Reclaiming the space: art therapy & post-abortion experience through an intersectional feminist lens

ABSTRACT

This paper explores post-abortion experience and identifies key themes that may arise while working with individuals who have had an abortion. This paper aims to revisit and deconstruct the issue of abortion and place it in the sociopolitical context from which it arises. The research included draws from multiple disciplines including art history, the politics of inclusivity and the interconnections between identity, oppression and privilege, as a way to understand the intricacy of one’s experience of abortion and approaches the topic through an intersectional feminist lens. The paper explores art therapy as a powerful approach to depict loss, and questions how we can create a safe therapeutic space for our clients in order to allow them to further explore their post-abortion experience. Two key themes were explored; ‘self and body as a compass’ and ‘working with the “invisible loss” and recreating the narrative; Art therapy approach’. The first theme touches on the sociopolitical ideas imprinted on the body and how a therapeutic space may allow an individual to further explore the memories associated with their experience. The second theme further looks into how art therapy can be a powerful approach for the exploration of themes that emerge post-abortion, as well as the importance of being able to encourage agency in our client to choose their own way of using the therapeutic space. Finally, I have included my own use of creating and reviewing artwork as a form of self-reflexivity.

Plain-language summary

This paper explores the post-abortion experience and identifies two key themes that may emerge while working with individuals who have had an abortion. The first theme is; ‘self and body as a compass’ and the second; ‘working with the “invisible loss” and recreating the narrative; Art therapy approach’. I have drawn from my own art-making process in response to the topic and a contemporary artist’s personal body of work, called Tony Gum, in order to navigate the themes explored in this paper.

This paper will hopefully help to start conversations around how we can create a safe therapeutic space for our clients and how we can support them in the way they want to use the therapeutic space to further explore their experience. Research recommendations are also discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Post-abortion
• intersectionality
• feminism
• art therapy
• grief
• social action
• self-reflexivity

Language note

The paper recognises that abortion is not only a women’s issue and that space for inclusivity is not just proposed but is necessary. When writers refer to a patient undergoing an abortion, most of them mistakenly assume that the patient would be a woman, whereas abortion is often undertaken by trans men and non-binary people (Brown, 2019).

I believe it is of utmost importance to take language into consideration while we speak about and research the issue. Even though English is not my native language, I use English as a communicative tool. I aim to challenge elitist views in academia regarding the use of language and use writing as ‘an instrumental skill rather than an epistemological experience’ (Mountz et al, 2015) as a symbolic effort to decolonise language. I aim to dismantle the idea that a specific use of language must be used. In Öhman’s words, I challenge the ‘ever deceptive promise of one size fits all’ (Öhman, 2012) and have been thinking of how the writing of the content of this paper can be made accessible to everyone. I have tried to think intersectionally in the way I write and challenge pre-existing ideas regarding language in academia. I aim to do that by writing in the first person and this is symbolic of my practice where the personal as political is at the core of my work, hence taking an active stance in the process. I choose to use the active voice in order to take an active position in the work I am conducting.

Introduction

This paper argues that an intersectional feminist approach in art therapy can be a powerful intervention in order to identify key themes to the lived experience of abortion and how we may work with individuals with such experiences. I will introduce two themes which are closely linked to post-abortion and I support that it is important that these themes are considered, while working with individuals with such an experience. The first theme is using the self and the body as a compass in the therapeutic process; for the client but also for the art therapist, as a form of self-reflexivity. The second theme is working with the ‘invisible loss’; recreating the narrative. In order to write this opinion piece, I drew from my own personal experience and memory of encounter with laws and regulations surrounding this procedure. I approach the topic through a feminist intersectional lens as I respect that each individual’s experience may differ, based on their personal narrative and measures of their identity, which may also influence their personal bias on the topic. I argue that self-reflexivity is really important when working with the issue of abortion, as dismantling one’s personal bias is a crucial part in order to be able to support the people we work with.

Art history offers a useful lens to examine abortion as pre-existing views, contextualised in race, class, gender, religion, disability and sexuality, what Talwar (Talwar, 2018; 2019) has referred to as markers of identity, manifest. There is a lack of depiction of abortion in visual arts and, according to Seftel (2006), in order to gain insight into the topic of pregnancy loss, one must refer to how fertility, pregnancy and birth are visualised in art. Those experiences have been hidden throughout history; however, whenever they come to the surface it has been through a male’s point of view. Childbirth has been glorified through depictions of the ‘good mother’ and maternal figures such as the virgin Mary which have prevailed throughout history, and pushed aside the ‘messy’ and dangerous labour experiences (Seftel, 2006). Looking back through art history also allows us to identify who has been underrepresented and who is missed out from this crucial issue of representation.

