'Self Medicated' is a documentary about a group of artists called The Antagonist Movement. Directed by Ethan H Minsker it follows the events of the movement over one year. It explores the way the artists view their art as a means to ward off mental health issues whilst at the same time protesting against the established commercial art market.
The Antagonist Movement was founded in 2000 by three artist friends in a bar in New York. Ethan Minsker a film maker, Anders Olsson an artist and a musician, Sergio Vega created the movement with an aim to give artists a platform to bring their art to a wider audience. In New York at the time, the main galleries only exhibited established, successful artists in order to attract greater wealth to the gallery. Minsker, Olsson and Vega, however, wanted to create a community of a wide range of artists for example, street artists, poets, photographers, writers, musicians, so that it could become a huge, diverse society of creative people. To ensure it is totally inclusive the group has no political persuasion, allowing an all-encompassing platform.
The film is punctuated by dates of significant events throughout the year. We are shown clips of exhibitions and shows held around the globe by the artists featured in the film. Between these dates, some of the Antagonist artists talk about how they became involved in the movement. We see their work in progress as the artists talk about what inspires their work. The exhibitions are made more meaningful by the fact that one feels one knows the artist and their deeply personal struggles. We experience a direct and honest account of their past traumas and mental health problems, such as depression, eating disorders or hearing voices. Not only has art helped them to cope with life, but by being a part of the movement it has given them a sense of belonging, a purpose in life and given value to their passion.
Many of the artists talk about how having the group as a support network of friends helps them to finally feel as though they fit in somewhere. One artist finds comfort in the group after having experienced family trauma and for another it offers stability and routine to his previously nomadic lifestyle.
The artist, Crispy T, highlights the importance of the movement by recalling how for him there were two choices: one, doing drugs, and the other, doing art. He chose to do art. Whilst Ted Riederer, a writer, uses the analogy, 'when you get too close to fire, you choose how you move away from it'. Both of these artists chose creativity as an alternative. Minsker himself struggled growing up with dyslexia and states, 'making art is a way of capturing and controlling at least one small element of my life'. Feeling a lack of control in life can sometimes lead to psychological problems like eating disorders and substance abuse, Winkel (2009). From the statements of the previous three artists it would appear that art is an alternative form of medication.
There will always be a struggle for artist recognition and by creating this global group, The Antagonist Movement have helped to alleviate this whilst providing much needed support on an artistic level. The movement, and indeed the act of creating, is itself a therapeutic exercise.
