Migraine Art Exhibition

The 1 Million Dollar Headache

Introduction to "Mosaic Vision"

During the opening event of 'Mosaic Vision', 25th July 1991, Derek Robinson delivered the following introduction, excerpts of which have been published previously. This is the first unabridged publication of this unique document summarizing the development of the Migraine Art concept in the words of its originator.

Oliver Sacks (left) and Derek Robinson (right) at the 'Mosaic Vision' exibition at the Exploratorium in San Francisco, 25th July 1991.

Introduction to 'Mosaic Vision'

By Derek Robinson

I think I have told my story to the ladies and gentlemen of the press, radio and TV about a dozen times this week.

The only problem is that by the time they finished with it I did not recognize it. So, please excuse me if I read my notes very slowly as I am really interested in knowing what it has all been about.

If I am to be honest, I must admit that the concept of Migraine Art came about as a result of a marketing exercise for my company.

In 1972, I was asked to produce a slide tape programme on migraine. However my main problem was finding a way to illustrate it.

I could, of course, have used some of the graphs or statistics produced by epidemiological surveys, or I could have lifted some of the illustrations from one of Dr Sacks' books.

But those ideas weren't quite the answer.

But then I heard about a doctor in Birmingham who had a patient who believed that the only way she could really convey the misery caused by her migraine, was to paint what she saw and felt before, during, and after an attack.

The doctor, a general practitioner, arranged for me to meet this lady, so with the aid of a tape recorder and a very open mind, I found the basis of a script for my programme and some great illustrations.

I also got a very clear idea of the misery that migraine can cause.

Here are some of the things she said during our first meeting.

"Migraine is so often thought of as just pains in the head and nothing more. This is certainly not so in my case. I seem to get a general upset of sensation all over the body. I especially notice the prickling in the fingers. On the worst days however, the pain is concentrated in the head. First of all I sense a general soreness but then the pain seems to rise from inside my skull and force its way outside my head.

Then I get a throbbing in my ears and where there was just prickling in my fingers, there's now a tingling sensation all over the place, even up my nose, as if I'd sniffed pepper or something like that.

No two attacks are alike of course - sometimes the pain is like a tight band across the head, producing a general sort of ache, whereas other times I feel as if a spade blade of intense pain from above my eyes was cutting through to the back of my head, from where it sends a shaft of pain downward to the base of my skull.

Like most other people suffering from migraine I get visual disturbances of course, and I've tried to depict these in my paintings, but it's a little different at times, as patterns change in form, or perhaps remembering them in a series that you put together.

However, there have been times when I thought that my hands and arms were so enormous that they touched the floor and I had to keep looking at them to convince myself that they were the right size. I couldn't help wondering then if anyone else would notice - but I don't suppose they ever did. They probably noticed the problems I had with my speech though. I'd find myself using the wrong words - completely nonsensical words, and the fact that my speech was slurred, as if I was drunk didn't help matters. If they laughed at my mistakes the sounds seemed to impinge on my skin and I'd try to brush them off with my enormous hands.

I'd say my biggest problem is that I'm terribly afraid of making social arrangements. I can't say that I'll go away for a weekend or anything like that because I might get an attack while I'm there. It's not just a matter of keeping a stiff upper lip because once an attack starts you disintegrate and you really don't want to see your friends when you're in that state."

The words of just one of the millions of migraine sufferers.

We can now fast forward to the late 70s when I was approached by the Chairman of the British Migraine Association, which is a patient orientated charity group, and asked if I had any ideas on how they could get some publicity.

It took me a little time to come up with anything worth pursuing, when the idea came it seemed a sensible one. If one patient can paint a migraine then maybe there are others who can do the same thing, so let's organize a competition!

I'm glad to say my company, Boehringer Ingelheim Limited, liked the idea and agreed to sponsor the first British National Migraine Art Competition.

We received around 300 entries, some illustrating pain, some illustrating visual disturbances, some showing the effect that migraine had on the artist's life and some I still can't understand.

There were entries from 7 year olds and entries from senior citizens.

They were judged by a panel consisting of a representative of the British Migraine Association, an art historian, Dr Marcia Wilkinson, a consultant neurologist who is to migraine in the UK what Dr Sacks is to migraine in the US, and myself as chairman of the panel.

We have now had four Migraine Art Competitions, as a result of which I have in my office the world's largest collection of Migraine Art − some 600 or so pieces.

This collection is used regularly by newspapers and journals throughout the world as we are able to supply transparencies to illustrate almost any article on migraine.

In addition to this, many neurologists on both sides of the Atlantic are using the material for teaching purposes.

I should also mention that in 1984 we produced a film, "The Art of Migraine", which gained a silver award in the British Medical Association Film Competition.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the story so far.

It has given me a great deal of satisfaction building up a collection which took me to Boston two years ago and has brought me to this wonderful city of San Francisco.

You know, I'll really be able to identify with Tony Bennett whenever I hear him sing that song again!

At this point I would like to thank Claire Pillsbury for having such a great idea in inviting me to come to the Exploratorium. I really couldn't think of a more suitable venue for the show.

It has been a great experience for me and I will miss the wonderful atmosphere and the terrific staff here when I return to the UK tomorrow.

In conclusion, may I say that in my opinion Migraine Art has helped migraine sufferers to express themselves. It has helped other sufferers realise that they are not alone in what they see and feel, and it has helped doctors understand their patients a great deal more.

And, finally it has helped Dr Sacks illustrate some of his great books.

What more could I ask?

Oliver Sacks' revised and expanded edition of "Migraine" (1992): Dedication from the author to Derek Robinson, 5th May 1993.

References

Podoll K. Derek Robinson's audiovisual programme 'In the Picture - A Personal View of Migraine': The cradle of the Migraine Art concept. Neurol Psychiat Brain Res 2001; 9: 17-22.
Sacks OW. Migraine. Revised and expanded. University of California Press, Berkeley-Los Angeles-Oxford 1992.

Author: Klaus Podoll
Last modification of this page: Tue. June 29. 2004

Migraine Art Exhibition

The 1 Million Dollar Headache

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