This brings into conversation the issue of intersectionality and cultivating a feminist and inclusive practice and the idea of addressing basic needs as a feminist issue (Kendall, 2020). According to Mikki Kendall (2020) an intersectional approach to feminism is crucial to be able to refine relations between communities. In my practice, as well as in the research process, I keep drawing back to bell hook’s work and ideas surrounding feminism that invite one to ‘come closer’ and they ‘will see: feminism is for everybody’ (hooks, 2000, p. 118). hooks (2000) views feminism as a political position where choice and action are required in order to practise it. I found it of utmost importance to draw from intersectional Black scholars, originators of intersectionality (Crenshaw, 1989) as well as feminists and activists, including Lola Olufemi’s (2020), Angela Davis et al.’s (2022) and Audre Lorde’s (1984) powerful writings in order to make my practice more inclusive and understand the context from which the theory arises. By drawing from many disciplines, we are allowed to explore the issue through various layers. As there is very little research on post-abortion emotions and participation in art therapy, the first point of my research was literature and the politics of inclusivity in order to address the emotions linked to post-abortion. Moreover, by facing the interconnections between identity, oppression and privilege, it is helpful to understand the intricacy of one’s experience of abortion (Price, 2011). Eastwood talks about the importance of creating spaces where one may investigate ‘trauma related to structural and relational abuses of power’ (Eastwood, 2021, p. 77). It is important to take into consideration the sociopolitical background along with the religion of the individual we will be working with.

Hogan (2012) also claims the influence of a postmodernist thinking in feminism in order to confront reductive theories that place women in specific roles and situations. However, not all postmodernist thinkers are drawn to identifying the oppression of women so she calls for a ‘feminist postmodernism’ (2012, p. 71). Our bodies are strongly connected to the physicality of our experiences and the way we navigate the world. For the participants living with post-abortion experience, the art therapist needs to be especially conscious of the space created to explore this newly lived experience. The writings of Julia Kristeva have also been very influential on my research as she speaks of the necessity to revolt. Kristeva views revolt from its etymological point of view, which defines us ‘returning, discovering, uncovering and renovating’ (Kristeva & Petit, 2002, p. 85). According to Kristeva, revolt means re-centring our self in order to discover the truth, and this can be achieved by restoring memory and bringing in the surface conflicts and questions. The art therapist must be equipped to face any conflict that may arise and during the therapeutic process keep questioning and exploring personal ideas regarding conflict.

There is a clear gap in art therapy research on the issue of (post) abortion. However, it is argued that the idea of loss and the sociopolitical essence of that topic should be explored and identified further in the therapeutic space. The current paper will revisit and deconstruct abortion and place it in the sociopolitical context from which it arises. I aim to do so by drawing from art therapy research on dealing with loss, grief and by using an intersectional and gender aware lens.

Sociopolitical context

During the writing of this paper, the discourse on abortion rights has risen and the tightening of restrictions around safe access to abortion, is a reminder that we keep having to fight for reproductive justice. In 2021 Poland banned abortion and in other countries like Germany, individuals do not face penalties if they receive counselling within twelve weeks after conception, if the pregnancy is a result of rape, or if there are health complications linked to the pregnancy (www.dw.com, 2021). More recently, on 24 June 2022, the US Supreme Court overturned the Roe v. Wade case (Donegan, 2022). As Tolentino (2022) writes; ‘Those who argue that this decision won’t actually change things much – an instinct you’ll find on both sides of the political divide – are blind to the ways in which state-level anti-abortion crusades have already turned pregnancy into punishment, and the ways in which the situation is poised to become much worse.’ Through the criminalisation of abortion, and the ideas around this procedure but also pregnancy in general, which are hidden in laws and cut off one’s chance to be an active participant in the decisions they are making, it becomes evident that intersectional thinking is lacking around that topic.

