The Intra-subjective Artistic Third and Symbolic Inner Witness: A Psychoanalytic Phenomenology of the Painters' Creative Process

The Intra-subjective Artistic Third and Symbolic Inner Witness: A Psychoanalytic Phenomenology of the Painters' Creative Process | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article The Intra-subjective Artistic Third and Symbolic Inner Witness: A Psychoanalytic Phenomenology of the Painters' Creative Process Mehrnaz Mesbah, Zohreh Khosravi, Azadeh Tavoli, Shaghayegh Zahraei This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-6740404/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 5 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Background The relationship between psychoanalysis and art has a long and complex history. Since Freud, many other analysts have explored creativity and artistic expression through a psychoanalytic lens. However, much of the literature focuses on the final product, mostly from a pathological point of view. Objective The current study aimed to explore the creative act process, focusing on the artists’ narrative of the creative process. Method This study employed a qualitative design using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 25 professional painters and thematically analysed through a contemporary psychoanalytic lens. To enhance phenomenological and theoretical validity, this study introduced the Participant-Validated Hermeneutic Attunement (PVHA) protocol, an original model in which the final manuscript was shared with all interviewees for structured feedback, ensuring (1) no disclosure of sensitive content, (2) interpretive accuracy, and (3) phenomenological coherence Results The data revealed five key themes across artists’ narratives: (1) the unconscious as the source of creativity, (2) metaphor and symbolization translating raw emotion, (3) time as a container for unconscious material, (4) repetition as a means of psychic processing, and (5) integration into a coherent narrative. This final theme encapsulates the entire creative process, metabolizing chaotic and fragmented unconscious content into cohesive aesthetic expressions. Conclusion Based on the findings, this study proposes two original conceptual constructs to describe the dynamics of the creative process: the Intra-subjective Artistic Third , a dynamic and autonomous psychic presence that emerges from the internal dialogue between conscious intentionality and unconscious spontaneity, enabling the transformation of the self; and the Symbolic Inner Witness , a reflective function that facilitates the symbolic observation of inner experience, particularly previously unformulated material, linking past and present selves across psychic time. These constructs frame painting as both a form of free association and a nonverbal reverie that metabolizes raw, unprocessed psychic content into coherent symbolic expression. Psychoanalysis Painting Creative Process Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Introduction “All creation is really a re-creation of a once loved and once whole, but now lost and ruined object, a ruined internal world and self. It is when the world within us is destroyed, when it is dead and loveless, when our loved ones are in fragments, and we ourselves in helpless despair - it is then that we must recreate our world anew, reassemble the pieces, infuse life into dead fragments, recreate life.” [ 1 ]. The historical entwinement of psychoanalysis and art has been both enduring and conceptually rich. From Freud's foundational inquiries onward, psychoanalysts have explored creativity through a psychoanalytic lens. Yet, most literature emphasizes the final product, often through a pathologizing lens, while neglecting the artist’s lived experience and the psychological dynamics of the creative act [ 2 – 4 ]. His gap is particularly pronounced in Persian-language research and studies on Iranian artists. Furthermore, dominant frameworks privilege the analyst’s external perspective, interpreting artworks as symbolic texts while overlooking the subjective process of creation. While painting’s physical stages are acknowledged, this study focuses on the psychological layers that shape and are shaped by the act of creation, emphasizing the reciprocal interplay between unconscious dynamics and artistic expression. The research foregrounds artists’ self-narratives, using their reflections to explore how inner experience is expressed through form, structure, and process. It asks: How do professional painters describe the psychological and emotional function of painting in their lives? How do their experiences inform the evolving artwork? And which psychoanalytic concepts best articulate these dynamics? This research also stems from the researcher’s dual involvement in psychoanalysis and visual art. Through this lens, artistic creation emerged as a dynamic site for articulating and transforming unconscious experience. This dual perspective led to an intuitive recognition of the “unconscious as a wise and guiding force” [ 5 ], central to both analysis and artistic creation. Encounters with artists confirmed that artworks, like dreams, carry layered and concealed psychic content. The study was motivated by a clinical and theoretical interest in how creative acts structure psychic life. From this interpretive and experiential foundation, three original contributions emerged that shape the present study’s theoretical and methodological framework. The first two are theoretical constructs: the Intra-subjective Artistic Third , which conceptualizes an autonomous psychic presence generated through the internal dialogue between conscious intentionality and unconscious spontaneity; and the Symbolic Inner Witness , a reflective function that facilitates symbolic observation of inner experience across psychic time. Methodologically, the study proposes the Participant-Validated Hermeneutic Attunement (PVHA) protocol to enhance phenomenological validity and ethical rigor by engaging participants as reflective partners in the interpretive process. Together, these contributions expand theoretical and methodological understanding of how unconscious processes unfold within the creative act. Literature Review Psychoanalytic theories of art and creativity can be categorized both conceptually and historically. They range from classical approaches focused on defense mechanisms and repressed desires to contemporary views emphasizing object relations, lived experience, symbolization, and psychological coherence. 1-,Sublimation, Regression, and Wish Fulfillment in Creativity This approach views creativity primarily as a defensive process or a representation of unconscious desires. Sigmund Freud and his colleague Ernest Jones regarded art as a window into psychic mechanisms, focusing less on the creative process and more on hidden motivations. Initially framing artistic creation as wish fulfillment akin to childhood fantasy, they later introduced sublimation, wherein unacceptable impulses, especially sexual, are transformed into culturally valued forms. For Freud, artworks like Leonardo da Vinci’s were sophisticated sublimations of repressed desires [ 1 ]. Both Freud and Jones considered art, like dreams, to symbolically express repressed conflict, often tied to childhood and the Oedipus complex. Freud interpreted Michelangelo’s Moses as reflecting repressed aggression, [ 6 ]; whereas Jones explored how myths and imagery revealed primal fears or unconscious trauma [ 7 ]. However, critics argue that their analyses overly reduce artistic complexity to symbolic content, neglecting formal, stylistic, and aesthetic dimensions [ 8 , 9 ]. Ernst Kris, a close associate and student of Freud, sought to expand classical psychoanalytic concepts by integrating them with art history to offer a more nuanced understanding of artistic creativity. As both a psychoanalyst and art historian, Kris explored the psychology of creativity, the unconscious’s role in artistic production, and the distinction between artistic expression and psychopathology. He proposed that creativity involves a controlled regression to unconscious states, unlike psychosis, where regression is involuntary and disruptive, the artist temporarily accesses primal fantasies while maintaining contact with reality. He termed this process “regression in the service of the ego,” highlighting the ego’s capacity to shape unconscious material into meaningful, consciously processed artworks [ 10 ]. As a key figure in ego psychology, Kris shifted focus from Freud’s id-centered model to the adaptive functions of the ego [ 11 ]. 2- Transitional Space, Primary Experience, and Object Relations Ella Freeman Sharpe (1875–1947), a British psychoanalyst and literary scholar, linked poetic devices like metaphor and metonymy to Freud’s dream mechanisms, suggesting that metaphor reflects unconscious conflict [ 12 ]. Though rooted in classical psychoanalysis through her focus on sublimation and wish-fulfillment, her attention to the body, language, and early development also aligns her with object relations and contemporary theory[ 13 ]. Initially influenced by Melanie Klein, [ 14 ], Sharpe later critiqued Klein’s rigid symbolic interpretations, favoring the British Independent Group’s more nuanced, literary approach to symbolism [ 15 ]. Donald Winnicott, a key figure in the British Independent Group, redefined the link between internal fantasy and external reality through his concepts of the transitional object and transitional space. The transitional object, such as a baby’s blanket, symbolizes the infant’s initial separation from the mother, marking the start of individuation. It occupies a "potential space" where internal experience and external reality overlap, fostering symbolic thought, play, and creativity. Winnicott viewed culture as an extension of these transitional phenomena, a shared human tradition that individuals and groups can engage with, provided they have space to contain what they discover (Winnicott, 1967; Fuller, 1980). This concept later became foundational in psychoanalytic approaches to art and creativity. Building on Winnicott, psychoanalyst and painter Marion Milner introduced the idea of an initial state of “oneness” or “illusion,” where no clear boundary exists between inner and outer reality, and where the artist merges with the work[ 16 ]. She also proposed the “framed gap”, a bounded space separating the symbolic realm (which is inside the frame) from the real one (which is outside it) [ 3 ]. Departing from traditional frameworks, theorists such as Anton Ehrenzweig and René Spitz explored artistic creativity through object relations theory and early developmental stages. Influenced by Melanie Klein, Ehrenzweig introduced a three-phase model: (1) Fragmentation, where unconscious, disjointed elements are projected into the work, reflecting the paranoid-schizoid phase; (2) Undifferentiation, a fluid, immersive state of creative flow; and (3) Integration, where coherence is restored, akin to the depressive position [ 17 ]. 3- Contemporary psychoanalysis Ellen Handler Spitz categorizes psychoanalytic approaches to art into three main strands. The first is the Freudian model, which adopts a pathographic lens, interpreting artworks as expressions of neurosis and sublimated unconscious conflict. The second perspective is the ego psychology perspective, which treats the artwork not as evidence of pathology but as a relatively autonomous product of the ego[ 18 ]. Spitz argues that artists not only transform lived experience into art but also reconstruct and process their past through it[ 19 ]. The third approach is the aesthetic approach, which is aligned with Winnicottian and Kleinian thought, and views art as a transitional, playful space that invites reflective and creative engagement with the viewer’s inner world [ 20 ]. George Hagman provides key psychoanalytic insights into artistic creativity, emphasizing the interplay between unconscious process and conscious control. In The Artist’s Mind , he describes a “creative trance” where these boundaries blur [ 21 ]. Viewing art as both expression and psychological processing, he links stylistic changes to artists’ emotional development. Challenging pathologizing views, Hagman adopts an intersubjective framework, framing aesthetic experience as relational and essential, rather than merely neurotic projection [ 22 ]. Joyce McDougall explores the intersection of violence, creativity, and psychoanalysis, arguing that artistic creation inherently involves elements of inner aggression. The artist performs a form of symbolic transgression by imposing imagination on raw material, such as color, words, or sound[ 23 ]. Like children’s play, this process allows for the expression and transformation of fear and psychic conflict, offering a potential for psychological repair[ 24 ]. Gilbert Rose traced the evolution of psychoanalytic theories of creativity, shifting from Freud’s conflict-based model to approaches rooted in self psychology, object relations, and ego psychology. He viewed artistic creation as a symbolic integration of primary and secondary perception, fostering psychological cohesion [ 25 ]. Rose also described art as a “holding environment” that organizes emotional tension and supports integration [ 26 ]. Aesthetic experience, for him, reactivates early emotional states [ 27 ]. and defends against psychic fragmentation by preserving boundaries and meeting psychological needs [ 28 ]. Psychoanalytic theory has shifted from pathologizing creativity to recognizing it as a process of repair, integration, and transformation. Artistic creation is now seen as a dynamic act of meaning-making and psychic renewal. This study explores the creative process in painting through a psychoanalytic lens, focusing on the artist’s psychological trajectory. Methodology Design This study employed an interpretive phenomenological analysis, a methodology centered on understanding how individuals ascribe meaning to their lived experiences [ 29 ]. Sampling A purposive sampling method was employed to recruit 25 professional painters with at least five years of continuous practice, ensuring rich, experience-based insights into the psychological aspects of artistic creation. Participants were identified via online searches and social media (e.g., email, Instagram, LinkedIn) using keywords related to painting practices. Semi-structured interviews, guided by an initial set of 25 open-ended questions, evolved iteratively based on emerging themes. The sample was diverse in nationality, gender (56% female, 44% male), age (30–77), and style. While 32% were Iranian, 68% were non-Iranian. Most were multidisciplinary artists, though painting remained their primary focus. Table 1 shows demographic characteristics of the participants. Search strategy A comprehensive literature search, spanning 1900 (marking Freud’s foundational contributions) to 2025, was conducted in both English and Persian across major databases: Scopus, Web of Science, ProQuest, PubMed, Google Scholar, PEP Web, ScienceDirect, JSTOR, Google Books, Elsevier, Noormags, and SID. The sources included peer-reviewed articles, academic books, and relevant theses. Data Collection Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, allowing flexibility to explore personal narratives. Depending on location and access, interviews were conducted via video/audio calls or written responses. The protocol covered four themes: (1) demographics, (2) artistic trajectories, (3) psychological traits, and (4) impactful life events. Insights from initial interviews led to iterative refinement and follow-up questions in a second round. Improvisational dialogue enabled the emergence of unexpected themes. Most interviews were conducted by the researcher; for high-profile artists, prior media interviews were analyzed. Supplementary sources, such as personal notes, autobiographies, and critical reviews, were also reviewed and integrated into the coding process, allowing a hermeneutic synthesis of primary and secondary data. Data Analysis The interviews were analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) as outlined by Smith and Nizza, involving six iterative stages[30, 31]. Reading and re-reading: transcripts were closely examined alongside audio/video recordings to capture paralinguistic and non-verbal cues. Initial note-taking, involved three layers: (a) Descriptive annotations focused on participants’ explicit content, serving as in vivo codes; (b) Linguistic analysis captured metaphor, repetition, and affective tones to uncover implicit meaning; and (c) Conceptual abstraction involved synthesizing notes into proto-themes that reflected deeper psychological constructs while staying grounded in participants’ narratives. Generating Emergent Themes: Interpretive notes were reintegrated into transcripts, refining the dataset by pruning redundancies and preserving meaningful patterns. Focus shifted from raw data to psychologically resonant themes (e.g., “canvas as a framed gap”), balancing participant fidelity with abstraction and highlighting latent dynamics for deeper analysis. Inter-thematic Relationships: Themes were grouped into conceptual clusters on the basis of their semantic and psychological affinities. A hierarchical taxonomy was built, distinguishing core and peripheral themes. Iterative review ensured methodological reflexivity, producing a structural model of participants’ psychological and creative processes. Sequential Case Analysis: Each case was analyzed independently, with prior interpretations bracketed to reduce bias. Yet insights evolved recursively, enriching depth and cross-case coherence. Thematic matrices were created for each participant, reflecting individual experiential architectures. Cross-Case Synthesis: A meta-analysis revealed shared motifs (e.g., “fluid artistic identity”) and divergent paths. Themes were reorganized hierarchically as universal, group-specific, or idiosyncratic. The final meta-thematic table mapped interrelations among subthemes (e.g., “destruction, recreation” under “repetition”). Validity and Quality Assessment of the Research This study assessed validity and quality through a dual framework: the development of a novel protocol, Participant-Validated Hermeneutic Attunement (PVHA), and the integration of established qualitative validation criteria. Figure 1 illustrates the tripartite approach to validity assessment adopted in this study. Together, these approaches ensured rigor across three interrelated dimensions: Phenomenological Validity , affirming fidelity to participants' lived experiences; Theoretical Validity , verifying congruence between findings and psychoanalytic theory; and Methodological Validity , confirming systematic, transparent research practices. The use of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), supported by the researcher’s clinical psychoanalytic expertise, enabled a nuanced exploration of painters lived experiences. Through "systematic theme extraction”, interpretations were empirically grounded in verbatim narratives, while theoretical robustness was achieved by embedding findings within psychoanalytic frameworks. To enhance ethical rigor, Phenomenological and Theoretical Validity, the PVHA protocol was implemented. Figure 2 illustrates the Participant-Validated Hermeneutic Attunement (PVHA) protocol developed for this study. Grounded in critical hermeneutics [ 32 ] and participatory action research [ 33 ] PVHA aligned researcher interpretations with participants’ self-understandings. The final manuscript was shared with all interviewees for structured feedback, ensuring (1) no disclosure of sensitive content, (2) interpretive accuracy, and (3) phenomenological coherence, ensuring they resonated with the artists’ subjective realities. This participatory validation deepened methodological integrity, reinforcing the study’s innovative contribution to phenomenological research and its alignment with the psychological complexity of artistic creation. PVHA redefines participant feedback as a “co-analytical act,” promoting “epistemic equity” by treating participants as hermeneutic partners. This approach addresses critiques of traditional triangulation[ 34 ] by prioritizing dialogic reciprocity over procedural verification, thereby advancing methodological innovation in arts-based qualitative inquiry. The study’s validity was also assessed using Yardley’s qualitative criteria: Sensitivity to Context through purposive sampling and in-depth engagement; Commitment and Rigor via systematic data collection and iterative IPA coding; Transparency and Coherence through detailed documentation and analytic alignment; and Impact and Importance by addressing core questions about creativity and offering new psychoanalytic insights[ 35 ]. Additionally, an Independent Audit , based on Yin’s chain of evidence, ensured traceability and credibility. Rather than seeking consensus, the audit emphasized methodological transparency and acknowledged interpretive plurality through multi-level checks of coding, thematic integrity, and analytic coherence[ 36 ]. Findings The data revealed common themes among painters, demonstrating significant shared experiences in their creative processes. These themes, exemplified through individual accounts, include metaphor and symbol, time, the unconscious, repetition, and coherence. Collectively, these themes converge into the overarching concept of "integration and coherent narrative," reflecting diverse dimensions of artistic creation. Table 2 displays the structure of themes identified in the findings. 