because everyone loves me" just makes me want to sob. Looking at the comments, I can see I'm not the only one. What a tender lovely soul.
This is really beautiful and I'm grateful to learn about this artist, thanks for the amazing content
Stories like these truly give me hope in humanity. He made so many people smile, and those people who became dedicated to him, went above and beyond to get him better help in a safer place during his final days.
We are capable of doing so much good in this world. Let this be a reminder of that.
I've been a fan of Wain for years and was holding off on this one, I am ugly crying into my kittie's fur right now. Grateful for this gem of art appreciation and examination of a troubled mind.
I think more or less Wain suffered enormous trauma and loss that would have been possible to better treat with therapy today. I don't know if it really checks out as schizophrenic symptoms but I am not a specialist.
You have probably been nudged to look into Henry Darger at least once by now... if not here's your first nudge. Your eloquent handling of Wain's story would sit well alongside the similarly tragic and fascinating story of Darger.
Thank you so much for this video and such an empathetic and humanizing perspective on Louis Wain! Especially for taking a different perspective on the evolution of his style.
People unfamiliar with art have the tendency to write off weird, unconventional and outsider art to mental disorders, medicalizing it. But changing and experimenting is a natural part of an artistic life. Wain's abstract cats are such intricate, purposeful patterns, it is a kind of careful, almost meditative art that I could see being both calming and a way to pass time while institutionalized, as well as something he could have no time or reason to try before. And Wain was alive in the time of many new abstract art movements' birth, so the source could be as simple as being inspired by other modern art he'd seen.
Of course I have no way of knowing his perspective! And certain mental states might've played a significant role in changing his style. But my main point is there are many reasons for an artist to branch out, and it is always a bit sad to see interesting and complicated art pieces reduced to a "lol he must've been crazy" punchline.
The idea that his art became weird due to Schizophrenia is because of one psychiatrist who deceptively took all of these undated paintings and assembled them into a speculative chronology in an attempt to demonstrate his preconceived notions about Schizophrenia and art. He did a huge disservice to Wain, in my opinion.
Made me almost cry, as someone who struggles with mental health and loving myself, the last illustration inspired a bith familiar and unfamiliar feeling in me. It's like a friend, a very close one, was saying this as a goodbye. It's quite bittersweet
2:02 This picture makes me think about my ADHD and Tourettes. I'm a gentle giant, the cute kitten on the right. But the symptoms of my disorders sometimes ruin social interactions leaving me feeling totally nervous and frazzled like the cat on the left.
Rest in peace Louis Wain.🙏 You continue to inspire and amaze many people to this day. Thank you Mr. Wain.
“I am happy because everyone loves me” really broke my emotional dams, i cried. This man seems like such a gentle soul, all his cat illustrations paint such an untainted and childlike world. If there is an afterlife, i hope Louis is happy there together with a lot of happy cats.
Omg unrelated but Susie pfp
I have never heard about this artist! Being an Arts Teacher, a cat lover and a depression patience myself, I am absolutely in love with him and will study more about his life and work to include him in my Arts classes. Thank you so much for this video, and I am glad that your theory about his psychedelic cats is that he was just experiment and forcing the boundaries of his media and techniques. He was definitely a gentle soul and I hope he could enjoy his last years of life.
Greetings from Brazil.
I don't know how well known Kalervo Palsa is outside Finland or is it even possible to find enough information about him in English. I would describe him as a tragic and underappreciated figure, especially among the artists from Lapland.
His art is surreal and grotesque filled with dark figures and themes often also exploring his own sexuality.
I don't know, if it's possible to show most of his art on RUclips due to an overabundance of penises.
If it’s art related it’s acceptable. A lot of music videos shows women nude for artistic purposes
@MFX_media They were both artists in their own right, but Tom of Finland drew very successful gay erotica and If you compare that to Kalervo Palsa, who was a sad loner, who had a difficult relationship with his sexuality, you can see the clear contrast.
The art Tom of Finland is filled with beautiful male bodies, the joy of sexuality and passion, while for Palsa his art is filled mostly with loneliness, despair and sadness.