These are a few examples where pregnancy and abortion are being criminalised and controlled, in the majority of the cases, by white male legislators (Swan-Foster, 2020). The effect of hierarchy and power in society really ‘lands’ on the body and can be traumatising. As Obaya Evans (2022) very powerfully puts it ‘the body is not neutral but powerful and vulnerable’, and the effect of those discourses may manifest in the body. This is the reason why I claim that an intersectional abolitionist feminist approach in art therapy while working with people who have experience of abortion is important, as we are able to not only identify the effect of abortion in relation to one’s gender but also to their class, race, religion, disability and more.

Unfolding emotions surrounding abortion

Among the various emotions linked to abortion there may also be anger, for example towards the health system and the way privilege and power manifest in medical spaces (Seftel, 2006). It is important for the art therapist to identify and acknowledge the anger experienced by our clients and we must equip ourselves with the capacity for that anger to unfold. Borowsky Junge (2007) highlighted that the art therapist has to be courageous and in order to make the therapeutic space more inclusive, one must be aware of the anger that may arise and be able to work with it. Borowsky Junge (2007) supports that an art therapist whose practice draws from social activism must be courageous and fearless in order to make the therapeutic space more inclusive, hence being able to advocate for their clients and not avoid the anger that the client brings to the space. Adding to this, the art therapist must constantly be aware of dismantling conscious and unconscious biases as well as their own ‘agendas’ and be cognisant of the effect that this may have in the therapeutic process (Eastwood, 2021). At the core of the work, is the ability of the art therapist to manage personal bias and be aware of the social justice ideas and political ideology around the issue of abortion. Borowsky Junge (2007) discusses the idea of the self being central to the intersection of art therapy with social activism. Price (2011) questions how intersectionality can be integrated in the research of reproductive rights, sexual health and politics. Talwar (2018; 2019) promotes a social art therapy model that grounds its practice in identifying diversity and describes the use of art therapy in assisting a client to identify and fight oppression on a sociocultural extent. The awareness of multiple realities, a postmodernist approach, affords art therapy practices based on social justice ethos (Talwar, 2018; 2019).

I would like to comment on the link between abortion, morals, choice and individuality. Emma Goldman, an anarchist political activist and writer has examined the ideas of sexuality and reproduction as interlinked, and aims to bring the issue ‘out of the closet’ and approach it through the sense of moralism (Shantz & Williams, 2013, p. 53). ‘Goldman sought to understand and analyze the intersection of social structural issues, politics, and organization along with personal issues of biography or what she called individuality’ (Shantz & Williams, 2013, p. 54). This idea is really powerful as it allows us to think of identity as a process where one creates their own narrative or ‘biography’ based on sociopolitical factors by allowing agency in that process. This idea may also be related to a great extent to what is mentioned above and the art therapist’s ability to explore trauma, anger and institutionalised violence that an individual may experience when they seek support with their abortion process. Goldman speaks about puritanism and outlines that it is hidden behind states and laws. This idea could explain why abortion has been surrounded by such secrecy, because of the taboo around that topic. This might also be the reason why there are not a lot of sources on that topic. Adding to this there is a general societal discomfort about the topic and as Tobey (1991) outlines, maternity has received very little attention. Hogan (2012) has also spoken about the inequality that is located in the way childbirth and motherhood is approached. However, there is extensive writing on the way female experiences, including pregnancy or pregnancy loss, are addressed by the healthcare system and the lack of sensitivity surrounding that topic (Jagminaite, 2020). This may also explain partly some of the emotions surrounding abortion. However, according to Jagminaite (2020), art therapy can help fight ‘cultural misogyny’. To sum up, I claim that art therapy and the art therapy space allows us to devise practices to support clients in the unfolding and their depiction of ‘invisible loss’ (Seftel, 2006, p. 70).

I would like to explore shame as a transgenerational outcome and learned response. Osborne-Crowley (2022) has spoken about the transmission of shame and how it adds to a traumatic experience not being externalised. She touches on the secrecy of trauma as a result of shame. This made me reflect on how a patient’s experience from their interaction with abortion clinics and medical institutions is influenced by ethical questions on the issue that may not be raised by them but are socially prescribed. She speaks of trauma and the secrecy behind embodied experience as a truth that has been mystified and, as she says, ‘we therefore have a primary obligation to each other: not to undermine each other’s sense of reality for the sake of expediency; not to gaslight each other’. Honouring one’s experience post-abortion may be the first step into allowing one to unravel the narrative of their experience and detect the memories of which they feel too heavy to carry as well as embracing their own personal journey. According to Hogan (2012) during pregnancy women may come to face with the memory of past bereavements, mainly that of their mother, and encounter again previous feelings of grief and anger. As a result, past experiences of loss may re-emerge post-abortion, an idea that would be useful for the art therapist to be aware of in order to understand family dynamics and their influence on one’s identity and hence their experience.