1. Metaphor and Symbol: All painters utilized metaphor and symbolism explicitly and implicitly. For example: Artist No. 12 stated: “I see myself as a filter. The studio is essentially a reservoir where I express the energies [I've experienced in the world; otherwise, I would explode,” illustrating metaphors of purification and containment. Artist No. 8: “A true artist dives to the bottom of the ocean, while a non-artist remains on the shore.” Here, diving, the ocean, and the shore function as metaphors for immersion and risk, artistic endeavor, and comfort-seeking, respectively. Artist No. 6: “I usually depict cities from a distance, rarely capturing close-up views. This may reflect emotional, social, or even political dimensions beyond the act of painting. The city resists closeness, it says: ‘Don’t come any nearer.” Initially presented as a literal spatial separation, the notion of distance becomes a symbolic expression of the artist’s inner estrangement. It may also represent a deeper psychic distancing from the ‘inner city’, suggesting that the city itself functions as a metaphor for the artist’s internal world. 2. Time Time emerged as a prominent and persistent theme in both the language and artwork of the painters, approached from multiple angles and imbued with diverse meanings. For these artists, “time” is not merely a physical or calendrical dimension but a dynamic, multilayered concept that shapes creative flow, material choices, thematic concerns, and self-perception. 2.1. A Medium for Transformation Artist No. 22: “My work has gradually shifted toward greater simplicity and minimalism over time. The range of colors and forms has become increasingly restrained.” 2.1.1. A Catalyst for Evolving Understanding Artist No. 6: “My 2016 piece proved itself to me over time. Initially, I wasn’t especially fond of it. Many works create a momentary ‘click,’ but it’s not always reliable. My sense of satisfaction emerges gradually.” 2.1.2. An Agent of Decay Artist No. 7: “The composition and coloring of my paintings often evoke blurred images seen through glass. My gaze is directed at a lost historical grandeur.” 2.1.3. A Framework for Processing the World Artist No. 20: “I try to create work that slows time, capturing fleeting moments in a fast-moving world and resisting their disappearance.” 2.2. A Medium for and a Reflection of Inner Tempo and Processing Method Artist No. 1: “The materials I use in painting are crucial. Rubber feels chaotic and fast, while polymer is calm and precise.” Artist No. 22: “I could never be a miniaturist; I don’t have the patience. I crave speed. I want to finish a piece in a single session. Etching metal annoys me. Acrylic, combining the qualities of watercolor and oil, dries quickly and allows layering without long delays. If the process takes too long, it frustrates me.” 2.3. Time as Closure Artist No. 7: “I dislike oil paint because it never really sets. You can always fix or conceal mistakes. There’s no definitive endpoint. With an airbrush, there’s no room for correction. I mix colors only once and finish the work in one go.” 2.4. Time as Trace and Record Artist No. 19: “The trace of my love for time is evident in my work. Art resembles the act of recording time, the artist’s time. Viewing a piece means witnessing the artist’s physical imprint in space and time, echoing markings from cave walls to the present.” Artist No. 7: “My work is highly transparent. Even the underlying sketches are often visible.” 2.5. Return and Reworking Artist No. 8: “I revisit and revise some works. My art holds strong psychoanalytic significance for me. Even the varnish I use allows re-entry, so I can continue working on a piece later.” 3. The Unconscious at the Helm of Creation Many artists describe a creative process that emerges not from conscious, deliberate thinking, but from the depths of the unconscious. Ideas, images, and concepts unfold not as rational decisions but as layered, gradual, and intuitive flows. As Artist 7 puts it, “technique is merely a path; the essence of creation is indescribable, shaped by an unconscious forged through constant repetition, practice, and reflection, something akin to a sacred inner flame as if it’s coming from somewhere else.” Artist 8 adds that "painting transforms the unconscious into consciousness. While surface-level reasons may be offered for artistic choices, the deeper motive often remains elusive, as if the artist becomes an instrument for a force beyond themselves." Artist 23 similarly prefers not to overthink the process, allowing composition and color to emerge intuitively and prioritizing momentary feeling and unconscious impulses over predetermined subjects or rational planning. 3.1. The Independent Identity of Paintings A significant indicator of the unconscious nature of artistic creation is the sense that the artworks possess an identity distinct from their creator. Artist 11 notes, “Sometimes I feel as though my paintings are entities of their own, with their own unique reality.” Artist 4 emphasizes that one should not wait for a brilliant idea to begin painting; rather, trust must be placed in the material at hand and in what begins to emerge before one’s eyes, something that holds an existence independent from the artist. Artist 13 echoes this sentiment, stating that a painting grows on its own, and the artist merely responds to what unfolds on the canvas, beyond their conscious control. 3.2. The Spark of Initiation According to the artists, the initial impulse for a painting often arises either from an external encounter or from an internal experience. These encounters may be spontaneous and unexplainable, or consciously sought. In all cases, each artwork begins at a contact point between the artist and their unconscious psyche. 3.2.1. Research, Data Gathering, and Exploration For many painters, the creation process is not spontaneous but involves extensive research and data collection. Artist 5 explains, “I don’t just get an idea and start working. I’m constantly researching on Google, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube. I watch many films, freeze frames, and sometimes a scene transforms into a painting.” Artist 2 shares a passion for research, facts, and collecting ideas and histories, emphasizing that ultimately, the space of imagination is what brings it all together. 3.2.2. Accidental Encounter In contrast to deliberate research, many initial ideas for a painting arise unexpectedly,through spontaneous encounters with external objects, events, or scenes, or internal moments such as a sudden memory or emotion. These experiences, though seemingly random, often carry a powerful resonance that sparks the creative process without conscious intent or planning. The artist may not immediately understand why a particular image or feeling captures their attention, but it becomes the point of departure for the work. Artist 4 explains, “There must always be an encounter with something outside the studio, perhaps a general question, a desire, or an inner conflict.” Artist 7 adds, “I find it curious why a certain image or object appeals to me and initiates a new work.” 3.3. An Unconscious Necessity For some artists, painting is not a matter of choice but an unavoidable necessity. While the underlying reasons for this necessity may differ, what unites these artists is the unconscious nature of this drive, a compelling inner force that propels them forward without conscious intent or understanding. Artist 8 reflects: “I used to draw people just to keep them alive in my memory. Painting wasn’t a choice; it was essential. It came on its own. Like seeing or speaking, it was simply a tool that was always with me. Other artists would often say of me, ‘He wakes up with painting and sleeps with painting. We don’t know if he’s making the painting or the painting is making him.’” Artist 19 notes: “At some point, you realize that creating art is your destiny, and that you are incapable of doing anything else. It feels like an inner spiritual calling.” 4. Repetition Another key theme in this research is the role of repetition in the creative process, often serving varied and significant functions. 4.1. Control Repetition appears as a means to gain mastery and control. Artist 3 states: “I don’t like to admit this, but repetition means being in control, because what I repeat are the things that fall within my physical capabilities.” 4.2. Cycles of Destruction and Reconstruction For some artists, repetition emerges as a dynamic interplay between erasure and renewal, a process rooted in deconstruction and reformation. Artist 10 explains: “I paint, erase, and repaint the same surface. It’s an ongoing dance between destroying and rebuilding.” Artist 2, who also works with collage, states: “I use surfaces from unfinished or unsatisfactory paintings, often on wood, which I cut into pieces and reuse in new collages. Painting doesn’t necessarily provide answers, but it acknowledges complexity, layering, and cyclical patterns. One of the newer themes in paintings is this sense of cyclical change, how things repeat and evolve. Growth is not a final destination but a layered, intricate progression. This repetition and circularity reflect human nature, they’re not flaws, but part of its intrinsic beauty.” 4.3. Thematic Repetition in Paintings Artist 5 notes: “Most of my paintings depict militaristic environments, often featuring a soldier. Human figures in my work generally appear in the form of soldiers, perhaps rooted in my own military service. During the Iran-Iraq war, soldiers were omnipresent, and images of the fallen soldiers filled the city during my adolescence.” 4.4. Repetition of a Significant Past Experience Artist 8 reflects: “As a child, I blamed myself for others’ absence. But through my work, I no longer carry that relationship. I can sleep in the middle of a painting session, then resume the piece seamlessly, continuity is preserved.” 5. Integration: The Formation of a Coherent Narrative All the themes explored in this study can be subsumed under the broader concept of integration . At times, artists explicitly reference art’s integrative function, while in other cases, this function emerges implicitly through their descriptions of the creative process. This integration occurs both internally, through the processing of experience, the attribution of meaning, and the pursuit of psychological coherence, and externally, in the compositional act of combining disparate elements into a unified whole. Artist 13 remarks: “I’m drawn to things that are both natural and cultivated. In painting, colors can be chaotic and disordered, and I try to cultivate them, to shape a rhythm and harmony, and draw forms out of that chaos.” Artist 14 adds: “Centuries after Caspar David Friedrich, I too gather fragments from our collective imagery and place them within a kind of psychedelic landscape. Great art pulls you in, breaks you apart, and reconstructs you.” Artist 19 states: “Art is self-creation, self-construction, and reconstruction, a process, like distilling oneself again and again.” 5.1. Understanding the Self and the World For many painters, the act of creation is not merely a vehicle for emotional expression but also a cognitive tool for reflection, discovery, and meaning-making. Painting becomes a mode of thinking, a way to grasp what initially appears vague or ineffable. 5.1.1. A Way of Thinking and Knowing Artist 6: “I paint to understand the things I don’t yet comprehend.” Artist 8: “I come to understand people through painting, faces reveal who they are.” Artist 4: “The studio is a space for building and meaning-making, for discovering the limits of the self and the imagination… This intuitive painting process has introduced me to a different way of thinking and knowing the world, one distinct from conscious knowing.” 5.1.2 A Mode of Self-Expression: A Pathway to Self-Understanding For many artists, painting becomes a primary mode of expression, especially when verbal language proves insufficient. Artist 5 explains: “I’ve always avoided words. It’s as if I tried to compensate through painting. For me, it’s a descriptive tool that allows me to express my inner and mental world, thoughts that overwhelm me like an avalanche, or emotions I can't articulate elsewhere. It’s an essential tool for me.” 5.2 Personal Myth or Autobiographical Narrative Through painting, artists not only understand themselves and their surroundings but also shape personal myths, unique narratives that give coherence to their lives. Artist 4 reflects: “Ultimately, the works you create over a lifetime are a form of self-description. At that point, what you paint becomes secondary, whether it’s a tree, a face, or a teapot, it reveals who you are.” Artist 5 adds: “Only a few of my works are deeply personal to me, especially those tied to my own experience. Some feel like self-portraits, or pieces with which I deeply engaged emotionally. One particular work stands out as the most significant; it shaped my artistic path, references an important art historical moment, and simultaneously represents both myself and the era I lived in.” Artist 3 concludes: “I believe the artist’s role is to offer their own interpretation of their personal response to the world, even if that world, like mine, is a very small one.” 5.3 Connection and Unity with the World and Humanity For many painters, art is not merely a means of personal expression but a way of connecting with others, understanding shared human experiences, and establishing a deeper bond with the world. Artist 2 notes: “Transformation occurs through the coming together of individuals and personal change. I believe the power of art lies in this interpersonal interaction, which can eventually expand outward.” Artist 5 reflects: “We humans are deeply interconnected, like links in a chain. The world, while vast and diverse, is also intimate and internal. Within us, there is a galaxy, a divinity.” Artist 9 adds: “It is the depth of our inner life that connects us to others. Figure 3 provides an overview of the shared themes identified among the painters. Discussion This study investigated the creative process of painting through artists’ own narratives, supported by the researcher’s psychoanalytic interpretation. It examined the reciprocal influence between artistic creation and the artist’s psychological state, exploring how these dynamics manifest throughout the process. The findings revealed a common psychological trajectory shared by most artists, regardless of gender, age, nationality, or artistic style, highlighting a universal psychic process within the act of creation. In addition to these shared patterns, nuanced differences emerged. Some variations reflected individual traits, while others were linked to broader factors such as gender, age, cultural background, and artistic experience. Notably, men often focused on themes of historical narrative, collective identity, and external crisis, while women engaged more with internal states, bodily memory, emotional reintegration, and relational dynamics. These thematic distinctions also manifested linguistically: women tended to use cognitive and affective verbs, whereas men preferred action-oriented language. From a psychoanalytic perspective, the observed gender differences may reflect distinct orientations: women appeared more attuned to inner reality, while men engaged more with external structures. These contrasts suggest differing modes of psychological processing, particularly in how unconscious material is accessed, symbolized, and integrated into creative work. Age also played a role in shaping the creative process. Older artists tended to focus more on constructing coherent personal narratives and integrating fragmented aspects of the self. This suggests that age influences which phase of the creative journey the psyche engages with most intensely, often toward psychological cohesion. Cultural context, especially nationality, affected the thematic content of artworks. While the core psychological structure of creativity remained intact, external factors, such as war, mythology, and sociopolitical environment, shaped individual narratives and visual symbolism, grounding the creative process in each artist’s lived experience. Despite these differences, the fundamental structure of the creative process was consistent. Artists began with unconscious encounters, transforming raw internal material into symbolic form. Metaphor and symbol served as transitional conduits, while time and repetition acted as containers for processing chaotic inner content. Through this journey, artists reconstructed meaning, achieving a coherent and integrated psychological narrative. Figure 4 presents a schematic of the creative process as it unfolds in the inner world of the artists. Metaphor and Symbol As Transitional Conduits A recurring theme in the interviews was the artists’ frequent use of metaphors and symbols, acts of symbolic representation, to express unconscious content. Here, "metaphor" and "symbol" refer to mental images or objects that stand in for repressed or inaccessible experiences[ 37 ] Arnold Modell describes metaphor as the “currency of the emotional mind,” [ 38 ], emphasizing its role as a primary cognitive function of the unconscious. Through metaphor, the unconscious processes meaning and enables new insight [ 39 ]. Many artists symbolically perceived elements like the canvas or studio as safe, creative spaces, metaphoric containers for exploration and meaning-making, echoing Winnicott’s “holding environment.” [ 40 ]. Artist No. 2 likens memory to a collage, fragmented, fluid, and constantly shifting. Using collage in her work, she rearranges psychological fragments, symbolically reconstructing aspects of her inner world, giving them new form and meaning on the canvas. This reconfiguration becomes a process of psychological integration, bridging past and present in what Stern calls a metaphorical experience, enabling a deeper understanding of both[ 41 ]. Through symbolic transformation, painters externalize emotions, memories, and internal conflicts. Metaphor functions as a bridge between feeling and language [ 42 ], enabling intrapsychic material to surface as visual imagery. These symbols guide unconscious content toward conscious recognition. In doing so, symbolic representation facilitates the integration of unconscious conflict into awareness. Metaphors and symbols permit artists to confront repressed desires or contradictions indirectly, avoiding their raw impact. As one artist noted, “The studio’s task is to turn the invisible into the visible,” capturing how creative space enables the transformation of inner experience into meaningful, visual form. As Schore notes, at deeper pathological levels, the task is not just to make the unconscious conscious, but to restructure it into a more tolerable form. [ 43 ]. Metaphor, in this sense, serves a reconstruing function, enabling symbolic reorganization of unconscious material. Artist No. 1 describes her work not as depicting characters, but as embodying costumes or husks, terms rich in emotional and symbolic resonance. “Husk” refers to the outer covering of seeds, or vegetables, and etymologically may derive from a Dutch term meaning “little home.” It can also denote the discarded exoskeletons of insects after molting. Within this framework, “Husk” evokes concepts such as residual layers from previous developmental stages, a former home or container once inhabited, now outgrown. Her paintings, therefore, represent the culmination of past psychic phases, integrating, digesting, and retaining what is essential while shedding the obsolete, supporting ongoing psychological growth. Time As Container for Unconscious Material The concept of time, closely tied to change and passage, played a central role in the artists' creative processes. Time was seen not only as a backdrop for processing lived experience but also as a medium for self-understanding. While some viewed time as eroding memory and identity, others saw it as preserving the self. The materials chosen often reflected this tension, embodying the interplay between temporality, creativity, and identity. Visual metaphors of decay and erosion frequently conveyed concerns about memory’s unreliability. Artists employed metaphors to represent the fragmented, unstable nature of memory. One likened memory to a collage of uneven, shifting fragments. Another compared it to viewing through a blurred pane of glass, symbolizing the ambiguity of perception and the psychic effort to clarify unconscious images. These metaphors reflected attempts to reconstruct inner vagueness and achieve deeper insight. Such reflections align with Gargiulo’s view that remembering is not passive recall but an active, creative process shaped by the present [ 44 ]. Artist No. 20, for instance, used painting to slow time and process emotional resonance rather than to document reality. Echoing Bion, time became a “container” for metabolizing the raw data of inner emotion and outer chaos. Time often acts as a psychological container, enabling closure and transition between inner phases. While painting may appear to record time, it more deeply functions as a medium for capturing fragmented selves across temporal moments, allowing artists to reconstruct a coherent sense of identity from dispersed experiences. One artist emphasized transparency in her work, leaving underlying sketches visible as a deliberate act of preserving past layers within the present, an act of integrating different aspects of the self over time. This visual strategy symbolizes psychological continuity and echoes Ehrenzweig’s theory of the multilayered self, where conscious and unconscious layers interact dynamically. The deepest, “manic-oceanic” layer, he argues, is accessible only through unconscious artistic expression [ 45 ] Material properties themselves also shape temporality in the creative process. Some invite slow, reflective engagement, while others demand immediacy. These contrasting rhythms evoke different aspects of the self, one controlled, the other spontaneous. This duality aligns with Winnicott’s “third space,” a transitional zone where the artist, through material interaction, accesses unknown parts of the psyche, a space for discovery, provided there is somewhere to hold what is found [ 46 ] Time can serve as a space for psychological reconstruction, extending beyond the artwork to the artist’s inner world. One painter noted, “I return to some of my works and change them... Even the varnish I use allows me to return.” This reflects Freud’s concept of “working-through,” where re-engaging with the past fosters self-integration. Reworking the same canvas becomes a way of layering the evolving self onto past expressions, turning the artwork into a temporal bridge. As Modell suggests, the past actively shapes the present. When present experiences evoke earlier ones, memory becomes a metaphor that binds time and identity. Through creation, artists form “emotional categorizations,” linking fragmented moments into a coherent psychological narrative.