Douglas Burns

Region: MFA Annual

Assessment of Douglas Burns by a Licensed Clinical Social Worker: 12/28/12

Artist is a married, insured, unemployed, 31-year-old white male. Born in New Zealand, lived in Louisiana through most of grade school, with the majority of adolescence and young adulthood spent in the Pacific Northwest. Artist denies psychiatric hospitalizations and acknowledges little outpatient therapy history. Artist presents with the idea of reference and a preoccupation with issues of power, religion, and dogma. Exploration of such interest is communicated through ubiquitous domestic materials reminiscent of his middle-class upbringing. Artist demonstrates an interest in death and a desire for immortality. Awareness of such concern is communicated though reference to art-historical themes such as “vanitas.” Artist endorses feelings of hopelessness. Artist denies delusions of grandeur, intrusive thoughts, and audio or visual hallucinations. Artist denies suicidal or homicidal ideation.