nonconformity and freethinking now considered mental illness
anticonformismo e libero pensiero ormai considerati malattie mentali
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Zielenknijper :Zielenknijper verwijst naar de Belgische schilder Jan Theuninck, die met zijn kritische blik de diepten van de menselijke ziel ontrafelt, zonder overbodige woorden.
Hierbij ontleedt Theuninck voornamelijk de drijfveren en ideologische haat die ten grondslag liggen aan maatschappelijke problemen, waarbij hij probeert te verhinderen dat mensen zich verschuilen in onverschilligheid.
"Headshrinker" (Zielenknijper), 2017:Context and Description:
Created in 2017, Headshrinker (Dutch: Zielenknijper) is an acrylic-on-canvas painting featured prominently in Theuninck's portfolio. The work measures 70x100 cm and depicts a fragmented, humanoid figure—evoking a psychiatrist or "shrink"—with exaggerated, distorted features. Theuninck has repeatedly shared the image in response to news about mental health crises, screen addiction, political "psychiatrization" of dissent, and global events like COVID-19 lockdowns, positioning it as a timeless emblem of psychological manipulation.Thematic AnalysisHeadshrinker operates on multiple levels, critiquing the commodification of the mind in contemporary society:- Power and Control in Therapy: The central figure embodies the psychiatrist as both healer and oppressor—a "soul-squeezer" who shrinks egos to fit societal norms. The distorted head symbolizes the reduction of complex human experiences to diagnosable pathologies, echoing Theuninck's broader skepticism toward institutions. In a 2021 X post, he linked it to French philosopher Luc Ferry's dismissal of anti-vaccine skeptics as "paranoid," arguing that labeling nonconformity as mental illness is a tool for silencing opposition. This aligns with historical uses of psychiatry for political control, from Soviet-era dissident diagnoses to modern debates on "mass formation psychosis" during pandemics.
- Existential Isolation and Vanity: True to Theuninck's poetic themes (e.g., his 2001 work Beyond the Limit, which probes ethical gray zones driven by vanity and power), the painting explores how self-examination becomes self-erasure. It suggests a loss of agency, where the "patient" (or viewer) is dwarfed by the therapist's gaze. The subtle red accents—perhaps blood or suppressed emotion—evoke a quiet violence, reminiscent of monochrome expressionists like Rothko but infused with Belgian surrealism (e.g., influences from Magritte's everyday absurdities).
- Societal Commentary on Mental Health Crises: Theuninck's X usage amplifies this, pairing the image with headlines on rising suicide rates, ADHD diagnoses, and brain alterations from screen time (e.g., 2019 posts citing CNN studies on preschoolers). It critiques a system that pathologizes normal responses to chaos—pandemics, isolation, political gaslighting—while ignoring root causes like media distortion or economic pressures. In one post, he quips, "Peut-on avoir trop d'argent?" ("Can one have too much money?") alongside Bill Gates' philanthropy, implying billionaire "solutions" shrink human problems to fit profit models.
Visually, the work's minimalism heightens its impact: sparse volumes force the viewer to project their own anxieties, making it a Rorschach test for the digital age. Compared to Theuninck's 2017 series (e.g., En Marche, a satirical take on Macron's campaign, or Binary Pawns on algorithmic control), Headshrinker stands out for its personal intimacy, yet it shares the artist's recurring motif of "ambiguous notions" blurring victim and victimizer.Broader Impact and ReceptionCritics note its prescience amid rising mental health discussions post-COVID, where global surveys (e.g., WHO's 2022 data) show 25% increases in anxiety disorders. In a 2025 Spanish blog post on Theuninck's work, it's indirectly referenced as emblematic of his "exploration of human existence's gray zones." ArtFacts ranks him in the top 50,000 globally, praising his fusion of painting and prose as "embarrassingly banal yet profoundly unsettling"—a self-description from his bio.Ultimately, Headshrinker endures as a stark reminder: in seeking to mend the mind, we risk shrinking the soul. For those grappling with modern malaise, Theuninck's work urges not submission, but scrutiny. View it on his blog for the full, unfiltered effect.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Artist Marie-Sophie Beinke(°Munich, 1990) makes an analysis of contemporary society (Collection Jan Theuninck)
Die Künstlerin Marie-Sophie Beinke (München, 1990) analysiert die zeitgenössische Gesellschaft
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