[ 47 ] Unconscious as the Source of Creativity Many artists describe their creative process as originating in the unconscious rather than through deliberate thought. A key sign of this is their perception of artworks as independent entities with identities distinct from their creators. This autonomy parallels Ogden’s “analytic third”, a transformative presence that arises in the intersubjective space between analyst and analysand[ 48 ]. In art, however, this “thirdness” emerges from within, through the internal dialogue between conscious intent and unconscious spontaneity. This study terms it the “Intra-subjective Artistic Third”, a dynamic, independent psychic presence formed within the artist’s mind. Like the analytic third, it transforms both aspects of the self, as conscious control yields to unconscious expression, allowing repressed fragments to surface symbolically. The painting process, both in the inner world of psychic experience and the external rhythms of bodily movement, brushstrokes, and interaction with materials, mirrors the associative structure of free association in psychoanalysis. Like the analyst’s reverie that metabolizes projections, the artist’s nonverbal, reparative reverie processes unintegrated psychic material, aiding in the symbolic integration of fragmented aspects of the self. The initiation of this associative journey, namely, the triggering encounter with the unconscious, may start with an external stimulus, an inner sensation, or a distant memory. Some artists often describe sudden, unexpected inspirations, while others point to intentional research and exploration as starting points. These preparatory acts also function as mechanisms for uncovering unconscious triggers, facilitating the artist’s entry into deeper psychological terrain. These triggers, found consciously or unconsciously, often arise from the internal pressure of unconscious content seeking expression. Bollas’s "unthought known" and Stern’s "unformulated experience" help explain this phenomenon. The "unthought known" refers to deeply familiar yet unarticulated early experiences [ 49 ]. while "unformulated experience" denotes pre-symbolic psychic material. [ 50 ]. The emergence of a creative impulse thus reflects the psyche’s effort to transform these raw, amorphous inner contents into symbolic form. Another concept closely related to this unconscious process is that of the “transformational object”, referring to a caregiver who profoundly alters the infant’s emotional state and sense of self. This transformation, grounded in early sensory rather than verbal experience, arises from the caregiver’s ability to soothe and meet the infant’s needs, moving the child from chaos to calm. In this pre-symbolic, nonverbal state, the infant perceives the caregiver not as separate, but as fused with the process of self-formation[ 49 ]. In adult life, individuals may unconsciously seek similar experiences that echo this early emotional transformation. The search for a transformational object becomes a form of emotional remembering, not through conscious recall, but through affective reliving of formative experiences [ 49 ]. Bollas’s concept of the “evocative object” further illuminates the creative process. These are objects that awaken latent aspects of the self, impacting us sensationally, symbolically, or mnemonically. Their presence is often serendipitous, rather than chosen, they seem to choose us, unlocking hidden parts of the psyche. In this sense, the artist does not simply use the object; rather, the object “plays” the artist, functioning as a catalyst for unconscious expression [ 51 , 52 ]. "It is interesting even to myself why I am drawn to certain things or images, and why I begin a work under their influence... I always felt that my paintings evoked a sense of suspension in mid-air. Everything felt suspended. Later, elements such as the ground, buildings, and trees entered my work, but even these felt as though they were not firmly rooted to the earth... My first visual memory dates back to when I was about four or five months old. From my perspective as an infant, held in my mother's arms in a car, I recall a piece of cloth being pulled skyward by the wind through the open window. This image always stayed with me, and to verify whether it was real, I asked my mother, who confirmed it, her scarf had indeed been carried by the wind... It seems that even the very first image in my mind was of being suspended in the air." In the account of Painter No. 7, all three of Bollas’s concepts can be simultaneously traced: the unconscious impact of the “evocative object”, anything recalling a sense of suspension in the air; the "unthought known," a distant, diffuse experience inaccessible by words, something known, yet not consciously thought; and the unconscious search for the “transformational object” embodied in the early emotional containment provided by the mother. Suspension sensation fuses all three. Through painting, the artist unconsciously seeks to reenter that primordial state of emotional security. Anything evoking suspension becomes a symbolic trigger, acts as a hook, catches onto a vital point within the painter’s psyche, and draws him toward recreating that original experience. The wind once carried mother’s scarf away, and the painter continues to respond to the summons of any wind to chase the mother’s scarf ( a part-object representing the mother herself) across time and memory. Throughout the creative process, artists repeatedly encounter such evocative objects, which open pathways into their unconscious, bringing them into contact with unthought knowns and unformulated experiences, or propelling them in search of a transformative object. At times, the creative process resembles what Kohut (1996) describes in effective analytic therapy: a forgotten quest for idealized self-objects with which the individual longs to merge and belong, as once experienced or imagined [ 53 ]. Painting serves as an effective medium for expressing the unconscious because it enables symbolic and visual representation. As Townsend states, "the unconscious speaks to us through images and symbols."[ 54 ] Visual sensations often bypass the denials and rationalizations tied to verbal language [ 55 ]. Painting is particularly suited to shaping unconscious material, as it involves an active, participatory mode of observation that influences the form the unconscious takes. This parallels Gargiulo’s analogy to quantum theory, where observation creates rather than reveals reality[ 44 ]. In this view, the painter becomes both observer and participant in their own unconscious, actively engaging with and shaping its unformed content. Repetition As a Means Of Processing Repetition in the creative process serves varied functions: a means of control, growth, or symbolic destruction and renewal. It shapes both the artwork and the artist’s internal experience. For some, repetition enables mastery and deeper insight; for others, it reflects cycles of collapse and regeneration. Hanna Segal argues that artistic creation is inherently reparative yet never complete, rooted in an unconscious memory of a lost inner world, linked to the depressive position. Creation thus becomes a persistent effort to restore the lost parental couple and regenerate psychic life through symbolic expression.[ 56 ]. The recurrence of themes or images in an artist’s work can be interpreted through concepts such as repetition compulsion, psychic working-through, and the unconscious effort to contain unresolved or painful experiences. While Freud viewed repetition compulsion as avoiding, rather than fostering, psychological growth, this study suggests that artistic repetition often functions as a growth-oriented, self-transformative process. As Townsend observes, recurring motifs express unintegrated, formless psychic states that no single artwork can fully resolve; each piece merely reveals fragments. Artists, consciously or not, repeatedly return to such themes in an ongoing effort to give form to elusive psychic contents that resist full integration.[ 57 ]. Repetition may function as a return to the past, enabling the reconstruction of psychic scenarios with alternative outcomes or the reenactment of meaningful life events through art. It can offer the artist a sense of mastery by rewriting overwhelming or painful experiences with new resolutions. "Death in childhood was different from death when I grew older. As a child, death left no corpse; it was marked only by disappearance and absence... My father was a soldier and often away at the front. When he was gone, I felt an intense, frightening loneliness. Even now, when my partner travels, the person who returns is not the same one who left. Someone who could leave me cannot be the same person who returns. He must be someone else. As a child, I blamed myself for the absence of others. But with my paintings, it is different, I can fall asleep in the middle of a work and later resume it, and the continuity remains." For this painter, the father’s absence in childhood equated to a death without a corpse, leaving no witness, yet equally terrifying. From a Fairbairnian perspective, whatever happens to the internalized objects will happen to the self [ 58 ] so the death of the internalized father figure implicates a corresponding death within the self. Yet the painter’s own absence in the midst of creation alters nothing. She leaves the work, journeys into the world of sleep, and upon return, finds everything intact, continuing without rupture, separation, or symbolic death. In painting, she reenacts the familiar scenario, but this time with an outcome that heals old wounds: deconstructing the past, forging a renewed present, and reclaiming agency over destiny. As Segal (1991) explains, pathological mourning stems from concrete symbolization. Only when the lost object is internalized and symbolized within the psyche can the inner repair necessary to overcome mourning occur. The truly deceased cannot be restored, just as excrement cannot be transformed back into milk; only through symbolic internalization does psychic restoration become possible[ 59 ]. Integration Into Coherent Narrative Painters often view creation not just as emotional expression but as a means of self and world understanding through a nonverbal, emotional mode of thinking. Allan Schore identifies this as the "implicit self of the right hemisphere," distinct from the analytical, verbal self, and central to both psychoanalysis and artistic practice.[ 60 ]. Artists’ descriptions of creation as understanding parallel Bion’s “containment”: a caregiver (container) receives and metabolizes (alpha function) overwhelming emotions (beta elements) transforms them into thinkable forms (alpha elements), thus acting as a psychic digestive system for the infant’s raw emotional experience.[ 61 ]. Painters strive to transform what is "disordered, messy, and chaotic," "fragmented pieces," or "thoughts that suddenly avalanche over me" and "emotions I cannot express anywhere", all manifestations of beta elements, into alpha elements that can be thought about through the containing function of painting. Expressions such as nurturing, shaping, imposing new rhythm and form, internalizing, breaking down, and reconstructing all describe this alpha function. In other words, the creative process of painting becomes a tool, a container, and a capacity for "holding oneself", what Flax defines as the ability to remain aware of one’s emotions and to comprehend their meanings while experiencing them. It is the capacity to restore the ability to think. This capacity requires a holding environment capable of symbolizing unprocessed and buried emotions, and the creative process provides such an environment. Its effectiveness depends on the extent to which raw emotional content can be brought into the symbolic domain[ 62 ]. These raw elements that painters seek to transform recall the second category of unconscious content described by Levine: the distinction Freud made between the organized, expressible part of the unconscious, what we call the repressed or dynamic unconscious, and a broader domain of incoherent forces that have either lost their psychic representation or never attained one, remaining unsymbolized and disconnected from associative chains. Levine argues that there exists within each individual a “representational imperative” to give form to these states [ 63 ], a process Sharpe sees as inherently reparative and reconstructive[ 14 ]. The function of painting does not end with expression and understanding; it also encompasses the construction of a personal narrative, a personal myth, a personal world, and the creation of connections between this inner world and the external one, a recurring theme in the artists’ accounts. As Goethe notes, “There is no surer way of escaping the world, nor of uniting with it, than through art. ” [ 64 ] Similarly, Segal observes that art serves as a means to reconstruct the fragmented inner world symbolically in the outer world, granting wholeness, form, and new life to past experiences. Through painting, the artist creates coherence and integration out of inner chaos and fragmentation; the external canvas becomes a symbol and reflection of the internal canvas[ 1 ]. From this perspective, artistic creation fosters not only individual cohesion but also broader connections between self and community, past and present, and personal and cultural experience, allowing identity to be reconsidered and reimagined. "We human beings are deeply interconnected; we are in no way detached from one another. Like the links of a chain, we are joined together. The world, as expansive, diverse, and vast as it may seem, is equally small and inward; within ourselves, we are galaxies, we are divine." The painters’ descriptions of merging with the world resonate with Gargiulo’s view: "I offer the metaphor that consciousness is like a wave of probability, simultaneously everywhere and nowhere."[ 44 ]. Human consciousness is inherently collective rather than merely individual; meaning is forged within the fabric of society, and at its deepest level, we are intrinsically one with everything around us [ 65 – 67 ]. As Whitehead and David Bohm suggest, at a sub-quantum level, every atom in the universe is connected to every other atom[ 44 ]. Within this framework, artistic creation is not merely a reflection of the past but a process through which the artist re-discovers the self and constructs a coherent, integrated narrative. As Segal, in her admiration of Proust’s description of creativity, notes: driven by an inner need to recover a lost past, the artist is compelled to create; yet true recollection often occurs unexpectedly, triggered by accidental sensory associations like the taste of a cake [ 1 ]. Building on this view, the artwork can be seen as a "witness." Gilbert J. Rose primarily uses this concept to describe how a work of art serves as a resonant witness to the emotional reality of the viewer, reflecting it back to them [ 68 ]. Rose’s focus is on the final product, the artwork, and the impact this "product" can have on the audience. However, the present study expands upon this idea by shifting the focus from the "final product" to the "creative process," extending the concept of witnessing to the artist’s own internal experience. From this perspective, the artwork is not merely a mirror of the viewer’s unconscious but also a witness to the artist’s inner journey, a space-time continuum where the "self," along with its losses, dreams, and desires, gains the opportunity for emergence, externalization, and symbolic observation. Thus, the act of creation itself becomes a form of active witnessing of one’s personal experience. The concept of "witnessing" has been employed by many psychoanalysts, each attributing to it their particular nuance [ 41 , 68 – 79 ]. Stern, unlike earlier psychoanalysts, asserts that witnessing is not confined to relational contexts with an external object, such as between therapist and patient, but can occur within the internal realm of the mind as an imaginary witness. He posits that to recognize, experience, and give meaning to events, particularly traumatic ones, part of the "self" must be capable of witnessing another part[ 80 ]. Reviving the present through the past, or the past through the present, requires that experiences across time be linked, and what makes this connection possible is shared affect and emotion[ 78 ]. This notion aligns closely with many artists’ descriptions of painting as a tool for "understanding oneself and the world." The creative process thus acts as the internal or imaginary witness, bridging the fragmented parts of the psyche by linking past and present selves. Thus, the final artwork is not static but a vibrant, living image, an embodiment of the artist’s inner struggle to organize the chaotic contents of the unconscious, and what this paper terms a “Symbolic Inner Witness” to internal fragmentation, or simply a “Third Self.” Conclusion This study sought to explore the creative process of painting through the subjective experiences of artists, interpreted through a psychoanalytic lens. Findings demonstrated that painting serves not merely as a vehicle for emotional expression, but as a complex psychological journey, one that metabolizes raw, unprocessed unconscious material into coherent, symbolically integrated narratives. Throughout this journey, the processes of metaphorization, symbolization, temporal engagement, and repetition emerged as crucial tools that facilitate the transformation of chaotic inner experiences into structured psychic forms. Central to this dynamic is the emergence of a theoretical construct developed in this study: the Intra-subjective Artistic Third . This original concept refers to a creative "thirdness" born within the artist’s mind, an autonomous and transformative psychic presence that emerges from the internal dialogue between conscious intentionality and unconscious spontaneity. It enables the symbolic transformation of the self, reflecting the artist’s capacity to navigate and integrate fragmentation within the psychic space of creation. Closely intertwined with this internal thirdness is another novel construct developed in this study: the Symbolic Inner Witness . While drawing inspiration from theories by Gilbert J. Rose[ 68 ] and Daniel Stern [ 50 , 80 ], this concept is introduced here as an original contribution that reframes witnessing as an internal process activated within the creative act. It functions as a reflective capacity through which the artist observes and gives symbolic form to previously unformulated inner experiences across psychic time. Artistic creation thus becomes a symbolic process of internal witnessing, where the past and present selves simultaneously experience and observe their unfolding psychic life. Moreover, the concept of witnessing can be traced back to the infant’s early experience of unity with the caregiver. Gilbert J. Rose highlights how art continues the biological function of maternal care by offering a symbolic space for emotional repetition and re-experiencing, helping regulate affect and support differentiation [ 77 ] Similarly, Daniel Stern emphasizes that the "inner witness" originates from early internalized relationships with real others, eventually forming an internal presence that was once external to the self [ 80 ]. In this regard, the yearning for a witness connects to two key themes in this study. First, the unconscious search for the transformative object reflects a drive to re-experience an early state of unity. Artistic creation enables this through a symbolic re-living of such experiences, where the act of making becomes a means to recreate and internalize the original object's witnessing presence. This process supports both the revival of past emotional states and their integration into the present self. Second, the artist's search for unity extends outward, aiming for connection with the world. Artistic experience, especially in its engagement with the viewer, offers a space to bridge personal and collective dimensions of human experience. Through creation, the artist bears witness to both individual and shared aspects of the human condition, including its suffering, longing, and search for meaning. In sum, the process of painting is a psychological journey and reparative space where the artist confronts and reconfigures unconscious material. Through metaphor, symbolization, time, and repetition, it metabolizes "unthought knowns" and "unformulated experiences," shaping them into coherent psychic forms. It acts as a form of non-verbal free association and reverie, digesting emotionally charged content. As proposed in this study, this process gives rise to the Intra-subjective Artistic Third and the Symbolic Inner Witness , two original constructs that illuminate the ongoing psychic work of reconstruction and integration. Future Research Suggestions Future research could extend these findings by comparing the creative process across other artistic disciplines, such as sculpture, music, or dance, to explore whether the psychological structures identified here are consistent across modalities. Cross-cultural, gender-based, and developmental studies could further enrich understanding of the Intra-subjective Artistic Third and the Symbolic Inner Witness . Longitudinal research might also shed light on how the relationship between unconscious content and creative practice evolves across the artist’s lifespan. Finally, integrating neuropsychological, phenomenological, and psychoanalytic perspectives could offer a more multidimensional understanding of creativity and psychic integration. Limitations of the Study The aim of this study is not generalizability, but to explore the truth of another’s subjective and objective experience. As the researcher’s subjectivity shapes the outcome, reproducibility is not expected. Phenomenological analysis involves two layers: the participant’s perception and the researcher’s interpretation of that perception. The observer and the observed are inseparable, making results unique to each investigator. This is not a flaw but a feature of human-centered research. Attempts to fully isolate variables risk oversimplifying complex human experiences and obscuring their deeper dynamics. Abbreviations PVHA: Participant-Validated Hermeneutic Attunement IPA: Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis Declarations Ethics approval and consent to participate This study was conducted in full compliance with the American Psychological Association (APA) Code of Ethics. The goals and procedures of this research were reviewed and approved by the Review Board of the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education and Psychology, Alzahra University (Approval Code: GM-FR-06-00; Reference) on July 18, 2023. