I got a call this week from a fella out on the West Coast and he was doing his research on a number of artists who interest him. One in particular question was in regard to misogyny and the future value of Royal Robertson’s work. I did not care for the question, but worked hard to answer through my personal experience and hoped to shed a positive light on the complex mind of Royal Robertson.
Misogyny is defined in Webster as, “dislike of, contempt for, or ingrained prejudice against women.”
A word which I can understand might come to mind if you scanned Royal’s work quickly, but this is not a simple judgement to make and one must take time to understand the mind and life of Royal.
Royal suffered with paranoia and schizophrenia, yet was a highly functioning visionary and artist.
He abhorred the side effects of the medication he was given to treat his mental challenges in the 1970’s & 1980’s. The cost he paid to turn away from treatment was the leaving of his wife and children from his life.
He deeply loved his wife, but his mind tortured him with her loss and turned events around in his memories to alleviate his guilt.
I know this from having the privilege of knowing his wife, Adele and the honor of spending lots of time with Royal and his artwork.
We visited Royal often after we met him in 1991. When Hurricane Andrew destroyed his home, we and our friend Andy, went and built him a shed. We have years of correspondence from Royal and many trips to visit him where Bruce left to buy supplies and I spent time alone with Royal. He was always a gentleman and shared with me his respect for women, both by example and display.
Royal was and is misunderstood . He made choices that affected his life and others, but his actions showed only respect and his art a deeper vision of a lonely tortured man who deeply loved those he left behind. He did not make art to be palatable for anyone, yet out of a creative art of survival in his personal world. His work is a compounded beauty and understanding of mental illness.
And what is the definition of value anyway? I value our relationship and the art of Royal, from a man who struggled in life, but did what he had to do and made his own choices to live. I value our mutual respect each other. I value and treasure the time we spent with him and continue to spend with his artwork always furthering our understanding of our creative friend. I value that he welcomed us in his world and hope that any false ideas about Royal will evolve in time to include an understanding of this complex artist. May we not assume we know anyone without really getting to know them.
I value that there will never be anyone like Royal Robertson.