Regardless of their politics, most people experience an abortion as a loss even if mixed with a sense of relief (Seftel, 2006), an idea that allows us to think of the perplexed dynamics that often come with the process of abortion and the different layers the art therapist must encourage the client to reflect on. This idea allows us to understand the complexity of grief in abortion as on this occasion choice precedes grief. It is also important that we honour that not everyone may experience grief. This idea brings us to a crucial question; how our personal narratives shift and adapt during the process of abortion and how is the loss that may be experienced post-abortion visualised?

Positionality

I am writing this paper by drawing from my own experience of being a woman, born in Athens, Greece and currently located in the UK the last 8 years. In order to write this paper I drew from the feminist manifesto, the personal as political, which is an integral part of my practice as an art psychotherapist and socially engaged artist. Sheehy and Nayak (2020) write; ‘Outlining our personal activist journey and positionality enables us to think about what methods and goals bind us and separate us as activists’. I find this point really powerful as it allows us to keep thinking of our position and role in the research we are conducting and becoming active participants in the process while we keep defining the nature of the work we do. Through my own (op)position, I aim to call for more inclusive and horizontal methods to use in art therapy practice as well as research.

Even though I believe that feminism is constantly (re)defined, I currently view feminism as a state of constantly becoming and creating a radical state of imagination by challenging any form of oppression and privilege while embracing an intersectional and abolitionist ideology. Finally, I drew from Angela Davis’ work and the recent book she co-wrote called ‘Feminism. Abolition. Now.’ (Davis et al., 2022) which suggests that feminism should be informed by abolition in order to be intersectional and states the importance of abolition happening now. I claim that academia is a site of resistance and that abolition starts from one’s positionality so I felt it would be important to consider my own views and position on intersectional feminism. I also believe that intersectional feminism is about honouring subjectivity and one’s own journey. Moreover, an integral and never-ending part of this topic and body of work on the experience of abortion, which is closely connected to sociopolitical issues, includes re-centring collective reasoning and reflecting on one’s own pre-existing ideas and personal bias. For that reason I claim that creating as a form of self-reflexivity is an important aspect of working as an art psychotherapist and can be an effective method of research.

Self and body as a compass

A central idea to the process of grief one may experience in post-abortion is that even though a choice is made to end a pregnancy, the grief is not less powerful (Kluger-Bell, 1999). However, it is important to honour that each individual’s experience of abortion is different and acknowledge that as far as the experience of grief is concerned, this may be the case sometimes, but not always. Seftel (2006) explores the connection between how long a pregnancy lasts and the attachment formed. She outlines that parents rarely use words such as ‘embryo’ or ‘foetus’ while referring to their pregnancy, but use the word ‘baby’ instead. It is clear here that a connection may start to form even from the early stages of pregnancy, even if the individual undergoing an abortion has decided to terminate a pregnancy. I would like to now refer to the idea of the self and the body central to the therapeutic process and I will explore the physical experience of abortion and the emotions linked to it, by exploring the womb as a focal point. As previously mentioned, in art history the womb is strongly connected to the woman and the idea of women’s role as mothers. The womb is seen as a symbol of creation, however, what happens when the womb is traumatised? Wolf and King (2020) write that ‘the physical act of making art has often been referred to as an act of giving birth, offering a metaphor for rupture and repair’ (Wolf & King, 2020). Taking that into consideration, it would be useful to think whether the womb could be symbolic of the art therapy space and what emerges in the space. The womb becomes a focal point and can be seen both as a source of conflict or creative force. As a result, the art therapist must take into consideration these possibilities and contemplate on the rupture or hesitance to engage in the art making.

