Digital Art Therapy and Social Withdrawal in Japan
Article Information
Creative Arts Educ Ther (2022) 8(1):99–112 DOI: 10.15212/CAET/2022/8/16
Digital Art Therapy and Social Withdrawal in Japan
Abstract
This article discusses the use of digital art-making as an approach to examine the themes and outcomes of the Japanese mental health crisis, known as hikikomori, and its relationship to coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19). In Japan, more than 1 million people experience Hikikomori, which is characterized by self-isolation for a period of at least 6 months. With the technology generation on the rise and increased comfort in using social media for creative expression and communication, the use of digital art-making may offer a meaningful therapeutic mode to express thoughts and feelingsduring a time of social withdrawal. The work presented in this article was conducted as part of a year-long senior thesis for undergraduate BFA degree in art therapy at Endicott College in Beverly, MA, USA, while the first author was in isolation in Japan during the COVID-19 pandemic. Twelve hand-drawn digital paintings were created with Clip Studio Paint Pro for Windows. The paintings are discussed from the artist’s perspective on Hikikomori and while living in isolation during the pandemic. Further recommendations toward the use of digital art as a mode of art therapy for managing feelings of loneliness and depression are discussed.
Keywords: social isolation, Hikikomori, digital art, art therapy, Japan, undergraduate, arts-based research, COVID-19 pandemic
摘要
本文讨论了使用数字艺术创作作为一种方法来探讨日本心理健康危机(称为隐居青年，Hikikomori)的主题和结果，以及隐居现象与 2019 年冠状病毒 (COVID-19) 的关系。在日本，超过 100 万人经历过隐居(Hikikomori)，其特点是自我隔离至少 6 个月。随着科技一代的兴起，使用社交媒体进行创造性表达和交流的舒适度提高，使用数字艺术创作可能会在社交退缩的年代为表达思想和感受提供一种有意义的治疗模式。本文中介绍的工作是美国马萨诸塞州贝弗利市恩迪科特学院美术治疗本科学士学位为期一年的毕业论文的一部分，而作者在 COVID-19 全球疫情期间被隔离在日本。作者使用适用于微软的优动漫插画创作软件(Clip Studio Paint Pro)创作了十二幅手绘数字画作。这些绘画作品从艺术家的角度讨论了隐居现象(Hikikomori)以及在全球疫情期间的隔离生活。文章对使用数字艺术作为应对孤独和抑郁感的美术治疗模式也给出了进一步的建议。
关键词： 社会隔离, 隐居青年(Hikikomori), 数字艺术, 美术治疗, 日本, 本科生, 基于艺术的研究, COVID-19 全球疫情
