Bryan Charnley

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Bryan Charnley (1949–1991) was a British artist most famous for a series of surreal self portraits he painted examining his schizophrenia and the effect of the different medications he used to control the condition. Charnley was diagnosed with schizophrenia in 1971 while at the Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design. His famous series of self portraits was completed between April and July 1991 when he committed suicide. The paintings represent a deliberate attempt at self-investigation. As he experimented with the dosages of three different drugs controlling his behaviour, he kept a careful record of his medication, state of mind, and the effect on the technique, composition, and symbolism of his painting.