I was really drawn by Tony Gum’s work and especially her latest exhibition called ‘A Portion’ where she investigates themes of loss and solace, resilience and femininity through a self-reflective series that touches on her own experience of the intimate and vulnerable process of abortion (Tony Gum – 23 Artworks, Bio & Shows on Artsy, 2020). In this body of work, Gum wrestles between loss from terminating a pregnancy; fear, anger and vulnerability and creating; a new body of work emerging from her experience of grief (Elizabeth, 2020).⁣⁣ Gum speaks of the emotional and spiritual detachment she experienced and she has used symbolisms with strong cultural and spiritual meaning in her work. She uses multidisciplinary practices, including scenography along with self-portraiture, monochromatic tones and anthropomorphism (Elizabeth, 2020). I was struck by Gum’s picture ‘Sweet Saboteur’, where she uses self-portraiture techniques to explore self and other after experiencing loss. ‘Sweet Saboteur’ touches on her emotions during that period and also in her work she uses symbolism to refer to cultural traditions in a way that symbolically connects her experience with the sociopolitical context that experience took place in. What is really intriguing about this piece is that she depicts two figures symbolising two aspects of her self during that time. The one on the right is feeling hopeless and vulnerable, while the other one is the resilient one that managed to conquer it all. As Gum reflects ‘She is stronger, wiping away the other’s tears’ (Gum cited in Berning Sawa, 2019).

Some themes identified by the artist included need for closure and the taboo behind that issue (Berning Sawa, 2019). Moreover, another point made was hopelessness, hence feeling distant from her surroundings. This made me think of her choice of photography where one has the control of the medium and what is depicted while at the same time being distant from the medium, the camera. Gum also talks about the memories of her experience with terminating her pregnancy so this made me think of the post-traumatic stress such an experience may have on an individual later on in their life. She also outlines that she started working on this project one year after having her abortion, so I came to think of the concept of time and recovery in relation to abortion. A very important question that comes up from the research and Tony Gum’s powerful body of work is the physicality of the post-abortion experience and how long it takes for the body to recover.

Brooker (2015), talks about the importance of providing a space where people are allowed to explore their own subjectivities and the body as a way of interacting with the world. The concept of imprinted sociopolitical ideas on the body as presented by Brooker is a very important consideration to make while working with individuals with post-abortion experiences, as this is a topic charged with a lot of social stigma, shame and guilt which are often internalised (Seftel, 2006). Art therapy and a safe therapeutic space can be a powerful approach on its own, in order for an individual to explore the memories associated with that experience. The next section will further analyse how art therapy can be a powerful intervention for the exploration of themes that emerge post-abortion as well as the importance of being able to encourage agency in our client to choose their own way of using the therapeutic space.

Working with the ‘invisible loss’ and recreating the narrative; art therapy approach

After identifying a few of the emotions experienced in post-abortion, I argue it is important to look into the ways loss can be addressed in art therapy. Art therapy has been a powerful intervention for constructing new self-identities and examining the idea of the self and new narratives that may emerge in the therapeutic process. Seftel (2006) speaks of the importance of ritualising grief as a way to draw the focus on the way our self and body navigates and moves through an ‘obstacle’ to a new idea of self and deals with the idea of loss. Using creative media can help us bring into the light our own story and not pathologise grief, but instead use it as a means to focus on the areas we need to explore and normalise it as part of the natural life cycle (Bertman, 2008). Giving the opportunity to an individual to retell their story, revisit memories traumatic or not and provide a safe space to recreate their narrative using the arts in a therapeutic context can be very beneficial.

A person’s ideas, ethics and religious and political beliefs may be contrary to the process of abortion (Seftel, 2006). As a result, a safe space, free of judgement is needed in order to be able to build on one’s new self-narrative after they made this choice. This brings me back to the work of Julia Kristeva, who introduces the idea of revolt as a means of revisiting and returning to our self and providing a safe space where the conflicts that may arise are embraced and explored in the therapeutic process. Memory and anamnesis is used as a way to find that ‘truth’ inside us that Kristeva talks about (Kristeva & Petit, 2002). According to research conducted by van der Kolk (2014), ‘traumatic memories are fundamentally different from the stories we tell about the past. They are dissociated’ (van der Kolk, 2014, p. 194). It is supported that even though words can be a powerful way in order to describe a traumatic experience, they do not always assist in dealing with flashbacks. For that reason, I would like to come back to the issue of post-abortion and draw on the importance of an art therapy approach, as a sensory experience, and non-verbal way of exploring aspects of memory. This way the client has the agency of choosing what content they want to exclude or include in their process.

