Sheet with overall checkerboard pattern 1800 - 1900

This sheet with an overall checkerboard pattern was made by an anonymous artist. The phrase "Alien Arte..." appears in the upper left corner, hinting at the context of its creation. This artwork likely comes from the asylum context, and the phrase "Alien Arte..." possibly refers to “Art of the Insane." It is a poignant reminder of the historical treatment of mental illness. The repetitive nature of the checkerboard pattern can be seen as a reflection of the monotonous and confined existence within asylum walls. What does it mean to create when one is considered an outsider by society? What type of expressive freedom does one gain? I find myself thinking about how the act of creation becomes both an assertion of self and a form of resistance against the depersonalizing forces of institutionalization. The checkerboard becomes a symbol of both confinement and the infinite possibilities contained within the artist's mind.