The Living Museum (1998)

At the Creedmoor Psychiatric Center in Queens New York Dr Janos Martin helps treat patients with severe mental illness by encouraging them to express themselves through art whether in paint sculpture or collage In vivid imagery brilliant closeups and delicate conversations director Jessica Yu presents the intricate often visionary work of these nontraditional artists allowing the patients to describe their approaches and processes in their own sometimes tangled words With patience and calm resilience Dr Martin offers feedback and ideas for best methods to the individual artists who sometimes scream or are in tears as he helps them displace their frustrations and demons onto canvas Seen as a collective these works illustrate the fine line between creativity and distress and illuminate the healing power of expression