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants after they were thoroughly informed about the study’s purpose, procedures, potential risks, and benefits. Participation was entirely voluntary, and individuals were free to withdraw at any time without any negative consequences. Throughout the research process, participants’ privacy and confidentiality were strictly protected. Personal data were handled confidentially and used solely for research purposes, with rigorous anonymization procedures implemented to ensure that no identifying information would appear in any publications or reports. Notably, the methodological innovation of this study—the Participant-Validated Hermeneutic Attunement (PVHA) model—was specifically designed to enhance ethical sensitivity and rigor. Consent for publication Not applicable. Availability of data and materials The data that support the findings of this study are available from the authors upon reasonable request. Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests. Funding Not applicable. Authors' contributions MM conceived and designed the study, conducted the research, analysed the data, and wrote the manuscript. ZKH and AT served as academic supervisors, guiding the research process. SHZ acted as an academic advisor and contributed to the revision of the final manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. Acknowledgements Not applicable. References Segal, H., A psycho-analytical approach to aesthetics. The International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 1952. 33 : p. 196-207. 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Bion, W.R., Learning from Experience . 1984: Maresfield. Flax, M., A Crisis in the Analyst’s Life: Self-Containment, Symbolization, and The Holding Space. The Psychoanalytic quarterly, 2011. 80 : p. 305-36. Levine, H.B., The colourless canvas: Representation, therapeutic action and the creation of mind. The International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 2012. 93 (3): p. 607-629. von Goethe, J.W. and T.B. Saunders, The Maxims and Reflections of Goethe . 1906: Macmillan and Company. Cavell, M., Solipsism and community: Two concepts of mind in philosophy and psychoanalysis. Psychoanalysis & Contemporary Thought, 1988. 11 (4): p. 587-613. Gargiulo, G., Psyche, Self and Soul: Rethinking Psychoanalysis, the Self and Spirituality . 2004: Wiley. Gargiulo, G.J., Quantum Psychoanalysis: Essays on Physics, Mind, and Analysis Today . 2016: International Psychoanalytic Books. Rose, G.J., Necessary Illusion: Art as Witness . 1996: International Universities Press. Felman, S. and D. Laub, Testimony: Crises of witnessing in literature, psychoanalysis, and history . 1992: Taylor & Francis. Gerson, S., When the third is dead: Memory, mourning, and witnessing in the aftermath of the Holocaust , in Relational Psychoanalysis, Volume 4 . 2014, Routledge. p. 347-366. Laub, D., Truth and Testimony the Process and the Struggle. American Imago, 1991. 48 (1): p. 75-91. Laub, D., An event without a witness: Truth, testimony and survival , in Testimony . 2013, Routledge. p. 75-92. Laub, D. and N.C. Auerhahn, Failed empathy--a central theme in the survivor's holocaust experience. Psychoanalytic psychology, 1989. 6 (4): p. 377. Reis, B., Performative and enactive features of psychoanalytic witnessing: The transference as the scene of address. The International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 2009. 90 (6): p. 1359-1372. Richman, S., Finding one's voice: Transforming trauma into autobiographical narrative. Contemporary Psychoanalysis, 2006. 42 (4): p. 639-650. Roase, G.J., A connecticut Maverick in King Sigmund's court. Journal of Clinical Psycholoanalysis, 2001: p. 217-30. Rose, G., J, Psychoanalysis and art: Their mutual relevance. Psychoanalysis and Contemporary Thought, 1999. 22 (4): p. 591-608. Stern, D.B., On Coming Into Possession of Oneself: Witnessing and the Formulation of Experience. The Psychoanalytic Quarterly, 2022. 91 (4): p. 639-667. Ullma, C., Bearing witness: Across the barriers in society and in the clinic. Psychoanalytic Dialogues, 2006. 16 (2): p. 181-198. Stern, D., Witnessing across Time: Accessing the Present from the Past and The Past from the Present. The Psychoanalytic quarterly, 2012. 81 : p. 53-81. Tables Tables 1 and 2 are available in the Supplementary Files section. Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Supplementary Files Tables.docx Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Reviewers invited by journal 09 Jul, 2025 Editor assigned by journal 02 Jul, 2025 Editor invited by journal 12 Jun, 2025 Submission checks completed at journal 11 Jun, 2025 First submitted to journal 11 Jun, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-6740404","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":483403582,"identity":"6ca3be90-84d2-4c4b-a99d-b479a5a4148b","order_by":0,"name":"Mehrnaz Mesbah","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA7UlEQVRIiWNgGAWjYFACHgSDmaECSDMzN5Ci5QxICyMpWhjbQAwCWnTbe499Lqipi+bnP3vwc+G82mj+dqCWHxXbcGoxO3MuefaMY2y5M2fkJUvP3HY8d8ZhxgbGnjO3cWu5kWPMzMPGk7vhBo+BNO+2Y7kNQC1AF+LRcv8NUMs/idz9588Y/+adcyx3PkEtN3iMmXnbDHI3MOSYSfM21ORuIKjlDNBhvH0JuTNu5KVZ8xw7kLsRqOUgXr8cPwN02Le63P7+s4dv89TU5c47f/jggx8VuLWgg8Ng8gDR6oGgjhTFo2AUjIJRMEIAAGUBWVgybKKXAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC","orcid":"","institution":"Alzahra University","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Mehrnaz","middleName":"","lastName":"Mesbah","suffix":""},{"id":483403583,"identity":"566ab73a-906c-4445-93af-849d2201f0c6","order_by":1,"name":"Zohreh Khosravi","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Alzahra 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17:53:24","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6740404/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6740404/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":86661763,"identity":"ff8f86b3-4f21-47fd-b026-8584b47ff014","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-07-14 10:39:59","extension":"jpeg","order_by":1,"title":"Figure 1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":65836,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eResearch Validity Assessment Methods\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage1.jpeg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6740404/v1/fe2b847ea4cc13fef71704df.jpeg"},{"id":86663225,"identity":"219ab625-7215-49bc-a84b-ea200fdbc978","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-07-14 10:47:59","extension":"jpeg","order_by":2,"title":"Figure 2","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":133677,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eParticipant-Validated Hermeneutic Attunement Protocol (PVHA)\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage2.jpeg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6740404/v1/1e8040479849d97646de7d6f.jpeg"},{"id":86661765,"identity":"4a55900a-ebe4-430c-8e01-c0634487abeb","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-07-14 10:39:59","extension":"jpeg","order_by":3,"title":"Figure 3","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":65855,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eShared Themes Among Painters\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage3.jpeg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6740404/v1/a3660bb958caa29e3deca931.jpeg"},{"id":86661771,"identity":"de835eb1-3e9c-4863-ad9b-d797646a8ad2","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-07-14 10:39:59","extension":"jpeg","order_by":4,"title":"Figure 4","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":171344,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eOverview of Creative Process\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage4.jpeg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6740404/v1/50d6f47e44f85a9c6ae3dfa5.jpeg"},{"id":86665563,"identity":"e8559ef9-ccf8-4723-9b16-44fdc29129ac","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-07-14 11:04:00","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1921093,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6740404/v1/6eb61bd9-fb00-4ec2-8058-3ada0c2ec5d8.pdf"},{"id":86661762,"identity":"d48a242b-e9b0-4e98-8adf-32ccbe422edc","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-07-14 10:39:59","extension":"docx","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":22400,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Tables.docx","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6740404/v1/48900cc536b7b705fd7dc1ae.docx"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"The Intra-subjective Artistic Third and Symbolic Inner Witness: A Psychoanalytic Phenomenology of the Painters' Creative Process","fulltext":[{"header":"Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;All creation is really a re-creation of a once loved and once whole, but now lost and ruined object, a ruined internal world and self. It is when the world within us is destroyed, when it is dead and loveless, when our loved ones are in fragments, and we ourselves in helpless despair - it is then that we must recreate our world anew, reassemble the pieces, infuse life into dead fragments, recreate life.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe historical entwinement of psychoanalysis and art has been both enduring and conceptually rich. From Freud's foundational inquiries onward, psychoanalysts have explored creativity through a psychoanalytic lens. Yet, most literature emphasizes the final product, often through a pathologizing lens, while neglecting the artist\u0026rsquo;s lived experience and the psychological dynamics of the creative act [\u003cspan additionalcitationids=\"CR3\" citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e]. His gap is particularly pronounced in Persian-language research and studies on Iranian artists. Furthermore, dominant frameworks privilege the analyst\u0026rsquo;s external perspective, interpreting artworks as symbolic texts while overlooking the subjective process of creation.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhile painting\u0026rsquo;s physical stages are acknowledged, this study focuses on the psychological layers that shape and are shaped by the act of creation, emphasizing the reciprocal interplay between unconscious dynamics and artistic expression. The research foregrounds artists\u0026rsquo; self-narratives, using their reflections to explore how inner experience is expressed through form, structure, and process. It asks: How do professional painters describe the psychological and emotional function of painting in their lives? How do their experiences inform the evolving artwork? And which psychoanalytic concepts best articulate these dynamics?\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis research also stems from the researcher\u0026rsquo;s dual involvement in psychoanalysis and visual art. Through this lens, artistic creation emerged as a dynamic site for articulating and transforming unconscious experience. This dual perspective led to an intuitive recognition of the \u0026ldquo;unconscious as a wise and guiding force\u0026rdquo; [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e], central to both analysis and artistic creation. Encounters with artists confirmed that artworks, like dreams, carry layered and concealed psychic content. The study was motivated by a clinical and theoretical interest in how creative acts structure psychic life.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFrom this interpretive and experiential foundation, three original contributions emerged that shape the present study\u0026rsquo;s theoretical and methodological framework. The first two are theoretical constructs: the \u003cem\u003eIntra-subjective Artistic Third\u003c/em\u003e, which conceptualizes an autonomous psychic presence generated through the internal dialogue between conscious intentionality and unconscious spontaneity; and the \u003cem\u003eSymbolic Inner Witness\u003c/em\u003e, a reflective function that facilitates symbolic observation of inner experience across psychic time. Methodologically, the study proposes the \u003cem\u003eParticipant-Validated Hermeneutic Attunement (PVHA)\u003c/em\u003e protocol to enhance phenomenological validity and ethical rigor by engaging participants as reflective partners in the interpretive process. Together, these contributions expand theoretical and methodological understanding of how unconscious processes unfold within the creative act.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Literature Review","content":"\u003cp\u003ePsychoanalytic theories of art and creativity can be categorized both conceptually and historically. They range from classical approaches focused on defense mechanisms and repressed desires to contemporary views emphasizing object relations, lived experience, symbolization, and psychological coherence.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1-,Sublimation, Regression, and Wish Fulfillment in Creativity\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis approach views creativity primarily as a defensive process or a representation of unconscious desires. Sigmund Freud and his colleague Ernest Jones regarded art as a window into psychic mechanisms, focusing less on the creative process and more on hidden motivations. Initially framing artistic creation as wish fulfillment akin to childhood fantasy, they later introduced sublimation, wherein unacceptable impulses, especially sexual, are transformed into culturally valued forms. For Freud, artworks like Leonardo da Vinci\u0026rsquo;s were sophisticated sublimations of repressed desires [\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBoth Freud and Jones considered art, like dreams, to symbolically express repressed conflict, often tied to childhood and the Oedipus complex. Freud interpreted Michelangelo\u0026rsquo;s \u003cem\u003eMoses\u003c/em\u003e as reflecting repressed aggression, [\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e]; whereas Jones explored how myths and imagery revealed primal fears or unconscious trauma [\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e]. However, critics argue that their analyses overly reduce artistic complexity to symbolic content, neglecting formal, stylistic, and aesthetic dimensions [\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eErnst Kris, a close associate and student of Freud, sought to expand classical psychoanalytic concepts by integrating them with art history to offer a more nuanced understanding of artistic creativity. As both a psychoanalyst and art historian, Kris explored the psychology of creativity, the unconscious\u0026rsquo;s role in artistic production, and the distinction between artistic expression and psychopathology. He proposed that creativity involves a controlled regression to unconscious states, unlike psychosis, where regression is involuntary and disruptive, the artist temporarily accesses primal fantasies while maintaining contact with reality. He termed this process \u0026ldquo;regression in the service of the ego,\u0026rdquo; highlighting the ego\u0026rsquo;s capacity to shape unconscious material into meaningful, consciously processed artworks [\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e10\u003c/span\u003e]. As a key figure in ego psychology, Kris shifted focus from Freud\u0026rsquo;s id-centered model to the adaptive functions of the ego [\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e11\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e2- Transitional Space, Primary Experience, and Object Relations\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eElla Freeman Sharpe (1875\u0026ndash;1947), a British psychoanalyst and literary scholar, linked poetic devices like metaphor and metonymy to Freud\u0026rsquo;s dream mechanisms, suggesting that metaphor reflects unconscious conflict [\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e12\u003c/span\u003e]. Though rooted in classical psychoanalysis through her focus on sublimation and wish-fulfillment, her attention to the body, language, and early development also aligns her with object relations and contemporary theory[\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e13\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInitially influenced by Melanie Klein, [\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e14\u003c/span\u003e], Sharpe later critiqued Klein\u0026rsquo;s rigid symbolic interpretations, favoring the British Independent Group\u0026rsquo;s more nuanced, literary approach to symbolism [\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e15\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDonald Winnicott, a key figure in the British Independent Group, redefined the link between internal fantasy and external reality through his concepts of the transitional object and transitional space. The transitional object, such as a baby\u0026rsquo;s blanket, symbolizes the infant\u0026rsquo;s initial separation from the mother, marking the start of individuation. It occupies a \u0026quot;potential space\u0026quot; where internal experience and external reality overlap, fostering symbolic thought, play, and creativity. Winnicott viewed culture as an extension of these transitional phenomena, a shared human tradition that individuals and groups can engage with, provided they have space to contain what they discover (Winnicott, 1967; Fuller, 1980). This concept later became foundational in psychoanalytic approaches to art and creativity.