The art therapy space can be a space where the therapist works with the client to construct an environment in which it is safe to be and explore any emotions that come up. Having previously mentioned the importance of the art therapist dismantling personal bias and constantly redefining their ideas on the issue by conducting their own introspection, it is the first step for creating a safe space of acceptance. Even though bias may manifest in many forms, some types of bias that could be named include moral or religious beliefs on the issue of abortion, internalised shame or pre-existing ideas, or lack of awareness around the act of terminating a pregnancy, including how different markers of identity may contribute to one’s experience of abortion differ among individuals. I would like to elaborate on the effect of shame and the effect that may have on sharing one’s story or the way one carries oneself in the therapeutic space. As previously mentioned, it is crucial to take into consideration the effect of shame or subconscious pre-existing notions attached to abortion into consideration and allow space for the memory to revive and be spoken about. It is important to not pressure our client into creating and encourage them to take their own time to explore their experience. Allowing agency in choosing what aspects of the experience they choose to share is at the core of therapeutic work. Each individual’s experience of abortion unravels through different ideas and memories. Hence we must consider one’s abortion experience and interconnection with involvement in different services, for example the experience of care provided and the process of ending a pregnancy for different reasons and how that may have an effect on post-abortion experience. Trying to find an answer to the question above ‘How can an invisible loss be depicted?’ may open up the conversation surrounding post-abortion and possibly unravel some of the issues mentioned in the sections above. A really important aspect of the art therapeutic process is the ability to honour the readiness of the client we are working with in encountering any emotions related to their experience, grief, relief, pain or anger, by not immediately creating art.

So I would like to suggest an important question: How do we, as art therapists, hold the space for the client and embrace the possibility of the client not wanting to engage in art making? It is important to reflect on what the client wants from the art therapist. Is it the need to hold the space with them? Other considerations to be made by the art therapists include how art materials lend greater compassion for the artists to engage at their preferred level of comfort when they are ready to experiment with art making. Again, by giving clients agency to choose their kinaesthetic experience the art therapists can then reflect on the media that can be provided or offered later on, including photography and found objects which I would like to elaborate more on now.

I believe it would be helpful to include some artworks I made in order to reflect on the issue. Having spent some time reflecting on my own process of addressing the issue of abortion and the ways I tried to do so, I did not seem to be able to approach the issue creatively. This is the reason why I am suggesting allowance of space and time to unravel, depending on the individual’s need. My emotion of feeling incomplete and almost unable to identify important issues surrounding the topic and a denial in engaging with any creative medium raised the question of how an art therapist can embrace the state of their client’s reluctance to use the art materials.

Inspired by Tony Gum’s portraits I initially also experimented with self-portraiture. I came to realise the difference between self-portraiture and being an active participant in the process and staging an image. During the process of using self-portraiture I was able to reflect on the idea Tony Gum aimed to touch on; the sense of self being split and the duality of experiencing loss and also this sense of relief and overcoming. I aimed to explore the preconceived ideas regarding femininity and the body that are often attached to abortion. Adding to this, by becoming the focal point of my camera, I felt like regaining a sense of agency, which may have previously been lost. Sajnani (2003) speaks of the use of the body as a canvas in order to examine personal narratives and bias as important practice. I made a conscious choice of using film and analogue photography that required some time between the creative process and eventually printing and viewing the final piece. The break between the two may be symbolic of the time needed to re-engage with the themes depicted, similarly to Gum, who allowed herself 1 year in order to externalise her experience Figure 1.

Figure 1. Natalia Talamagka 2021. ‘Self portrait’ [Analogue photography].

After experimenting with self-portraiture, I attempted to use staged photography and capture another performer. The piece I created ‘That Censorious Eye’ (Figure 2) allowed me to deconstruct socially prescribed ideas concerning womanhood, abortion rights and the body in order to reconstruct it. In this piece, I aimed to depict the effect of the medical gaze on my own journey and deconstruct societal ideas regarding motherhood and femininity. The gloves as a crown are a significant symbol in the piece, as they aim to depict how power, gender and sexuality manifested in institutionalised, medical spaces. My use of black and white photography for my final piece, similarly to one of Gum’s pieces, symbolises traumatic memory and sadness and the process of dissociation. Not remembering is becoming a coping mechanism when feeling ‘on the edge of non-existence’, a ‘reality that, if I acknowledge it, annihilates me’ (Kristeva, 1982). Here client and art therapist is one, as I become an active participant in the therapeutic process. As an artist I am one with the object of the creation but also apart, but as an art therapist I am in a process of constantly redefining my process, what Robbins (1987) described as a dialect of ‘fusion and separateness’. Finally, some of the emotions Seftel refers to that are linked to the issue of abortion include space to express oneself, despair, guilt and rage, some of which are also present in Gum’s work. I also explored space and more specifically the medical space and how gender, class, sexuality and power manifests in that context.