Kalervo Palsa had a more interesting life, while Tom of Finland or Touko Laaksonen lived a more glamorous life. I must admit that I justI had to get those post stamps, although I'm not a collector. I'm not at all covering both artists. I was just trying to suggest one less well known one.
I have been a picture framer for 17 years, and was fortunate enough to have been trained by a couple who at the time held the largest collection of Louis Wain originals.
In fact, I have held in my hands all of the original kaleidoscope cats that featured at 1.49 min, and many others both of his early and later works not featured on here.
Louis' work really has an incredible depth and a slight naivety to it that touches a soul. Sure, he's not the most technical of artists, but the imagination of his works are fantastic. And to have put out some of his most popular works whilst suffering from a crippling illness is phenomenal.
@ 3:00 it's so obvious that he really appreciated cats as individuals - he's holding that cat with such affection, I only wish all people treated animals with such respect.
I had never heard of Loius Wain until I saw a movie trailer with B. Cumberbatch and C. Foy two days ago. Today I've been reading up on him & looking at his illustrations. I'm so glad I happened upon your video. Such a poignant life yet such an influential life as well. Thank you for creating and sharing this video!
I'm crying. Thank you Louis Wain, and all that you have brought into the world. May every cat that goes to heaven pass you by to say hello, and sit lazily besides you for a moments company. When the sad day my cat passes away, I at least hope he'll meet you.
Your voice is so soothing and this was a lovely summation of the artist's life! Great work!
L Wain has fascinated me for 20 years. thank you for the video
It is one of the tragic elements of our humanity, that the greatest art is usually borne from those who suffer greatly 😔.
It is an absolute crime that this video doesn't have hundreds of thousands of views, my god.
Man, the ending really joyed me up. I emphatize strongly with your " subjects " whenever I watch your videos and usually the endings are tragic. Generally I have a soft spot for people with mental health issues (as one should?). I really love the fact that Wain felt appreciated towards the end and found the love he deserved.
I can imagine Louis Wain in a mental Hospital with 12 cats lol that sounds so chaotic
This is an excellent art analysis channel that compassionately shows the human character of each artist... I've only seen a couple videos so far but so well done! And lovely narration too! 💗
Wow the algorithm seems to be working, your channel should have been recommended ages ago. Stellar Content mate !
I'm a huge fan of artworks linked with or involving with mental illness and I ended finding his work through musical fan projects of "everywhere at the end of time". I couldn't find the specific artist and I can;t say I'm disappointed with what I found. awesome vid keep up the work!
As a person who adores cat's and has dealt with mental disorders since childhood I cried throughout this whole video. What a wonderful and misunderstood man, I feel so sorry for all his suffering ❤
What a wonderful tribute. Great job on this video, his story and work are so touching to me. That last piece honestly made me tear up, so sweet. I hope he was able to feel some peace in the latter years of his life and is resting well wherever he is now.
Im late to the party, but “I’m happy because everyone loves me” feels bittersweet to me. I could be reading too much into this, but despite the smile on the cats face and the positive message, his ears are pointed back which is usually a sign of discomfort and fear in cats. It puts me off kilter a bit.
Maybe it was his way of saying “I’m saying I’m ok, but inside I’m not ok. But I will pretend to be ok”
That pic of him petting his pet cat is so soft and genuine
This video was extremely well made! I'm trying to get into art more and understand the art of perception, and this was a nice little break from all the study materials I had piling up!
I'm a huge huge fan of cats, and to know an artist existed whose art was mostly based off of cats is so wholesome, but knowing the personal life of Louis Wain is honestly heartbreaking.
Thank you for making this video! Lots of love!!
This is a really neat video. I didn't know about this guy to be honest, and cats are my favorite animal. I found your channel only a few days ago and I find it really fascinating. Thanks for your content!
Thank you for keeping his story, and his life alive, even beyond death. I’d like to think he still can feel the emotions illicited by others, viewing his work. Thank you, Blind Dweller and thank you, Mr. Wain (edit) and thank you Peter, the cat.
