Bryan Charnley: The Self-Portrait Series

Bryan Charnley (1949 – 1991) was an artist whose work vividly portrays the effects of schizophrenia. While experiencing many of the classic symptoms of this mental disorder Charnley was able to produce a coherent visual and written record of his experiences. His work provides a bridge into an interiorised existential state. This film shows a selection of his paintings and their development. Bryan Charnley intended his work to show the common humanity of the sufferer and to illustrate what he or she may be experiencing via universally resonant visual metaphors.