I’ve come across this artist, William Utermohlen, who a few years’ ago bravely decided to experiment with the effect that his Alzheimer’s disease had on his ability to paint his own self portrait over a number of years. The effects are quite startling.
A portrait from a few years before his illness (1967)
He was diagnosed with the disease in 1995 and after that point he painted regular self-portraits as a way to chart the way his disease was affecting his self-image and his ability to portray it. It is hard to tell whether what changed was his technical skills or his choices of method (most likely it was a combination of the two).
The first self-portrait of 1996
I suspect that his ability to paint largely remains, at least in the early years, but his interpretation of his self-image and his method changes quite dramatically.
The second 1996 self-portrait
His style becomes gradually more expressionist and abstract, perhaps as his struggle to understand his mind gets harder.
The first 1997 self-portrait
The details gradually recede and the use of colour to add expression increases.
The second 1997 self-portrait
His facial expression seems to move to anger then sadness and deep melancholy or even confusion.
The 1998 self-portrait
After some time the colours disappear to be replaced by dark, heavy strokes and grey and black shades.
The 1999 self-portrait
Finally, the facial features themselves merge and soften and the final effect is of an very confused mind and self-identity.
The last self-portrait
As his wife Patricia states: ‘In these pictures we see with heart-breaking intensity William’s efforts to explain his altered self, his fears and his sadness’.
References
‘Man With Alzheimer’s Drew Self-Portraits for 5 Years Until He Could Barely Remember His Own Face’ in The Metapicture. Available from: http://themetapicture.com/man-with-alzheimers-drew-self-portraits-for-5-years-until-he-could-barely-remember-his-own-face/ [last accessed 9 August 2014]