Paper: Proud Work: Arachne, Athena and Me

Saturday 28 November 2020
14:00 to 15:00

My paper uses the story of Arachne, who received the skill of weaving from Athena, to explore the tension between orthodoxy and innovation and between art-and-work for its own sake, and the need for recognition.

Arachne is an astonishing and proud weaver. Her matter-of-fact pride enrages Athena, goddess of needlework. She sees Arachne’s pride as hubris, and is galled at the lack of deference paid to her, who bestowed the gift of weaving to people in the first place. Arachne, though proud, is not motivated by glory, but by artistic integrity and love of the practice.

As a dramatherapist, I grapple with how much validation I need and how much deference I must pay my elders.

I have a strong unorthodox streak. I am a syncretist, and can bridle at institutions. I have not felt a strong connection to BADTh, though I am grateful for its history and advocacy: without it I would not have a recognised title as a clinician. The recent turmoil within BADTh has left me wondering why I have never connected strongly with the institution despite being a member since qualifying.

Athena transforms Arachne into a spider. Is this really a tragedy? She gets to weave beauty in dark corners and bare branches. For me, that’s often enough. But then I feel compelled to write, publish, present at conferences…

This paper explores the tension between authority and irreverence, recognition and absorption in the private processes of therapy and writing.

This session is being recorded.

Marianna Vogt (dramatherapist & supervisor) works in private practice, schools and teaches on the MA Movement course at RCSSD. She peer reviews for Dramatherapy. Past presentations include "The Significance of Attachment to Place" (ECArTE 2015), ”Unlink/Relink: Therapeutic Exploration of the Great Chain of Being" (ECArTE 2017), and “Encounter: Meeting, Mapping, Making Place” (PPLG 2019).