With an artistic approach to a medium of video art combined with poetry, a story is revealed about a Ventura resident that suffers from Schizophrenia as he struggles to hang on to reality.
Phil Taggart, poet, author and videographer, arrived at Oxnard College to share his poetry and video art with students and community members on his diary-like approach that chronicles his brother’s life, living with a severe disability and battling with a grim mental disorder.
“My brother influences my writing,” said Taggart. “I am one of the few people that listen to him and his life is really tragic. Rick gives me something to write about, [his delusions] are his reality, but it’s Rick.”
The presentation was part of the Oxnard College Literature, Arts and Lecture Series that was held on Oct. 20 in LS-8, which was titled, “Rick Sings: A Videopoem.”
The lecture painted an intimate portrait of who Rick is and his struggles with this type of psychosis that has often led to his homelessness, hunger and shift from reality.
Taggart is a co-editor of the “Askew Journal” and author of “Opium Wars.”
He is an active advocate for mental illness issues and has received accolades from various organizations for his work on these issues as well as homelessness awareness.
Taggart recited several poems and anecdotes as video footage and still photographs played in the background as part of a video montage for his brother Rick, which showed him in interviews, lying on his bed, candidly posed and often smiling for the camera.
“This video is giving Rick a voice,” said Taggart. “With mental health issues, you are expected to get better and go back to work in society. For Rick, there is no help because he has degenerated.”
When asked about his collaboration with Rick for this project, Taggart explained that it wasn’t a collaboration, but rather therapy for him to do this video-poem.
Taggart also mentioned that there are many mental health issues that are not addressed, and that there are some services for these issues that have been cut drastically.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, an estimated 26.2 percent of Americans (ages 18 and older) suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year.
They also show that this percentage translates into 57.7 million people, when applied to the 2004 U.S. Census residential population estimation for ages 18 and older.
Taggart spoke about showing Rick to the audience through his lens and through what he essentially feels.
He also explained that Rick is aware of his efforts in showcasing his video-poems and that Rick knows that Taggart is his brother, nothing more and nothing less.
“This is about awareness,” said Taggart. “This is about giving Rick and people like him a voice.”
This lecture was not just poetic, but unique in its scope. Students felt very in tune with the topic and voiced their concerns after the lecture.
Michael Cozier, a 20-year-old history major, was one of the many students that sympathized with Rick and his disorder.
“I have a sister that is schizophrenic and it’s very important to show our community that people who suffer from this are in a constant battle with themselves,” said Cozier. “I wish I could help my sister as much as Phil is helping Rick.”
Shelley Savren, English professor and coordinator for this lecture, was pleased to see students from her creative writing class attend the presentation.
“This is a really unique thing that Phil Taggart is doing by combining photography and video art,” said Savren. “I also think the subject of his presentation on mental illness and homelessness is really an important one.”
