Throwing Out Anger
My final intervention project is titled “Throwing Out Anger”. In this project I wanted to experiment in the real world with the field of work I wish to eventually go into, which would be art therapy. Although it is slightly different from what would normally be presented in an art therapy setting, I went to Stumpy’s Hatchet House in Fairfield New Jersey, located at 373 US-46 West. This is where I met some people who were willing to be recorded and let me know what had angered them throughout their day. I approached them and asked groups of people whether they would be interested in participating in a school project. For those who said yes and queeried about what they had to do, I informed them that I would ask them what had made them angry/what they were angry about, prompted them to throw the axe, and then asked a couple of follow-up questions to see if they felt any relief from “throwing out their anger”.
I was inspired to do this project through a few different projects I had either participated in or seen. In my art therapy class: methods and techniques, we did an exercise where we took clay and threw it down at the table onto a clear acrylic board and yelled about things that bothered us. Another source of inspiration for me was through a TV show titled Only Murders in the Building (you can find it on hulu if you are interested!) and in season 2 there is a character named Alice who is an artist. She runs an exhibition and invites one of the main characters, Mabel Mora, to attend her exhibition. Alice and Mabel become friends and Alice invites Mabel to her art studio to destroy a sculpture she had created of Mabel as a form of art therapy. Another source of inspiration for me was auto-destructive art. With auto-destructive art, the process of creating involved its destruction, not an impulsive kind of destruction, but rather destruction that was purposeful. I suppose in a sense, Jean Tinguely and Raphael Montanez Ortiz were also inspirations. Tinguely's work - more specifically his piece "Homage to New York"- was inspiring through the thought of self destruction. People self destruct when they become too overwhelmed, overworked, stressed, so on and so forth. Raphael Montanez Ortiz was inspiring because of the actual act of destroying things publicly (for example a piano). In his Destructivist Manifesto calls to pay attention to the link between the inner relationships between the mind, body, and spirit.
In the “Why Artistic Activism” article, the text mentions that we as artists are “Free to experiment, we may identify and solve problems we didn't set out to solve, end-running the commonplace framing of politics to open up new possibilities for interpretation and reaction. Artistic activism, as an art form, is forever doing things and creating reactions that are unintended…” I felt that this was an experiment in itself as I tried getting other people involved after approaching them. In each group, made up of about 4-6 people, only one or two people were willing to get out of their comfort zone and participate. This in itself was also very difficult for me because I don’t like approaching people, I fear even having to order at a restaurant, so talking to strangers in itself is not a strong suit of mine.
In our Art of Activism textbook, in chapter 2, it is noted that, “Instead of striving to create masterpieces, we need to give ourselves permission to experiment in disasters: to muck about and test the ridiculous, absurd, silly, and, above all, stupid things. Unfundable things. Ultraviolent things. Insane things.” I believe this is related to my work because I don’t believe anyone was expecting to have a person approach them and ask them to be part of a project. It wasn’t meant to be perfect, and some people even missed the board when they threw the axe. It may have seemed crazy and stupid, but it was also a way to help them express their feelings in a healthy manner.
Besides healthily expressing feelings, there are also physical health benefits that can come from axe throwing. It is a full body workout- working the arms, shoulders, back, and core. On Stumpy's hatchet throwing website, insight is also offered through the improve reflexes, patience and concentration saying "By learning to remain calm, even in frustrating moments, you cultivate patience and self-control". Axe throwing can also help refine coordination, strength, and agility as well as sharpen hand-eye coordination. A professor of psychology- Rhonda Swickert- believes the activity is fun and okay to do with a clear head but cautions that sometimes the outlets and aggression can make things worse which is something that should always be taken into consideration. Although there is some negative feedback, there are some positive mental aspects that can be induced through axe throwing as well. There is improved mental focus, developed problem solving skills, reduces stress and anxiety, helps with anger management, and has the potential to boost confidence.
In the same chapter (chapter 2 of the Art of Activism textbook), there is also a statement that resonated with what I was working to accomplish. The quote goes, “There’s some movement toward this quest for an ideal, and it feels important — until you realize hours, days, or weeks have passed and you haven’t actually completed any-thing.” In the context of working towards inner peace, or maybe even in a place of healing, we need to reflect. Sometimes we don’t realize how our anger can stunt us and stunt our thoughts and our relationships with others, especially when we are mad at specific people in our lives. Someone who may have decided to participate in the recreational practice of axe throwing may not realize that they never got to where they wished to be in their journeys without possibly taking a second to self reflect.
Resources
The Center for Artistic Activism. “Why Artistic Activism?” The Center for Artistic Activism, 11 July 2024, c4aa.org/2018/04/why-artistic-activism.
Culture, OxStu. “The Curious Case of Auto-Destructive Art.” The Oxford Student, 13 Jan. 2019, www.oxfordstudent.com/2019/01/13/the-curious-case-of-auto-destructive-art/.
“Four Amazing Axe Throwing Benefits.” Stumpy’s Hatchet House, 1 Nov. 2024, www.stumpyshh.com/blog/four-amazing-axe-throwing-benefits/#:~:text=Improve%20Reflexes%2C%20Patience%2C%20and%20Concentration&text=As%20you%20refine%20your%20coordination,eye%20coordination%20along%20the%20way.
Jesse Dorris | 03 Dec 24, et al. “The Art of Destruction.” Frieze, www.frieze.com/article/art-destruction. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.
Lunsford, Erica. “Ax-Throwing Bars, ‘rage Rooms’ All the Rage, but Are They Good for Mental Health?” WCIV, abcnews4.com/news/local/ax-throwing-bars-rage-rooms-all-the-rage-but-are-they-good-for-mental-health. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.
“What Are the Mental Benefits of Axe Throwing?” Women Thrive Magazine, 30 Jan. 2024, womenthrivemagazine.com/what-are-the-mental-benefits-of-axe-throwing/.
YouTube, YouTube, www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUHPqewcvrU. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.
‘Destructive Therapy’ Lets Angry People Break Stuff Safely | WCBD News 2, www.counton2.com/news/south-carolina-news/destructive-therapy-lets-angry-people-break-stuff-safely/. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.
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