Circle of Rituals — OCD| Pink & Purple Illustration (2023) Tekening door Nolan Trace

"“Circle of Ritual” is a symbolic and surreal depiction of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) — a chronic psychiatric condition characterized by intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and ritualistic behaviors (compulsions).
In this illustration, a figure with its back to the viewer desperately tries to shield its consciousness from the parasite-like force of intrusive thoughts, represented by a poisonous centipede. The threads of obsession (purple and magenta) intertwine with threads of rational thought (pink), blurring the boundary between sanity and pathology. The figure’s body is pierced by threads, symbolizing total surrender to the rituals, anxiety, and internal logic of OCD.
The left wing, representing moral values, transforms into a demonic one — a sign of distortion of values and identity caused by the disorder. The right wing, weakened and blurred, reflects vulnerability and exhaustion common to many patients. The figure’s hands evolve into sharp blades, a visual metaphor for intrusive thoughts of aggression or self‑harm — thoughts that haunt, despite being unwanted and unrealized. The figure is enclosed within a ritual circle adorned with occult symbols, representing the nature of rituals that temporarily reduce anxiety but intensify the obsession.
Around the circle are four common fears associated with OCD:
Aichmophobia — fear of sharp objects
Mysophobia — fear of contamination
Cardiophobia — fear of death by heart attack
Bacillophobia — fear of infection
Additional hidden obsessions are encoded in the composition — the compulsion to count to three, the obsession with symmetry, magical thinking, and intrusive philosophical thoughts. Created with alcohol markers on paper, this symbolic, surreal piece captures the anatomy of OCD and its unyielding grip on the psyche.

Materials: Touch Twin alcohol markers, Posca acrylic marker
Basis: watercolour paper 100% cotton, cold pressed, density 300 g/m²
Technique: mixed technique (markers on paper)
Size: 25 × 25 cm
Decoration: without frame, without pasparte.
Originality: author's original work in a single copy.
Signature: author's signature on the front side
Year of creation: 2023
Style: conceptual surrealism / psychoart
Certificate: enclosed is a certificate of authenticity signed by the artist
Storage recommendations: store in a dry room protected from direct sunlight; it is recommended to place under glass with a UV filter.
Packaging and shipping: Packed in a hard cardboard envelope, wrapped in protective bubble wrap.

Verwante thema's

#Ocd#Obsessivecompulsivedisorder#Mentalhealthart#Psychiatricart#Surrealism