Inside Out: Thoughts about the Frame in Art Therapy

Abstract

This article presents some initial thoughts about the frame in art therapy. Frame in Focus is the title of a film made by the author and Errol Fernandes, which was screened in Film Space as part of the afternoon events of the International Art Therapy Conference 2016. These thoughts came out of our discussions during the making of the film, discussions with audiences following screenings, and discussions with two colleagues, Sally Skaife and Jon Martyn, as part of a research project. I begin with the relationship between boundary and frame in the context of the audience viewing the art, then look at some examples of exhibiting and the ethical issues involved. The ethical issues arising from the film are explored.

Keywords: Boundaries, frame, exhibiting, film, ethics, art therapy