1 in 50 adults Americans experience obsessive-compulsive behavior during their lives. While OCD is a serious social disabling disorder, it has also become a source of inspiration for some artists.

Celebrating the creative power of obsession is an art exhibit at The Mills Gallery at the Boston Center for the Arts, called OCD. OCD is an exhibition of artists whose works study the pursuit of obsessive behavior.

"It could be argued that all forms of art making contain an element of obsession; it drives the will to create and underlies most great works. Though most artists accept their obsession as a means to an end, there are some who explore the nature of obsession, itself, and the statements that an obsessive act can make.

OCD delves into the phenomena with eight artists for whom obsession and compulsion are both the subject and the method of their work – Joseph Trupia, Nancy Havlick, Luke Walker, Morgan Phalen, Jennifer Schmidt, Chris Francione, Jason Dean, and Matthew Nash. These artists all work with methods that require extensive physical and emotional exertion, as well as finely tuned mental control. Each artist brings a different media to the exhibit, portraying their individual form of obsession. Their works range from the more traditionally grounded forms, like drawings, photographs, and prints, to works that are more playful in their media, such as sugar eggs or bubble wrap."

While neuroesthetics has focused on the neurobiology of creativity and the role of emotions in artistic expression, it would be valuable to extend the boundaries of research to include artists who exhibit OCD or even techies who have ADD.

Thanks to sumitsays for the pointer.

Update 4/9: Latest research on OCD via Nature neuropsychopharmacology --
Amygdala Volume Reductions in Pediatric Patients with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Treated with Paroxetine: Preliminary Findings