Kitsch as an Expression of Longing for Lost Paradise

We reflect on the positive aspect of kitsch, considering our experience as a clinical psychologist and psychotherapist. During the first stage of the psychotherapeutic process we can observe that the artistic production, be it a picture, a literary text or an improvised melody, is often characterized by features pointing towards the stylistic genre called kitsch in analyses of arts critics and arts pedagogies. But in this case we assist to authentic emotional expression instead of imitation and marketing. The exploration of the arts therapeutic process indicates that kitsch can have a positive function, symbolizing the escape into an idealized past where the traumatic experiences didn’t yet occur. By overcoming this stage, patients become able to elaborate the dark sides of existence at a higher level. This evolution reflects itself in the artistic production.