Figure 2. Natalia Talamagka, 2021. ‘That Censorious Eye’ [Analogue photography].

Even though I initially experimented with photography, which seemed to be the most familiar and appropriate medium for me at the time in order to touch on and explore the issue of post-abortion, I felt that something was still missing. I have since read about the powerful effects of photo therapy in order to recreate narratives around identity and how beneficial it is to be able to narrate our own story, through memory. I was inspired by Jo Spence’s practice who, after being diagnosed with breast cancer, tried to find ways to represent herself even when she was still in the hospital, through a medium she had been really familiar with, photography. Jo Spence asked ‘how to represent myself to myself, through my own visual point of view, and how to find out what I needed and to articulate it and make sure I got it – ultimately wanting to make this visible to others?’ (Spence, 1988, p. 155). The question she sets; how to give one’s feelings visual form, made me reflect back on the issue of abortion, even though it is a topic with a completely different dynamic to what Spence touched on in her work, and how we can work with such trauma.

Allegranti (2009) speaks about the body and its use to unravel personal meanings and act as a means to deconstruct one’s preconceptions and personal biases. This idea made me reflect on both my experience of creating but also Gum’s work, where the body is central to the work, and the media used – self portraiture and staged photography – which was used by both the artist and me, could be seen as embodied practices in order to strengthen our memories. A question that would be worth considering when engaging with clients as in this case would be: Would photography be beneficial in order to regain control while being distant from the object and the theme? The client becomes an external observer and this may be helpful to address the previous feelings of dissociation.

Conclusion as call for action

The current paper draws to a great extent on the theory of intersectionality, gender based art therapy, and the work of authors, professors and social activists. Abortion is a topic that is still surrounded by a lot of stigma, shame, guilt and questions about morality and personal ethos, as stated above. As a result, there is a lot of research to be conducted around the topic in art therapy specifically.

Even though there is a lack of sources on this specific topic it appears that the lack of sensitivity towards this issue and the taboo surrounding abortion may result in an individual feeling alone and the need for space so that one can express oneself. For that reason, I argue that art therapy can provide the means for an individual to reclaim the space and recreate their own narrative after the experience of abortion. Such intimate experiences like pregnancy (loss) and (m)otherhood (Agarwal, 2022) are influenced by some deeply rooted patriarchal beliefs and stereotypes, hence the art therapist must be aware of their own biases and create a space where the client is allowed to challenge the conflict they may have come to face.

I understand the complexity of the topic and the fact that each individual’s experience may differ. However, I hope that this paper has contributed to opening up a conversation around abortion and the effect of the sociopolitical context of one’s journey, as well as how we can support the individuals who choose to bring this topic to the therapeutic space. Adding to this, I hope that this piece draws the readers to think further about art therapy as a safe space and art therapists to reflect on their own personal bias, as well as the impact of art therapists and other professionals holding space for their clients. I argue that art based self-reflexivity is a crucial practice in order to consciously dismantle personal bias and I propose that it can also be a way to examine how practice and theory come into action by using it as a research tool.

Since the topic is not yet researched to a great extent through an art therapy lens, future research could draw on how issues of safety and loss may manifest through art therapy. Finally, future research may be useful to explore the link between language and preconceived ideas around abortion and the effect of those on the body and the post-abortion experience.

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank Marygrace Berberian for so generously supporting me and continuously inspiring me throughout the process of writing.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Natalia Talamagka

Natalia Talamagka I am a recently qualified art psychotherapist and socially engaged artist. My art therapeutic work draws from my art practice as well as interdisciplinary research. The ‘personal as political’ is at the core of my work and my creative practice explores themes including intersectional abolitionist feminism, trauma, power dynamics and identity as well as how the interaction of these manifests in the space.