the Empty Fortress (after Bruno Bettelheim), 2025

rehydrated acrylic, India ink and conte on upcycled canvas, framed in discarded ornament

8” x 10”

the Empty Fortress (after Bruno Bettelheim) is positioned in response to the work of Austrian psychologist and Holocaust survivor Bruno Bettelheim. Notorious for his work with (as classified in the time), emotionally disturbed and Autistic children, in his book The Empty Fortress: infantile autism and the birth of self, Bettelheim outdoes himself by suggesting that imitation concentration camps would serve as ideal environments for Autistic children to develop, learn and improve. With this work, Mikell responds to Bettelheim’s assertion that Autistic children are hollow and armoured, unresponsive to empathetic approach, and inquires as to what benefit could’ve possibly been gained from attending these isolated institutions full of sharp edges, ensuring at best an uncertain fate. Mikell asks the viewer to consider a softer solution, protective and pragmatic but not battened-down.

consistent with Mikell’s practice, this piece is composed entirely of repurposed materials diverted from cycles of disuse, in an effort to mitigate industry waste. As a result, imperfections to the surfaces of frames and canvases are to be expected. Please contact the artist with further inquiries about production.