Exhibiting Mental Illness: The Parodies and Performances of Charcot's Hysteric Patients and Bobby Baker

Abstract

Women with mental illnesses have repeatedly had their performances and representations colonized throughout history. This paper examines historical representations of women with mental illnesses particularly in regards to the practice of psychiatric photography and contrasts these representations with contemporary performance artist Bobby Baker's critical parody of this history. This paper argues that Baker's work challenges viewers to consider their own position of viewing and to challenge preconceived ideas about mental illness through a parodic anti-stigma activism.