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBuilding on Winnicott, psychoanalyst and painter Marion Milner introduced the idea of an initial state of \u0026ldquo;oneness\u0026rdquo; or \u0026ldquo;illusion,\u0026rdquo; where no clear boundary exists between inner and outer reality, and where the artist merges with the work[\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e16\u003c/span\u003e]. She also proposed the \u0026ldquo;framed gap\u0026rdquo;, a bounded space separating the symbolic realm (which is inside the frame) from the real one (which is outside it) [\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDeparting from traditional frameworks, theorists such as Anton Ehrenzweig and Ren\u0026eacute; Spitz explored artistic creativity through object relations theory and early developmental stages. Influenced by Melanie Klein, Ehrenzweig introduced a three-phase model: (1) Fragmentation, where unconscious, disjointed elements are projected into the work, reflecting the paranoid-schizoid phase; (2) Undifferentiation, a fluid, immersive state of creative flow; and (3) Integration, where coherence is restored, akin to the depressive position [\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e17\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e3- Contemporary psychoanalysis\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEllen Handler Spitz categorizes psychoanalytic approaches to art into three main strands. The first is the Freudian model, which adopts a pathographic lens, interpreting artworks as expressions of neurosis and sublimated unconscious conflict. The second perspective is the ego psychology perspective, which treats the artwork not as evidence of pathology but as a relatively autonomous product of the ego[\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e18\u003c/span\u003e]. Spitz argues that artists not only transform lived experience into art but also reconstruct and process their past through it[\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e19\u003c/span\u003e]. The third approach is the aesthetic approach, which is aligned with Winnicottian and Kleinian thought, and views art as a transitional, playful space that invites reflective and creative engagement with the viewer\u0026rsquo;s inner world [\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e20\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGeorge Hagman provides key psychoanalytic insights into artistic creativity, emphasizing the interplay between unconscious process and conscious control. In \u003cem\u003eThe Artist\u0026rsquo;s Mind\u003c/em\u003e, he describes a \u0026ldquo;creative trance\u0026rdquo; where these boundaries blur [\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e21\u003c/span\u003e]. Viewing art as both expression and psychological processing, he links stylistic changes to artists\u0026rsquo; emotional development. Challenging pathologizing views, Hagman adopts an intersubjective framework, framing aesthetic experience as relational and essential, rather than merely neurotic projection [\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e22\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJoyce McDougall explores the intersection of violence, creativity, and psychoanalysis, arguing that artistic creation inherently involves elements of inner aggression. The artist performs a form of symbolic transgression by imposing imagination on raw material, such as color, words, or sound[\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e23\u003c/span\u003e]. Like children\u0026rsquo;s play, this process allows for the expression and transformation of fear and psychic conflict, offering a potential for psychological repair[\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e24\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGilbert Rose traced the evolution of psychoanalytic theories of creativity, shifting from Freud\u0026rsquo;s conflict-based model to approaches rooted in self psychology, object relations, and ego psychology. He viewed artistic creation as a symbolic integration of primary and secondary perception, fostering psychological cohesion [\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e25\u003c/span\u003e]. Rose also described art as a \u0026ldquo;holding environment\u0026rdquo; that organizes emotional tension and supports integration [\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e26\u003c/span\u003e]. Aesthetic experience, for him, reactivates early emotional states [\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e27\u003c/span\u003e]. and defends against psychic fragmentation by preserving boundaries and meeting psychological needs [\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e28\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePsychoanalytic theory has shifted from pathologizing creativity to recognizing it as a process of repair, integration, and transformation. Artistic creation is now seen as a dynamic act of meaning-making and psychic renewal. This study explores the creative process in painting through a psychoanalytic lens, focusing on the artist\u0026rsquo;s psychological trajectory.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Methodology","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec3\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\n \u003cdiv id=\"Sec4\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e\n \u003ch2\u003eDesign\u003c/h2\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eThis study employed an interpretive phenomenological analysis, a methodology centered on understanding how individuals ascribe meaning to their lived experiences [\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e29\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eSampling\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA purposive sampling method was employed to recruit 25 professional painters with at least five years of continuous practice, ensuring rich, experience-based insights into the psychological aspects of artistic creation. Participants were identified via online searches and social media (e.g., email, Instagram, LinkedIn) using keywords related to painting practices. Semi-structured interviews, guided by an initial set of 25 open-ended questions, evolved iteratively based on emerging themes. The sample was diverse in nationality, gender (56% female, 44% male), age (30\u0026ndash;77), and style. While 32% were Iranian, 68% were non-Iranian. Most were multidisciplinary artists, though painting remained their primary focus. Table 1 shows demographic characteristics of the participants.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eSearch strategy\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA comprehensive literature search, spanning 1900 (marking Freud\u0026rsquo;s foundational contributions) to 2025, was conducted in both English and Persian across major databases: Scopus, Web of Science, ProQuest, PubMed, Google Scholar, PEP Web, ScienceDirect, JSTOR, Google Books, Elsevier, Noormags, and SID. The sources included peer-reviewed articles, academic books, and relevant theses.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eData Collection\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eData were collected through semi-structured interviews, allowing flexibility to explore personal narratives. Depending on location and access, interviews were conducted via video/audio calls or written responses. The protocol covered four themes: (1) demographics, (2) artistic trajectories, (3) psychological traits, and (4) impactful life events. Insights from initial interviews led to iterative refinement and follow-up questions in a second round. Improvisational dialogue enabled the emergence of unexpected themes. Most interviews were conducted by the researcher; for high-profile artists, prior media interviews were analyzed. Supplementary sources, such as personal notes, autobiographies, and critical reviews, were also reviewed and integrated into the coding process, allowing a hermeneutic synthesis of primary and secondary data.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Sec8\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eData Analysis\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eThe interviews were analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) as outlined by Smith and Nizza, involving six iterative stages[30, 31].\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003col\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eReading and re-reading: transcripts were closely examined alongside audio/video recordings to capture paralinguistic and non-verbal cues.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eInitial note-taking, involved three layers: (a) Descriptive annotations focused on participants\u0026rsquo; explicit content, serving as in vivo codes; (b) Linguistic analysis captured metaphor, repetition, and affective tones to uncover implicit meaning; and (c) Conceptual abstraction involved synthesizing notes into proto-themes that reflected deeper psychological constructs while staying grounded in participants\u0026rsquo; narratives.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e Generating Emergent Themes: Interpretive notes were reintegrated into transcripts, refining the dataset by pruning redundancies and preserving meaningful patterns. Focus shifted from raw data to psychologically resonant themes (e.g., \u0026ldquo;canvas as a framed gap\u0026rdquo;), balancing participant fidelity with abstraction and highlighting latent dynamics for deeper analysis.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eInter-thematic Relationships: Themes were grouped into conceptual clusters on the basis of their semantic and psychological affinities. A hierarchical taxonomy was built, distinguishing core and peripheral themes. Iterative review ensured methodological reflexivity, producing a structural model of participants\u0026rsquo; psychological and creative processes.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eSequential Case Analysis: Each case was analyzed independently, with prior interpretations bracketed to reduce bias. Yet insights evolved recursively, enriching depth and cross-case coherence. Thematic matrices were created for each participant, reflecting individual experiential architectures.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e Cross-Case Synthesis: A meta-analysis revealed shared motifs (e.g., \u0026ldquo;fluid artistic identity\u0026rdquo;) and divergent paths. Themes were reorganized hierarchically as universal, group-specific, or idiosyncratic. The final meta-thematic table mapped interrelations among subthemes (e.g., \u0026ldquo;destruction, recreation\u0026rdquo; under \u0026ldquo;repetition\u0026rdquo;).\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eValidity and Quality Assessment of the Research\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis study assessed validity and quality through a dual framework: the development of a novel protocol, Participant-Validated Hermeneutic Attunement (PVHA), and the integration of established qualitative validation criteria. Figure 1 illustrates the tripartite approach to validity assessment adopted in this study.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTogether, these approaches ensured rigor across three interrelated dimensions: \u003cstrong\u003ePhenomenological Validity\u003c/strong\u003e, affirming fidelity to participants\u0026apos; lived experiences; \u003cstrong\u003eTheoretical Validity\u003c/strong\u003e, verifying congruence between findings and psychoanalytic theory; and \u003cstrong\u003eMethodological Validity\u003c/strong\u003e, confirming systematic, transparent research practices.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe use of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), supported by the researcher\u0026rsquo;s clinical psychoanalytic expertise, enabled a nuanced exploration of painters lived experiences. Through \u0026quot;systematic theme extraction\u0026rdquo;, interpretations were empirically grounded in verbatim narratives, while theoretical robustness was achieved by embedding findings within psychoanalytic frameworks.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo enhance ethical rigor, Phenomenological and Theoretical Validity, the PVHA protocol was implemented. Figure 2 illustrates the Participant-Validated Hermeneutic Attunement (PVHA) protocol developed for this study.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGrounded in critical hermeneutics [\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e32\u003c/span\u003e] and participatory action research [\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e33\u003c/span\u003e] PVHA aligned researcher interpretations with participants\u0026rsquo; self-understandings. The final manuscript was shared with all interviewees for structured feedback, ensuring (1) no disclosure of sensitive content, (2) interpretive accuracy, and (3) phenomenological coherence, ensuring they resonated with the artists\u0026rsquo; subjective realities. This participatory validation deepened methodological integrity, reinforcing the study\u0026rsquo;s innovative contribution to phenomenological research and its alignment with the psychological complexity of artistic creation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePVHA redefines participant feedback as a \u0026ldquo;co-analytical act,\u0026rdquo; promoting \u0026ldquo;epistemic equity\u0026rdquo; by treating participants as hermeneutic partners. This approach addresses critiques of traditional triangulation[\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e34\u003c/span\u003e] by prioritizing dialogic reciprocity over procedural verification, thereby advancing methodological innovation in arts-based qualitative inquiry.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe study\u0026rsquo;s validity was also assessed using Yardley\u0026rsquo;s qualitative criteria: \u003cstrong\u003eSensitivity to Context\u003c/strong\u003e through purposive sampling and in-depth engagement; \u003cstrong\u003eCommitment and Rigor\u003c/strong\u003e via systematic data collection and iterative IPA coding; \u003cstrong\u003eTransparency and Coherence\u003c/strong\u003e through detailed documentation and analytic alignment; and \u003cstrong\u003eImpact and Importance\u003c/strong\u003e by addressing core questions about creativity and offering new psychoanalytic insights[\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e35\u003c/span\u003e]. Additionally, an \u003cstrong\u003eIndependent Audit\u003c/strong\u003e, based on Yin\u0026rsquo;s chain of evidence, ensured traceability and credibility. Rather than seeking consensus, the audit emphasized methodological transparency and acknowledged interpretive plurality through multi-level checks of coding, thematic integrity, and analytic coherence[\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e36\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Findings","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe data revealed common themes among painters, demonstrating significant shared experiences in their creative processes. These themes, exemplified through individual accounts, include metaphor and symbol, time, the unconscious, repetition, and coherence. Collectively, these themes converge into the overarching concept of \u0026quot;integration and coherent narrative,\u0026quot; reflecting diverse dimensions of artistic creation. Table 2 displays the structure of themes identified in the findings.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Sec11\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\n \u003ch2\u003e1. Metaphor and Symbol:\u003c/h2\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eAll painters utilized metaphor and symbolism explicitly and implicitly. For example:\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eArtist No. 12 stated: \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;I see myself as a filter. The studio is essentially a reservoir where I express the energies [I\u0026apos;ve experienced in the world; otherwise, I would explode,\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e illustrating metaphors of purification and containment.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eArtist No. 8: \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;A true artist dives to the bottom of the ocean, while a non-artist remains on the shore.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e Here, diving, the ocean, and the shore function as metaphors for immersion and risk, artistic endeavor, and comfort-seeking, respectively.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eArtist No. 6: \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;I usually depict cities from a distance, rarely capturing close-up views. This may reflect emotional, social, or even political dimensions beyond the act of painting. The city resists closeness, it says: \u0026lsquo;Don\u0026rsquo;t come any nearer.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eInitially presented as a literal spatial separation, the notion of distance becomes a symbolic expression of the artist\u0026rsquo;s inner estrangement. It may also represent a deeper psychic distancing from the \u0026lsquo;inner city\u0026rsquo;, suggesting that the city itself functions as a metaphor for the artist\u0026rsquo;s internal world.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Sec12\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\n \u003ch2\u003e2. Time\u003c/h2\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTime emerged as a prominent and persistent theme in both the language and artwork of the painters, approached from multiple angles and imbued with diverse meanings. For these artists, \u0026ldquo;time\u0026rdquo; is not merely a physical or calendrical dimension but a dynamic, multilayered concept that shapes creative flow, material choices, thematic concerns, and self-perception.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Sec13\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\n \u003ch2\u003e2.1. A Medium for Transformation\u003c/h2\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eArtist No. 22: \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;My work has gradually shifted toward greater simplicity and minimalism over time. The range of colors and forms has become increasingly restrained.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Sec14\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\n \u003ch2\u003e2.1.1. A Catalyst for Evolving Understanding\u003c/h2\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eArtist No. 6: \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;My 2016 piece proved itself to me over time. Initially, I wasn\u0026rsquo;t especially fond of it. Many works create a momentary \u0026lsquo;click,\u0026rsquo; but it\u0026rsquo;s not always reliable. My sense of satisfaction emerges gradually.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Sec15\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\n \u003ch2\u003e2.1.2. An Agent of Decay\u003c/h2\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eArtist No. 7: \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;The composition and coloring of my paintings often evoke blurred images seen through glass. My gaze is directed at a lost historical grandeur.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Sec16\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\n \u003ch2\u003e2.1.3. A Framework for Processing the World\u003c/h2\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eArtist No. 20: \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;I try to create work that slows time, capturing fleeting moments in a fast-moving world and resisting their disappearance.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Sec17\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\n \u003ch2\u003e2.2. A Medium for and a Reflection of Inner Tempo and Processing Method\u003c/h2\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eArtist No. 1: \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;The materials I use in painting are crucial. Rubber feels chaotic and fast, while polymer is calm and precise.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eArtist No. 22: \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;I could never be a miniaturist; I don\u0026rsquo;t have the patience. I crave speed. I want to finish a piece in a single session. Etching metal annoys me. Acrylic, combining the qualities of watercolor and oil, dries quickly and allows layering without long delays. If the process takes too long, it frustrates me.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Sec18\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\n \u003ch2\u003e2.3. Time as Closure\u003c/h2\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eArtist No. 7: \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;I dislike oil paint because it never really sets. You can always fix or conceal mistakes. There\u0026rsquo;s no definitive endpoint. With an airbrush, there\u0026rsquo;s no room for correction. I mix colors only once and finish the work in one go.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Sec19\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\n \u003ch2\u003e2.4. Time as Trace and Record\u003c/h2\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eArtist No. 19: \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;The trace of my love for time is evident in my work. Art resembles the act of recording time, the artist\u0026rsquo;s time. Viewing a piece means witnessing the artist\u0026rsquo;s physical imprint in space and time, echoing markings from cave walls to the present.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eArtist No. 7: \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;My work is highly transparent. Even the underlying sketches are often visible.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Sec20\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\n \u003ch2\u003e2.5. Return and Reworking\u003c/h2\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eArtist No. 8: \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;I revisit and revise some works. My art holds strong psychoanalytic significance for me. Even the varnish I use allows re-entry, so I can continue working on a piece later.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Sec21\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\n \u003ch2\u003e3. The Unconscious at the Helm of Creation\u003c/h2\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMany artists describe a creative process that emerges not from conscious, deliberate thinking, but from the depths of the unconscious. Ideas, images, and concepts unfold not as rational decisions but as layered, gradual, and intuitive flows. As Artist 7 puts it, \u0026ldquo;technique is merely a path; the essence of creation is indescribable, shaped by an unconscious forged through constant repetition, practice, and reflection, something akin to a sacred inner flame as if it\u0026rsquo;s coming from somewhere else.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eArtist 8 adds that \u0026quot;painting transforms the unconscious into consciousness. While surface-level reasons may be offered for artistic choices, the deeper motive often remains elusive, as if the artist becomes an instrument for a force beyond themselves.