Being an artist, I greatly appreciated the lingering close-ups of Wain's work that let me understand how he created his art. In my opinion, the abstract cats were explorations into techniques and styles that he perhaps didn't have time to "play with" when he was working for compensation. I can see the seeds of those abstract patterns in his earlier commercial work. I believe he derived great satisfaction from the later abstract pieces, but they were not expressions of a diseased mind, as he was able to switch back to his earlier style to communicate his appreciation in that smiling cat drawing which he knew all his friends and fans would easily relate to. This was an interesting and very informative video.
That last picture got to me. I actually find it to be one of the most profound. Bittersweet and peaceful.
This video is really well made, I enjoyed it very much!
I had seen Wain's art before without knowing the background of the artist or the bit about pet keeping in the victorian era . Thank you for educating us.
The last drawing made me tear up a bit, I wasn't expecting it
Going from Bryan Charnley to Louis Wain. Nice! Now try William Utermohlen
Will certainly keep Utermohlen in mind!
@@BlindDweller nice pun. I give you brownie points
Amazing video! Shed a tear at the end. Keep up the great work!
That last cat drawing feels like a self portrait.
I don't think I've ever cried over art before. Thank you.
Okay two things. I genuinely cried at " I'm happy because everyone loves me.". Whatever the perception by the audience there's a very clear message. Two. Because the doctor did not document much at these times, it makes me wonder about possible prescription, diets, treatments that could have happened or seen at these sites. I think the possiblity of drugs or side effects, the isolation, and the development of art; it seems only natural to evolve in that way.
The very poignant "I am happy" drawing - I think he was actually talking about the cats that he loved so much. He came from a time when cats were not appreciated, and as witnessed by the popularity of his art, by the time of his death cats were beloved. As they remain to this day. It might have also been a "thank you" from him, but I think it was also a "thank you" from cats by way of Wain. I like to think of it that way anyway, though it is hard to see it except through the lens of his difficult and often tragic life.
As someone who has always loved and felt immense comfort from cats, I knew from the moment in the beginning of the video and seeing the way he looked at his cat with such love in his eyes, that this was going to make me tear up. I really hope that in the end that he truly was able to find happiness and peace knowing he shared his love for cats with someone others. This channel is amazing, one of my new favorites.,
this is such a beautiful video. i think I really needed a reminder to keep making art tonight, thank you!
found your Videos today and i must say they're amazing! I've seen many videos about "the art of the mentally ill " before but usually those videos make me feel like mental illness is demonized. Your videos make it clear that you still see the artist as a human, which means a lot to mentally ill folk like myself. thank you! 💘
A very tender and respectful look through a fascinating man's mind and output, a beautiful and rare gem..
As an artist who paints a lot of cats, this was really interesting
I’m bipolar schizoaffective I like painting worlds I create from my mind with my own cartoony psychedelic kinda surrealism characters warped items and my pet dog I enjoy very much I own chinchillas also I would like to make a painting of soon
I still don’t get it how your channel isn’t having so many views. You have some great content .
Thank you so so much for making such a nuanced and respectful video on Louis Wain. I've loved his work for a really really long time and its sad to see so many people just use it and his mental health struggles as a curiosity to be gawked at. I agree with you entirely on taking a slightly more reserved look and staving off of diagnosing him; the vast majority of mental disorders were not compartmentalized when he was alive and posthumously diagnosing him comes across as tactless sometimes. I am so glad that you spoke about I am Happy Because Everyone Loves Me too, that has always been one of my favorite pieces of his work and when I was struggling with mental health I'd put it as my phone background and my pfp and used as an affirmation to cheer myself up and remind myself that there are people out there who love me. It really is such a powerful piece of art and seeing it introduced to others in context makes me a bit teary eyed. And thank you for mentioning his sculptures, people tend to miss them out occasionally too.
Thank you! This was so fascinating and very poignant. Like some of the other commentators, I was moved to tears. I am currently studying Printmaking at Brighton University and am fascinated by marginalised artists, outsider artists and art made by 'non-artists', such as Victor Hugo, who experimented with stains and stencils. I have a few suggestions of some other interesting, largely overlooked artists affected my mental health issues, in the days when psychiatric institutions were little more than dumping grounds:- Séraphine Louis, Camille Claudel (who apprenticed with Rodin and ended up as a mad cat lady in a flooded basement near The Seine before being incarcerated) and Baroness Elsa von Freytag Loringhoven, more known for her avant-garde poetry but an all round radical innovator who influenced Marcel Duchamp and the course of art history. Séraphine Louis and Camille Claudel have had movies made of their lives which are well worth a watch (French with subtitles). Great channel! Keep up the good work!
