Artister mår bra av att må dåligt ... eller? En empirisk studie av hur sambandet mellan psykisk ohälsa och konstnärskap skildras i dokumentären Avicii: True Stories

Sammanfattning: The purpose of this paper is to examine how the documentary Avicii: True Stories can be related to the myth of the suffering artist. In which way does the movie consolidate with the notion of mental illness being a fundamental and constructive part of creativity; conversely, how does it challenge the myth? The study is based on the theory of Representation by Stuart Hall and the theory of Mythology by Roland Barthes. Both theories suggest that meaning is produced and reproduced through language and aided by systems of representation. The theory of mythology was used to explicitly illustrate these representations which would otherwise remain implicit while still maintaining social norms and ideologies regarding the conception between poor mental health and artistry. In order to fulfil the purpose of the study qualitative content analysis was carried out. The result suggests that Avicii: True Stories rather challenges the myth of the suffering artists than confirming it. Opposite to prior documentaries, where the musicians’ mental health is portrayed as their identity and the fundamental force behind their creativity, Avicii: True Stories shows Tim Berglings mental health as a consequence of work environment and career choice. Therefore, the documentary about Avicii challenges the discourse and myth about the artist as a tormented soul who requires to suffer for his artistry.