\u0026quot; Artist 23 similarly prefers not to overthink the process, allowing composition and color to emerge intuitively and prioritizing momentary feeling and unconscious impulses over predetermined subjects or rational planning.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Sec22\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\n \u003ch2\u003e3.1. The Independent Identity of Paintings\u003c/h2\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eA significant indicator of the unconscious nature of artistic creation is the sense that the artworks possess an identity distinct from their creator.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eArtist 11 notes, \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;Sometimes I feel as though my paintings are entities of their own, with their own unique reality.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eArtist 4 emphasizes that one should not wait for a brilliant idea to begin painting; rather, trust must be placed in the material at hand and in what begins to emerge before one\u0026rsquo;s eyes, something that holds an existence independent from the artist.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eArtist 13 echoes this sentiment, stating that a painting grows on its own, and the artist merely responds to what unfolds on the canvas, beyond their conscious control.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cdiv id=\"Sec23\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e\n \u003ch2\u003e3.2. The Spark of Initiation\u003c/h2\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eAccording to the artists, the initial impulse for a painting often arises either from an external encounter or from an internal experience. These encounters may be spontaneous and unexplainable, or consciously sought. In all cases, each artwork begins at a contact point between the artist and their unconscious psyche.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Sec24\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\n \u003ch2\u003e3.2.1. Research, Data Gathering, and Exploration\u003c/h2\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFor many painters, the creation process is not spontaneous but involves extensive research and data collection.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eArtist 5 explains, \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t just get an idea and start working. I\u0026rsquo;m constantly researching on Google, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube. I watch many films, freeze frames, and sometimes a scene transforms into a painting.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eArtist 2 shares a passion for research, facts, and collecting ideas and histories, emphasizing that ultimately, the space of imagination is what brings it all together.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cdiv id=\"Sec25\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e\n \u003ch2\u003e3.2.2. Accidental Encounter\u003c/h2\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eIn contrast to deliberate research, many initial ideas for a painting arise unexpectedly,through spontaneous encounters with external objects, events, or scenes, or internal moments such as a sudden memory or emotion. These experiences, though seemingly random, often carry a powerful resonance that sparks the creative process without conscious intent or planning. The artist may not immediately understand why a particular image or feeling captures their attention, but it becomes the point of departure for the work.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eArtist 4 explains, \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;There must always be an encounter with something outside the studio, perhaps a general question, a desire, or an inner conflict.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eArtist 7 adds, \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;I find it curious why a certain image or object appeals to me and initiates a new work.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/div\u003e\n \u003cdiv id=\"Sec26\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e\n \u003ch2\u003e3.3. An Unconscious Necessity\u003c/h2\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFor some artists, painting is not a matter of choice but an unavoidable necessity. While the underlying reasons for this necessity may differ, what unites these artists is the unconscious nature of this drive, a compelling inner force that propels them forward without conscious intent or understanding.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eArtist 8 reflects: \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;I used to draw people just to keep them alive in my memory. Painting wasn\u0026rsquo;t a choice; it was essential. It came on its own. Like seeing or speaking, it was simply a tool that was always with me. Other artists would often say of me, \u0026lsquo;He wakes up with painting and sleeps with painting. We don\u0026rsquo;t know if he\u0026rsquo;s making the painting or the painting is making him.\u0026rsquo;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eArtist 19 notes: \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;At some point, you realize that creating art is your destiny, and that you are incapable of doing anything else. It feels like an inner spiritual calling.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/div\u003e\n \u003cdiv id=\"Sec27\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e\n \u003ch2\u003e4. Repetition\u003c/h2\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eAnother key theme in this research is the role of repetition in the creative process, often serving varied and significant functions.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Sec28\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\n \u003ch2\u003e4.1. Control\u003c/h2\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eRepetition appears as a means to gain mastery and control.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eArtist 3 states: \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t like to admit this, but repetition means being in control, because what I repeat are the things that fall within my physical capabilities.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Sec29\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\n \u003ch2\u003e4.2. Cycles of Destruction and Reconstruction\u003c/h2\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFor some artists, repetition emerges as a dynamic interplay between erasure and renewal, a process rooted in deconstruction and reformation.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eArtist 10 explains: \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;I paint, erase, and repaint the same surface. It\u0026rsquo;s an ongoing dance between destroying and rebuilding.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eArtist 2, who also works with collage, states: \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;I use surfaces from unfinished or unsatisfactory paintings, often on wood, which I cut into pieces and reuse in new collages. Painting doesn\u0026rsquo;t necessarily provide answers, but it acknowledges complexity, layering, and cyclical patterns. One of the newer themes in paintings is this sense of cyclical change, how things repeat and evolve. Growth is not a final destination but a layered, intricate progression. This repetition and circularity reflect human nature, they\u0026rsquo;re not flaws, but part of its intrinsic beauty.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e4.3. Thematic Repetition in Paintings\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eArtist 5 notes: \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;Most of my paintings depict militaristic environments, often featuring a soldier. Human figures in my work generally appear in the form of soldiers, perhaps rooted in my own military service. During the Iran-Iraq war, soldiers were omnipresent, and images of the fallen soldiers filled the city during my adolescence.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Sec31\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\n \u003ch2\u003e4.4. Repetition of a Significant Past Experience\u003c/h2\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eArtist 8 reflects: \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;As a child, I blamed myself for others\u0026rsquo; absence. But through my work, I no longer carry that relationship. I can sleep in the middle of a painting session, then resume the piece seamlessly, continuity is preserved.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Sec32\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\n \u003ch2\u003e5. Integration: The Formation of a Coherent Narrative\u003c/h2\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eAll the themes explored in this study can be subsumed under the broader concept of \u003cem\u003eintegration\u003c/em\u003e. At times, artists explicitly reference art\u0026rsquo;s integrative function, while in other cases, this function emerges implicitly through their descriptions of the creative process. This integration occurs both internally, through the processing of experience, the attribution of meaning, and the pursuit of psychological coherence, and externally, in the compositional act of combining disparate elements into a unified whole.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eArtist 13 remarks: \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m drawn to things that are both natural and cultivated. In painting, colors can be chaotic and disordered, and I try to cultivate them, to shape a rhythm and harmony, and draw forms out of that chaos.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eArtist 14 adds: \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;Centuries after Caspar David Friedrich, I too gather fragments from our collective imagery and place them within a kind of psychedelic landscape. Great art pulls you in, breaks you apart, and reconstructs you.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eArtist 19 states: \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;Art is self-creation, self-construction, and reconstruction, a process, like distilling oneself again and again.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cdiv id=\"Sec33\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e\n \u003ch2\u003e5.1. Understanding the Self and the World\u003c/h2\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFor many painters, the act of creation is not merely a vehicle for emotional expression but also a cognitive tool for reflection, discovery, and meaning-making. Painting becomes a mode of thinking, a way to grasp what initially appears vague or ineffable.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/div\u003e\n \u003cdiv id=\"Sec34\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e\n \u003ch2\u003e5.1.1. A Way of Thinking and Knowing\u003c/h2\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eArtist 6: \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;I paint to understand the things I don\u0026rsquo;t yet comprehend.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eArtist 8: \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;I come to understand people through painting, faces reveal who they are.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eArtist 4: \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;The studio is a space for building and meaning-making, for discovering the limits of the self and the imagination\u0026hellip; This intuitive painting process has introduced me to a different way of thinking and knowing the world, one distinct from conscious knowing.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e5.1.2 A Mode of Self-Expression: A Pathway to Self-Understanding\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor many artists, painting \u003cstrong\u003ebecomes\u003c/strong\u003e a primary mode of expression, especially when verbal language proves insufficient.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eArtist 5 explains: \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ve always avoided words. It\u0026rsquo;s as if I tried to compensate through painting. For me, it\u0026rsquo;s a descriptive tool that allows me to express my inner and mental world, thoughts that overwhelm me like an avalanche, or emotions I can\u0026apos;t articulate elsewhere. It\u0026rsquo;s an essential tool for me.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e5.2 Personal Myth or Autobiographical Narrative\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThrough painting, artists not only understand themselves and their surroundings but also shape personal myths, unique narratives that give coherence to their lives.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eArtist 4 reflects: \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;Ultimately, the works you create over a lifetime are a form of self-description. At that point, what you paint becomes secondary, whether it\u0026rsquo;s a tree, a face, or a teapot, it reveals who you are.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eArtist 5 adds: \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;Only a few of my works are deeply personal to me, especially those tied to my own experience. Some feel like self-portraits, or pieces with which I deeply engaged emotionally. One particular work stands out as the most significant; it shaped my artistic path, references an important art historical moment, and simultaneously represents both myself and the era I lived in.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eArtist 3 concludes: \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;I believe the artist\u0026rsquo;s role is to offer their own interpretation of their personal response to the world, even if that world, like mine, is a very small one.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Sec37\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\n \u003ch2\u003e5.3 Connection and Unity with the World and Humanity\u003c/h2\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFor many painters, art is not merely a means of personal expression but a way of connecting with others, understanding shared human experiences, and establishing a deeper bond with the world.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eArtist 2 notes: \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;Transformation occurs through the coming together of individuals and personal change. I believe the power of art lies in this interpersonal interaction, which can eventually expand outward.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eArtist 5 reflects: \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;We humans are deeply interconnected, like links in a chain. The world, while vast and diverse, is also intimate and internal. Within us, there is a galaxy, a divinity.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eArtist 9 adds: \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;It is the depth of our inner life that connects us to others.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFigure\u0026nbsp;3\u003c/strong\u003e provides an overview of the shared themes identified among the painters.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis study investigated the creative process of painting through artists\u0026rsquo; own narratives, supported by the researcher\u0026rsquo;s psychoanalytic interpretation. It examined the reciprocal influence between artistic creation and the artist\u0026rsquo;s psychological state, exploring how these dynamics manifest throughout the process. The findings revealed a common psychological trajectory shared by most artists, regardless of gender, age, nationality, or artistic style, highlighting a universal psychic process within the act of creation.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn addition to these shared patterns, nuanced differences emerged. Some variations reflected individual traits, while others were linked to broader factors such as gender, age, cultural background, and artistic experience. Notably, men often focused on themes of historical narrative, collective identity, and external crisis, while women engaged more with internal states, bodily memory, emotional reintegration, and relational dynamics. These thematic distinctions also manifested linguistically: women tended to use cognitive and affective verbs, whereas men preferred action-oriented language.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFrom a psychoanalytic perspective, the observed gender differences may reflect distinct orientations: women appeared more attuned to inner reality, while men engaged more with external structures. These contrasts suggest differing modes of psychological processing, particularly in how unconscious material is accessed, symbolized, and integrated into creative work.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAge also played a role in shaping the creative process. Older artists tended to focus more on constructing coherent personal narratives and integrating fragmented aspects of the self. This suggests that age influences which phase of the creative journey the psyche engages with most intensely, often toward psychological cohesion.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCultural context, especially nationality, affected the thematic content of artworks. While the core psychological structure of creativity remained intact, external factors, such as war, mythology, and sociopolitical environment, shaped individual narratives and visual symbolism, grounding the creative process in each artist\u0026rsquo;s lived experience.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDespite these differences, the fundamental structure of the creative process was consistent. Artists began with unconscious encounters, transforming raw internal material into symbolic form. Metaphor and symbol served as transitional conduits, while time and repetition acted as containers for processing chaotic inner content. Through this journey, artists reconstructed meaning, achieving a coherent and integrated psychological narrative. Figure\u0026nbsp;4 presents a schematic of the creative process as it unfolds in the inner world of the artists.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec39\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eMetaphor and Symbol As Transitional Conduits\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eA recurring theme in the interviews was the artists\u0026rsquo; frequent use of metaphors and symbols, acts of symbolic representation, to express unconscious content. Here, \"metaphor\" and \"symbol\" refer to mental images or objects that stand in for repressed or inaccessible experiences[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR37\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e37\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eArnold Modell describes metaphor as the \u0026ldquo;currency of the emotional mind,\u0026rdquo; [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR38\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e38\u003c/span\u003e], emphasizing its role as a primary cognitive function of the unconscious. Through metaphor, the unconscious processes meaning and enables new insight [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR39\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e39\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMany artists symbolically perceived elements like the canvas or studio as safe, creative spaces, metaphoric containers for exploration and meaning-making, echoing Winnicott\u0026rsquo;s \u0026ldquo;holding environment.\u0026rdquo; [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR40\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e40\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eArtist No. 2 likens memory to a collage, fragmented, fluid, and constantly shifting. Using collage in her work, she rearranges psychological fragments, symbolically reconstructing aspects of her inner world, giving them new form and meaning on the canvas. This reconfiguration becomes a process of psychological integration, bridging past and present in what Stern calls a metaphorical experience, enabling a deeper understanding of both[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR41\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e41\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThrough symbolic transformation, painters externalize emotions, memories, and internal conflicts. Metaphor functions as a bridge between feeling and language [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR42\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e42\u003c/span\u003e], enabling intrapsychic material to surface as visual imagery. These symbols guide unconscious content toward conscious recognition.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn doing so, symbolic representation facilitates the integration of unconscious conflict into awareness. Metaphors and symbols permit artists to confront repressed desires or contradictions indirectly, avoiding their raw impact. As one artist noted, \u0026ldquo;The studio\u0026rsquo;s task is to turn the invisible into the visible,\u0026rdquo; capturing how creative space enables the transformation of inner experience into meaningful, visual form.