As the cat portraits disappear into a visualisation of colour, I was struck by similarity with wallpaper design. By the way your videos are extremely professional. And I do like the fact that you promote the separation between art and mental illness. Yes artists may express themselves during bouts of mental illness. Yes there is a school of thought that art can be therapeutic. But to discount art as an extension of someone’s illness is wrong as contested by the last picture you show. There is clearly a form which the artist developed throughout his life in the face of the cat. Cheers.
Maybe he just wanted to draw some crazy cats.
He was told that he was crazy, so he wanted to draw something crazy.
Wonderful. As many others, I first thought that his psychedelic cat drawings meant a decline in his "schizophrenia." When in reality it was never exactly proven. I love the way you show art history, it always gives me heart a very bittersweet feeling.
Just saw the Electrical Life of Louis Wain on Amazon and went to RUclips to see more of his work. Thank you, your video was wonderful, shed light more into his life, influence, and art - this was so well done. Thanks for the insight!
Amazing content!! Very surprised you're only at 10K, keep it up! I love the respectful and not sensationalized narrations.
Awesome video. It's so sad that our society doesn't support creative minds. Artists make the world better!
Thank you so much for putting this video together. I am so grateful to see the film and your video cry on the last "I am happy..." cat simultaneously. This year has been a great time for us Louis Wain fans as many more informations are out online. The feature film thrown a stone on the understanding on Wain, the history of psychiatry and mental illnesses itself. Who could not be violently depressed in his shoes ? It is rather single mind to call him a schizophrenic artist. Great empathy and appreciation I shall ever keep in my mind for every small beings. Wishing you a happy holiday.
I miss when artists were famous, even to the masses, when people would have artworks at home, hanging on the wall, at hospitals...
I love that you included all this additional information about Wain that other videos about him seem to miss! Especially that last picture, it made me feel so warm and cozy inside :') We may never know what his later years were really like but it just really gave me hope that they were good for him and that he has been given the love and kindness he needed and deserved!
That last part where he finally understands just how much his work is loved and appreciated needs to be its own short. 🥰
hi, just wanted to say i love your content so much, ive watched all of your videos and each one is so fascinating. I love the deep dives into the minds of such tortured artists because its so amazing how they are able to convey such raw emotion. Keep up the good work dude!
How is it the most-brilliant among us are also the most sick? Louis Wain is 1 of my heroes.
The electricity that he described in the air, that static energy that one feels when in love, he felt it when he and his wife owed and cared for their first pet cat. That memory stayed with him ever since she died, so he kept trying to capture that electricity through drawing felines. Not just that; I think drawing psychedelic cats became a means for him to connect with other frequencies of being, spiritual/emotional/mental.
I've started listening in on your channel a lot, and a lot of channels like these I don't typically stick to, which means your topics and way of explaining things has kept me here so far. Good job so far!
I’ve known about Wain since I was a kid, but never questioned whether his stylistic changes really were products of schizophrenia. Thanks for making this video. I think you’re underestimating the state of psychiatry in the 1920s, though (what you describe is more like the 1700s.) It’s possible that his style changed because he was no longer working for an audience, nor concerned with convention. And he may have been aware of modern art styles like Cubism that began well before he was institutionalized.
This video combines two of my favorite things, Art & Cats.
Thank you for making this video, so incredibly well made!
Louis Wain you just hugged my soul
Interesting that he nearly always depicted the cats looking downwards. Especially since real cats would presumably be looking up at him, given their relative positions. Wonder if there is anything to that.
Also when you mentioned the psychedelic aspect to his work it made me theorize: perhaps he might have been exposed to some sort of trip inducing substance at the institution he was first put in? They were poorly maintained so maybe some mold might have been growing there that affected him and hence his art. Would explain why they progressively get more abstract and why his art returned to normal somewhat after he left.
I remember learning about him in one of my psych classes. Thank you for the thorough and insightful video on this amazing artist. You're awesome