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs Schore notes, at deeper pathological levels, the task is not just to make the unconscious conscious, but to restructure it into a more tolerable form. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR43\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e43\u003c/span\u003e]. Metaphor, in this sense, serves a reconstruing function, enabling symbolic reorganization of unconscious material.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eArtist No. 1 describes her work not as depicting characters, but as embodying costumes or husks, terms rich in emotional and symbolic resonance. \u0026ldquo;Husk\u0026rdquo; refers to the outer covering of seeds, or vegetables, and etymologically may derive from a Dutch term meaning \u0026ldquo;little home.\u0026rdquo; It can also denote the discarded exoskeletons of insects after molting.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWithin this framework, \u0026ldquo;Husk\u0026rdquo; evokes concepts such as residual layers from previous developmental stages, a former home or container once inhabited, now outgrown. Her paintings, therefore, represent the culmination of past psychic phases, integrating, digesting, and retaining what is essential while shedding the obsolete, supporting ongoing psychological growth.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec40\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eTime As Container for Unconscious Material\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe concept of time, closely tied to change and passage, played a central role in the artists' creative processes. Time was seen not only as a backdrop for processing lived experience but also as a medium for self-understanding. While some viewed time as eroding memory and identity, others saw it as preserving the self. The materials chosen often reflected this tension, embodying the interplay between temporality, creativity, and identity. Visual metaphors of decay and erosion frequently conveyed concerns about memory\u0026rsquo;s unreliability.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eArtists employed metaphors to represent the fragmented, unstable nature of memory. One likened memory to a collage of uneven, shifting fragments. Another compared it to viewing through a blurred pane of glass, symbolizing the ambiguity of perception and the psychic effort to clarify unconscious images. These metaphors reflected attempts to reconstruct inner vagueness and achieve deeper insight.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSuch reflections align with Gargiulo\u0026rsquo;s view that remembering is not passive recall but an active, creative process shaped by the present [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR44\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e44\u003c/span\u003e]. Artist No. 20, for instance, used painting to slow time and process emotional resonance rather than to document reality. Echoing Bion, time became a \u0026ldquo;container\u0026rdquo; for metabolizing the raw data of inner emotion and outer chaos.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTime often acts as a psychological container, enabling closure and transition between inner phases. While painting may appear to record time, it more deeply functions as a medium for capturing fragmented selves across temporal moments, allowing artists to reconstruct a coherent sense of identity from dispersed experiences.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOne artist emphasized transparency in her work, leaving underlying sketches visible as a deliberate act of preserving past layers within the present, an act of integrating different aspects of the self over time. This visual strategy symbolizes psychological continuity and echoes Ehrenzweig\u0026rsquo;s theory of the multilayered self, where conscious and unconscious layers interact dynamically. The deepest, \u0026ldquo;manic-oceanic\u0026rdquo; layer, he argues, is accessible only through unconscious artistic expression [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR45\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e45\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMaterial properties themselves also shape temporality in the creative process. Some invite slow, reflective engagement, while others demand immediacy. These contrasting rhythms evoke different aspects of the self, one controlled, the other spontaneous. This duality aligns with Winnicott\u0026rsquo;s \u0026ldquo;third space,\u0026rdquo; a transitional zone where the artist, through material interaction, accesses unknown parts of the psyche, a space for discovery, provided there is somewhere to hold what is found [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR46\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e46\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTime can serve as a space for psychological reconstruction, extending beyond the artwork to the artist\u0026rsquo;s inner world. One painter noted, \u0026ldquo;I return to some of my works and change them... Even the varnish I use allows me to return.\u0026rdquo; This reflects Freud\u0026rsquo;s concept of \u0026ldquo;working-through,\u0026rdquo; where re-engaging with the past fosters self-integration. Reworking the same canvas becomes a way of layering the evolving self onto past expressions, turning the artwork into a temporal bridge. As Modell suggests, the past actively shapes the present. When present experiences evoke earlier ones, memory becomes a metaphor that binds time and identity. Through creation, artists form \u0026ldquo;emotional categorizations,\u0026rdquo; linking fragmented moments into a coherent psychological narrative.[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR47\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e47\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eUnconscious as the Source of Creativity\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMany artists describe their creative process as originating in the unconscious rather than through deliberate thought. A key sign of this is their perception of artworks as independent entities with identities distinct from their creators. This autonomy parallels Ogden\u0026rsquo;s \u0026ldquo;analytic third\u0026rdquo;, a transformative presence that arises in the intersubjective space between analyst and analysand[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR48\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e48\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn art, however, this \u0026ldquo;thirdness\u0026rdquo; emerges from within, through the internal dialogue between conscious intent and unconscious spontaneity. This study terms it the \u0026ldquo;Intra-subjective Artistic Third\u0026rdquo;, a dynamic, independent psychic presence formed within the artist\u0026rsquo;s mind. Like the analytic third, it transforms both aspects of the self, as conscious control yields to unconscious expression, allowing repressed fragments to surface symbolically.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe painting process, both in the inner world of psychic experience and the external rhythms of bodily movement, brushstrokes, and interaction with materials, mirrors the associative structure of free association in psychoanalysis. Like the analyst\u0026rsquo;s reverie that metabolizes projections, the artist\u0026rsquo;s nonverbal, reparative reverie processes unintegrated psychic material, aiding in the symbolic integration of fragmented aspects of the self.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe initiation of this associative journey, namely, the triggering encounter with the unconscious, may start with an external stimulus, an inner sensation, or a distant memory. Some artists often describe sudden, unexpected inspirations, while others point to intentional research and exploration as starting points. These preparatory acts also function as mechanisms for uncovering unconscious triggers, facilitating the artist\u0026rsquo;s entry into deeper psychological terrain.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThese triggers, found consciously or unconsciously, often arise from the internal pressure of unconscious content seeking expression. Bollas\u0026rsquo;s \"unthought known\" and Stern\u0026rsquo;s \"unformulated experience\" help explain this phenomenon. The \"unthought known\" refers to deeply familiar yet unarticulated early experiences [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR49\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e49\u003c/span\u003e]. while \"unformulated experience\" denotes pre-symbolic psychic material. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR50\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e50\u003c/span\u003e]. The emergence of a creative impulse thus reflects the psyche\u0026rsquo;s effort to transform these raw, amorphous inner contents into symbolic form.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnother concept closely related to this unconscious process is that of the \u0026ldquo;transformational object\u0026rdquo;, referring to a caregiver who profoundly alters the infant\u0026rsquo;s emotional state and sense of self. This transformation, grounded in early sensory rather than verbal experience, arises from the caregiver\u0026rsquo;s ability to soothe and meet the infant\u0026rsquo;s needs, moving the child from chaos to calm. In this pre-symbolic, nonverbal state, the infant perceives the caregiver not as separate, but as fused with the process of self-formation[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR49\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e49\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn adult life, individuals may unconsciously seek similar experiences that echo this early emotional transformation. The search for a transformational object becomes a form of emotional remembering, not through conscious recall, but through affective reliving of formative experiences [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR49\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e49\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBollas\u0026rsquo;s concept of the \u0026ldquo;evocative object\u0026rdquo; further illuminates the creative process. These are objects that awaken latent aspects of the self, impacting us sensationally, symbolically, or mnemonically. Their presence is often serendipitous, rather than chosen, they seem to choose us, unlocking hidden parts of the psyche. In this sense, the artist does not simply use the object; rather, the object \u0026ldquo;plays\u0026rdquo; the artist, functioning as a catalyst for unconscious expression [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR51\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e51\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR52\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e52\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"It is interesting even to myself why I am drawn to certain things or images, and why I begin a work under their influence... I always felt that my paintings evoked a sense of suspension in mid-air. Everything felt suspended. Later, elements such as the ground, buildings, and trees entered my work, but even these felt as though they were not firmly rooted to the earth... My first visual memory dates back to when I was about four or five months old. From my perspective as an infant, held in my mother's arms in a car, I recall a piece of cloth being pulled skyward by the wind through the open window. This image always stayed with me, and to verify whether it was real, I asked my mother, who confirmed it, her scarf had indeed been carried by the wind... It seems that even the very first image in my mind was of being suspended in the air.\"\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn the account of Painter No. 7, all three of Bollas\u0026rsquo;s concepts can be simultaneously traced: the unconscious impact of the \u0026ldquo;evocative object\u0026rdquo;, anything recalling a sense of suspension in the air; the \"unthought known,\" a distant, diffuse experience inaccessible by words, something known, yet not consciously thought; and the unconscious search for the \u0026ldquo;transformational object\u0026rdquo; embodied in the early emotional containment provided by the mother. Suspension sensation fuses all three.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThrough painting, the artist unconsciously seeks to reenter that primordial state of emotional security. Anything evoking suspension becomes a symbolic trigger, acts as a hook, catches onto a vital point within the painter\u0026rsquo;s psyche, and draws him toward recreating that original experience. The wind once carried mother\u0026rsquo;s scarf away, and the painter continues to respond to the summons of any wind to chase the mother\u0026rsquo;s scarf ( a part-object representing the mother herself) across time and memory.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThroughout the creative process, artists repeatedly encounter such evocative objects, which open pathways into their unconscious, bringing them into contact with unthought knowns and unformulated experiences, or propelling them in search of a transformative object. At times, the creative process resembles what Kohut (1996) describes in effective analytic therapy: a forgotten quest for idealized self-objects with which the individual longs to merge and belong, as once experienced or imagined [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR53\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e53\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePainting serves as an effective medium for expressing the unconscious because it enables symbolic and visual representation. As Townsend states, \"the unconscious speaks to us through images and symbols.\"[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR54\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e54\u003c/span\u003e] Visual sensations often bypass the denials and rationalizations tied to verbal language [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR55\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e55\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePainting is particularly suited to shaping unconscious material, as it involves an active, participatory mode of observation that influences the form the unconscious takes. This parallels Gargiulo\u0026rsquo;s analogy to quantum theory, where observation creates rather than reveals reality[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR44\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e44\u003c/span\u003e]. In this view, the painter becomes both observer and participant in their own unconscious, actively engaging with and shaping its unformed content.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eRepetition As a Means Of Processing\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRepetition in the creative process serves varied functions: a means of control, growth, or symbolic destruction and renewal. It shapes both the artwork and the artist\u0026rsquo;s internal experience. For some, repetition enables mastery and deeper insight; for others, it reflects cycles of collapse and regeneration. Hanna Segal argues that artistic creation is inherently reparative yet never complete, rooted in an unconscious memory of a lost inner world, linked to the depressive position. Creation thus becomes a persistent effort to restore the lost parental couple and regenerate psychic life through symbolic expression.[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR56\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e56\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe recurrence of themes or images in an artist\u0026rsquo;s work can be interpreted through concepts such as repetition compulsion, psychic working-through, and the unconscious effort to contain unresolved or painful experiences. While Freud viewed repetition compulsion as avoiding, rather than fostering, psychological growth, this study suggests that artistic repetition often functions as a growth-oriented, self-transformative process. As Townsend observes, recurring motifs express unintegrated, formless psychic states that no single artwork can fully resolve; each piece merely reveals fragments. Artists, consciously or not, repeatedly return to such themes in an ongoing effort to give form to elusive psychic contents that resist full integration.[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR57\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e57\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRepetition may function as a return to the past, enabling the reconstruction of psychic scenarios with alternative outcomes or the reenactment of meaningful life events through art. It can offer the artist a sense of mastery by rewriting overwhelming or painful experiences with new resolutions.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Death in childhood was different from death when I grew older. As a child, death left no corpse; it was marked only by disappearance and absence... My father was a soldier and often away at the front. When he was gone, I felt an intense, frightening loneliness. Even now, when my partner travels, the person who returns is not the same one who left. Someone who could leave me cannot be the same person who returns. He must be someone else. As a child, I blamed myself for the absence of others. But with my paintings, it is different, I can fall asleep in the middle of a work and later resume it, and the continuity remains.\"\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor this painter, the father\u0026rsquo;s absence in childhood equated to a death without a corpse, leaving no witness, yet equally terrifying. From a Fairbairnian perspective, whatever happens to the internalized objects will happen to the self [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR58\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e58\u003c/span\u003e] so the death of the internalized father figure implicates a corresponding death within the self.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eYet the painter\u0026rsquo;s own absence in the midst of creation alters nothing. She leaves the work, journeys into the world of sleep, and upon return, finds everything intact, continuing without rupture, separation, or symbolic death. In painting, she reenacts the familiar scenario, but this time with an outcome that heals old wounds: deconstructing the past, forging a renewed present, and reclaiming agency over destiny. As Segal (1991) explains, pathological mourning stems from concrete symbolization. Only when the lost object is internalized and symbolized within the psyche can the inner repair necessary to overcome mourning occur. The truly deceased cannot be restored, just as excrement cannot be transformed back into milk; only through symbolic internalization does psychic restoration become possible[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR59\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e59\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eIntegration Into Coherent Narrative\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePainters often view creation not just as emotional expression but as a means of self and world understanding through a nonverbal, emotional mode of thinking. Allan Schore identifies this as the \"implicit self of the right hemisphere,\" distinct from the analytical, verbal self, and central to both psychoanalysis and artistic practice.[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR60\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e60\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eArtists\u0026rsquo; descriptions of creation as understanding parallel Bion\u0026rsquo;s \u0026ldquo;containment\u0026rdquo;: a caregiver (container) receives and metabolizes (alpha function) overwhelming emotions (beta elements) transforms them into thinkable forms (alpha elements), thus acting as a psychic digestive system for the infant\u0026rsquo;s raw emotional experience.[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR61\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e61\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePainters strive to transform what is \"disordered, messy, and chaotic,\" \"fragmented pieces,\" or \"thoughts that suddenly avalanche over me\" and \"emotions I cannot express anywhere\", all manifestations of beta elements, into alpha elements that can be thought about through the containing function of painting. Expressions such as nurturing, shaping, imposing new rhythm and form, internalizing, breaking down, and reconstructing all describe this alpha function.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn other words, the creative process of painting becomes a tool, a container, and a capacity for \"holding oneself\", what Flax defines as the ability to remain aware of one\u0026rsquo;s emotions and to comprehend their meanings while experiencing them. It is the capacity to restore the ability to think. This capacity requires a holding environment capable of symbolizing unprocessed and buried emotions, and the creative process provides such an environment. Its effectiveness depends on the extent to which raw emotional content can be brought into the symbolic domain[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR62\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e62\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThese raw elements that painters seek to transform recall the second category of unconscious content described by Levine: the distinction Freud made between the organized, expressible part of the unconscious, what we call the repressed or dynamic unconscious, and a broader domain of incoherent forces that have either lost their psychic representation or never attained one, remaining unsymbolized and disconnected from associative chains. Levine argues that there exists within each individual a \u0026ldquo;representational imperative\u0026rdquo; to give form to these states [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR63\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e63\u003c/span\u003e], a process Sharpe sees as inherently reparative and reconstructive[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e14\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe function of painting does not end with expression and understanding; it also encompasses the construction of a personal narrative, a personal myth, a personal world, and the creation of connections between this inner world and the external one, a recurring theme in the artists\u0026rsquo; accounts. As Goethe notes, \u0026ldquo;There is no surer way of escaping the world, nor of uniting with it, than through art. \u0026rdquo; [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR64\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e64\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSimilarly, Segal observes that art serves as a means to reconstruct the fragmented inner world symbolically in the outer world, granting wholeness, form, and new life to past experiences. Through painting, the artist creates coherence and integration out of inner chaos and fragmentation; the external canvas becomes a symbol and reflection of the internal canvas[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e]. From this perspective, artistic creation fosters not only individual cohesion but also broader connections between self and community, past and present, and personal and cultural experience, allowing identity to be reconsidered and reimagined.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"We human beings are deeply interconnected; we are in no way detached from one another. Like the links of a chain, we are joined together. The world, as expansive, diverse, and vast as it may seem, is equally small and inward; within ourselves, we are galaxies, we are divine.\"\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe painters\u0026rsquo; descriptions of merging with the world resonate with Gargiulo\u0026rsquo;s view: \"I offer the metaphor that consciousness is like a wave of probability, simultaneously everywhere and nowhere.\"[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR44\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e44\u003c/span\u003e]. Human consciousness is inherently collective rather than merely individual; meaning is forged within the fabric of society, and at its deepest level, we are intrinsically one with everything around us [\u003cspan additionalcitationids=\"CR66\" citationid=\"CR65\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e65\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR67\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e67\u003c/span\u003e]. As Whitehead and David Bohm suggest, at a sub-quantum level, every atom in the universe is connected to every other atom[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR44\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e44\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWithin this framework, artistic creation is not merely a reflection of the past but a process through which the artist re-discovers the self and constructs a coherent, integrated narrative. As Segal, in her admiration of Proust\u0026rsquo;s description of creativity, notes: driven by an inner need to recover a lost past, the artist is compelled to create; yet true recollection often occurs unexpectedly, triggered by accidental sensory associations like the taste of a cake [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBuilding on this view, the artwork can be seen as a \"witness.\" Gilbert J. Rose primarily uses this concept to describe how a work of art serves as a resonant witness to the emotional reality of the viewer, reflecting it back to them [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR68\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e68\u003c/span\u003e]. Rose\u0026rsquo;s focus is on the final product, the artwork, and the impact this \"product\" can have on the audience. However, the present study expands upon this idea by shifting the focus from the \"final product\" to the \"creative process,\" extending the concept of witnessing to the artist\u0026rsquo;s own internal experience. From this perspective, the artwork is not merely a mirror of the viewer\u0026rsquo;s unconscious but also a witness to the artist\u0026rsquo;s inner journey, a space-time continuum where the \"self,\" along with its losses, dreams, and desires, gains the opportunity for emergence, externalization, and symbolic observation. Thus, the act of creation itself becomes a form of active witnessing of one\u0026rsquo;s personal experience.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe concept of \"witnessing\" has been employed by many psychoanalysts, each attributing to it their particular nuance [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR41\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e41\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan additionalcitationids=\"CR69 CR70 CR71 CR72 CR73 CR74 CR75 CR76 CR77 CR78\" citationid=\"CR68\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e68\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR79\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e79\u003c/span\u003e]. Stern, unlike earlier psychoanalysts, asserts that witnessing is not confined to relational contexts with an external object, such as between therapist and patient, but can occur within the internal realm of the mind as an imaginary witness. He posits that to recognize, experience, and give meaning to events, particularly traumatic ones, part of the \"self\" must be capable of witnessing another part[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR80\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e80\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eReviving the present through the past, or the past through the present, requires that experiences across time be linked, and what makes this connection possible is shared affect and emotion[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR78\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e78\u003c/span\u003e]. This notion aligns closely with many artists\u0026rsquo; descriptions of painting as a tool for \"understanding oneself and the world.\" The creative process thus acts as the internal or imaginary witness, bridging the fragmented parts of the psyche by linking past and present selves. Thus, the final artwork is not static but a vibrant, living image, an embodiment of the artist\u0026rsquo;s inner struggle to organize the chaotic contents of the unconscious, and what this paper terms a \u0026ldquo;Symbolic Inner Witness\u0026rdquo; to internal fragmentation, or simply a \u0026ldquo;Third Self.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Conclusion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis study sought to explore the creative process of painting through the subjective experiences of artists, interpreted through a psychoanalytic lens. Findings demonstrated that painting serves not merely as a vehicle for emotional expression, but as a complex psychological journey, one that metabolizes raw, unprocessed unconscious material into coherent, symbolically integrated narratives. Throughout this journey, the processes of metaphorization, symbolization, temporal engagement, and repetition emerged as crucial tools that facilitate the transformation of chaotic inner experiences into structured psychic forms.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCentral to this dynamic is the emergence of a theoretical construct developed in this study: the \u003cem\u003eIntra-subjective Artistic Third\u003c/em\u003e. This original concept refers to a creative \"thirdness\" born within the artist\u0026rsquo;s mind, an autonomous and transformative psychic presence that emerges from the internal dialogue between conscious intentionality and unconscious spontaneity. It enables the symbolic transformation of the self, reflecting the artist\u0026rsquo;s capacity to navigate and integrate fragmentation within the psychic space of creation.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eClosely intertwined with this internal thirdness is another novel construct developed in this study: the \u003cem\u003eSymbolic Inner Witness\u003c/em\u003e. While drawing inspiration from theories by Gilbert J. Rose[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR68\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e68\u003c/span\u003e] and Daniel Stern [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR50\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e50\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR80\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e80\u003c/span\u003e], this concept is introduced here as an original contribution that reframes witnessing as an internal process activated within the creative act. It functions as a reflective capacity through which the artist observes and gives symbolic form to previously unformulated inner experiences across psychic time. Artistic creation thus becomes a symbolic process of internal witnessing, where the past and present selves simultaneously experience and observe their unfolding psychic life.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Moreover, the concept of witnessing can be traced back to the infant\u0026rsquo;s early experience of unity with the caregiver. Gilbert J. Rose highlights how art continues the biological function of maternal care by offering a symbolic space for emotional repetition and re-experiencing, helping regulate affect and support differentiation [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR77\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e77\u003c/span\u003e] Similarly, Daniel Stern emphasizes that the \"inner witness\" originates from early internalized relationships with real others, eventually forming an internal presence that was once external to the self [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR80\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e80\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn this regard, the yearning for a witness connects to two key themes in this study. First, the unconscious search for the transformative object reflects a drive to re-experience an early state of unity. Artistic creation enables this through a symbolic re-living of such experiences, where the act of making becomes a means to recreate and internalize the original object's witnessing presence. This process supports both the revival of past emotional states and their integration into the present self.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSecond, the artist's search for unity extends outward, aiming for connection with the world. Artistic experience, especially in its engagement with the viewer, offers a space to bridge personal and collective dimensions of human experience. Through creation, the artist bears witness to both individual and shared aspects of the human condition, including its suffering, longing, and search for meaning.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn sum, the process of painting is a psychological journey and reparative space where the artist confronts and reconfigures unconscious material. Through metaphor, symbolization, time, and repetition, it metabolizes \"unthought knowns\" and \"unformulated experiences,\" shaping them into coherent psychic forms. It acts as a form of non-verbal free association and reverie, digesting emotionally charged content. As proposed in this study, this process gives rise to the \u003cem\u003eIntra-subjective Artistic Third\u003c/em\u003e and the \u003cem\u003eSymbolic Inner Witness\u003c/em\u003e, two original constructs that illuminate the ongoing psychic work of reconstruction and integration.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFuture Research Suggestions\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFuture research could extend these findings by comparing the creative process across other artistic disciplines, such as sculpture, music, or dance, to explore whether the psychological structures identified here are consistent across modalities. Cross-cultural, gender-based, and developmental studies could further enrich understanding of the \u003cem\u003eIntra-subjective Artistic Third\u003c/em\u003e and the \u003cem\u003eSymbolic Inner Witness\u003c/em\u003e. Longitudinal research might also shed light on how the relationship between unconscious content and creative practice evolves across the artist\u0026rsquo;s lifespan. Finally, integrating neuropsychological, phenomenological, and psychoanalytic perspectives could offer a more multidimensional understanding of creativity and psychic integration.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eLimitations of the Study\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe aim of this study is not generalizability, but to explore the truth of another\u0026rsquo;s subjective and objective experience. As the researcher\u0026rsquo;s subjectivity shapes the outcome, reproducibility is not expected. Phenomenological analysis involves two layers: the participant\u0026rsquo;s perception and the researcher\u0026rsquo;s interpretation of that perception. The observer and the observed are inseparable, making results unique to each investigator. This is not a flaw but a feature of human-centered research. Attempts to fully isolate variables risk oversimplifying complex human experiences and obscuring their deeper dynamics.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Abbreviations","content":"\u003cp\u003ePVHA: Participant-Validated Hermeneutic Attunement\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIPA: Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthics approval and consent to participate\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis study was conducted in full compliance with the American Psychological Association (APA) Code of Ethics. The goals and procedures of this research were reviewed and approved by the Review Board of the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education and Psychology, Alzahra University (Approval Code: GM-FR-06-00; Reference) on July 18, 2023. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants after they were thoroughly informed about the study’s purpose, procedures, potential risks, and benefits. Participation was entirely voluntary, and individuals were free to withdraw at any time without any negative consequences. Throughout the research process, participants’ privacy and confidentiality were strictly protected. Personal data were handled confidentially and used solely for research purposes, with rigorous anonymization procedures implemented to ensure that no identifying information would appear in any publications or reports. Notably, the methodological innovation of this study—the Participant-Validated Hermeneutic Attunement (PVHA) model—was specifically designed to enhance ethical sensitivity and rigor.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsent for publication\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot applicable. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAvailability of data and materials\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe data that support the findings of this study are available from the authors upon reasonable request.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCompeting interests\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe authors declare no competing interests. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFunding\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot applicable. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthors' contributions\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMM conceived and designed the study, conducted the research, analysed the data, and wrote the manuscript. ZKH and AT served as academic supervisors, guiding the research process. SHZ acted as an academic advisor and contributed to the revision of the final manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAcknowledgements\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot applicable. \u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSegal, H., \u003cem\u003eA psycho-analytical approach to aesthetics.\u003c/em\u003e The International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 1952. \u003cstrong\u003e33\u003c/strong\u003e: p. 196-207.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKris, E., \u003cem\u003ePsychoanalytic Explorations in Art\u003c/em\u003e. 2000, Madison, CO: International Universities Press.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMilner, M., \u003cem\u003eOn Not Being Able To Paint\u003c/em\u003e. 2010: Taylor \u0026amp; Francis.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKillick, K. and J. 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Since Freud, many other analysts have explored creativity and artistic expression through a psychoanalytic lens. However, much of the literature focuses on the final product, mostly from a pathological point of view.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eObjective\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe current study aimed to explore the creative act process, focusing on the artists\u0026rsquo; narrative of the creative process.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eMethod\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis study employed a qualitative design using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 25 professional painters and thematically analysed through a contemporary psychoanalytic lens. To enhance phenomenological and theoretical validity, this study introduced the \u003cem\u003eParticipant-Validated Hermeneutic Attunement (PVHA)\u003c/em\u003e protocol, an original model in which the final manuscript was shared with all interviewees for structured feedback, ensuring (1) no disclosure of sensitive content, (2) interpretive accuracy, and (3) phenomenological coherence\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eResults\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe data revealed five key themes across artists\u0026rsquo; narratives: (1) the unconscious as the source of creativity, (2) metaphor and symbolization translating raw emotion, (3) time as a container for unconscious material, (4) repetition as a means of psychic processing, and (5) integration into a coherent narrative. This final theme encapsulates the entire creative process, metabolizing chaotic and fragmented unconscious content into cohesive aesthetic expressions.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eConclusion\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eBased on the findings, this study proposes two original conceptual constructs to describe the dynamics of the creative process: the \u003cem\u003eIntra-subjective Artistic Third\u003c/em\u003e, a dynamic and autonomous psychic presence that emerges from the internal dialogue between conscious intentionality and unconscious spontaneity, enabling the transformation of the self; and the \u003cem\u003eSymbolic Inner Witness\u003c/em\u003e, a reflective function that facilitates the symbolic observation of inner experience, particularly previously unformulated material, linking past and present selves across psychic time. These constructs frame painting as both a form of free association and a nonverbal reverie that metabolizes raw, unprocessed psychic content into coherent symbolic expression.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"The Intra-subjective Artistic Third and Symbolic Inner Witness: A Psychoanalytic Phenomenology of the Painters' Creative Process","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-07-14 10:39:54","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6740404/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2025-07-09T09:51:39+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2025-07-02T15:38:28+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvited","content":"","date":"2025-06-12T14:19:50+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2025-06-11T12:29:39+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"BMC Psychology","date":"2025-06-11T12:25:57+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"bmc-psychology","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"psyo","sideBox":"Learn more about [BMC Psychology](http://bmcpsychology.biomedcentral.com/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"","title":"BMC Psychology","twitterHandle":"BMC_series","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"BMC Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"59046407-5b14-4546-96a6-cd46b9f03f13","owner":[],"postedDate":"July 14th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2025-07-14T10:39:54+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2025-07-14 10:39:54","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-6740404","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-6740404","identity":"rs-6740404","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}