CHAPTER TWO

RELATED LITERATURE REVIEW

2.0 Introduction

This chapter looks at related literature from various sources in connection with
the project.

It reviews a brief history of mural painting and some related works.

2.1 Mural

The New Encyclopedia Britannica volume eight (1852- 1860) defines

Mural Painting as,” a painting applied integral to the surface of a wall or
ceiling. The term may properly include painting on fired tiles but ordinarily
does not refer to mosaic decoration unless the mosaic forms part of the
overall scheme of the painting. Mural painting is inherently different from
all other forms of pictorial art in that it is organically connected with
architecture. The use of colour, design, and thematic treatment can radically
alter the sensation of spatial proportions of the building. In this sense, mural
is the only form of painting that is truly three-dimensional, since it modifies
and partakes of a given space. Byzantine mosaic decoration evinced the
greatest respect for organic architectural form. The Romans used mural
painting to an extraordinary extent. In Pompeii and Ostia the walls and
ceilings of almost all buildings, public and private, were painted in unified,
inventive decorative schemes that encompassed a wide range of pictures,
including landscape, still life, and figured scenes. However, at no other time
before or since has mural decoration received a higher degree of creative
concentration by artist and patron than in Europe during the Renaissance.

Kordic (2015) a passionate artist, frequent visitor of exhibitions, Widewalls

 photography specialist and Editor-in-Chief also said mural as a word
originated from the Latin word “murus”, meaning “wall”. He goes on to
define murals as any piece of artwork painted or applied directly onto a
wall, ceiling or other larger permanent surfaces, flat, concave or convex, to
be perceived. Willsdon (2000) also suggested that, mural is any piece of
work painted or applied directly on wall, ceiling or other permanent
surface. A distinguishing characteristic of mural painting is that the
architectural elements of a given space are harmoniously incorporated in
the picture. Some wall paintings are painted on large canvases, which are
then attached to the wall (e.g. with marouflage).

Marouflage is a technique for fixing a painting canvas to a wall to be used

as a mural, using an adhesive that hardens, as it dries such as plaster or
cement.

From the above definitions the researchers are also of the view that mural is
a work of art which are executed and mounted on a wall or other permanent
surfaces.

2.2 Brief History of Mural Painting.

Nelson and Kirstein (1932: 7) state that the decor

ation of walls by means of mural painting is as old as the stupendous bisons in the

Paleolithic caves of Altamira, but the intention and function of mural painting has

constantly changed. Prehistoric man recorded the giant bulls in aid to an increase

in power in their hunt.

Kotwal (2005) is of the view that a wonderful dichotomy continues to evolve in

the world of murals: new ones are continually being commissioned and created

while old ones are constantly being rediscovered and restored (a good example is

Maya wall paintings of San

Bartolo and El Petén in Guatemala that date to about 100AD and only discovered

in March 2001.

Plate 1: A Sacred Maya Mural by Monica Pellecer Alecio (150 B.C)

Across culture and spanning continent, the history of painting is an ongoing of

creativity that continues into the 21st Century. According to Looney (2015)

painting dates back prehistoric human era, and spans all culture. With cave

paintings discovered in Lascause and Erdéche Valley in France which

demonstrated the conscious use of skill of their creative imagination; lines were

clear and filled with tints even though they were not stick figures. Animals were

more vibrant in their paintings. They also had their way of playing with

perspective. These paintings were executed using colors from the earth and

powdered rock applied directly on the cave walls with depiction of animals. Even

though there were human figures, their main interest was the animals. It is

claimed that the oldest known paintings are found at Grotte Chavuet in France.

Pre-historic cave paintings have been discovered in many parts of the world,

Australia, Europe and Africa. In Africa, nearly 30000 years old painting was

discovered in 1969 on the face of a rock in a cave near Twyfelfontein in Namibia.

Hence, painting has been part of man’s life from generations to generations.

According to Bokody (2014), wall paintings have been used to aid understanding
for illiterate people. For instance, in most of the Roman Catholic churches, the

mural paintings of Jesus Christ on the walls of the churches serves as a therapy by

boosting their moral whilst praying and increases their faith. Depictions were

painted on the walls of churches and engraved into stone or wood outside

buildings. This tradition is still practiced today. Wall paintings have also been

used to rally or inspire people in trouble times. In Mexico, paintings such as

Lostress Grandes, or the three great ones, portray strong industrious people to

give everyone hope and to bring the populace together. Tempera painting has

been practiced for millennia. For this type of painting colours is ground and

mixed with egg yolk or egg white diluted with water. During the classical Greco-

Roman times, encaustic painting was common. Encaustic paintings use colours

that are ground into beeswax or resin and applied hot. Oil paint and canvas were

used in sixteenth-century Europe. It was practical for the artists to paint the

murals in their studios and then transport them to the final destination, but the

paintings lost some of the luster associated with other mediums. The Romans of

Ostia and Pompeii painted unified senses on almost every wall and ceiling, public

and private. The European Renaissance was the height of art murals. Florence

saw works by such masters as Michelangelo, Masaccio, Paolo Uccello, Pierodella

Francesca, and Melozzo da Forli.

2.3 Types of Mural Paintings

According to Nina M. Davies: Ancient Egyptian paintings, Vol. III,

Chicago, 1963. There are many types of murals which includes fresco
mural, fresco secco mural, ceramic mural, buon mural, and photography
painted scenery or image mural. But the researchers will mainly dwell on
 the following which are:

• Fresco mural

• Fresco secco mural

• Ceramic mural

• Buon mural

2.3.1 Fresco Mural

According to Philippo (1984) Fresco is a technique of mural paintin

HYPERLINK "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mural"g executed upon
freshly laid, or wet lime plaster. HYPERLINK
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water"Water is used as the vehicle for the
dry-powder pigment to merge with the plaster, and with the setting of the
plaster, the painting becomes an integral part of the wall. The word fresco
(Italian: affresco) is derived from the Italian adjective fresco

meaning "fresh", and may thus be contrasted with fresco- HYPERLINK

"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fresco-secco"secco HYPERLINK
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fresco-secco" or HYPERLINK
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fresco-secco"secco mural painting
techniques, which are applied to dried plaster, to supplement painting in
fresco. The fresco technique has been employed since antiquity and is
closely associated with Italian Renaissance painting.

2.3.2 Fresco secco

Valentino (2007) suggests that, Fresco-secco (or a secco or fresco finto) is a

 wall HYPERLINK "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Painting"painting
technique where pigments mixed with an organic binder and/or lime are
applied onto a dry plaster. The paints used can be case in paint,
HYPERLINK "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempera"tempera,
HYPERLINK "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oil_painting"oil paint,
HYPERLINK
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silicate_mineral_paint"silicate mineral paint.
If the pigments are mixed with lime water or lime milk and applied to a dry
plaster the technique is called lime secco painting. The secco technique
contrasts with the fresco technique, where the painting is executed on a
layer of wet plaster.

Because the pigments do not become part of the wall, as in buon fresco,
fresco-secco paintings are less durable. The colors may flake off the
painting as time goes by, but this technique has the advantages of a longer
working time and retouch ability. In Italy, fresco technique was
reintroduced around 1300 and led to an increase in the general quality of
mural painting.

2.3.3 Ceramic Murals

Robbin (2014) postulates that, ceramic murals are made of mosaic, mirror,
tiles and ceramic pieces. They are excellent portrayals of artistic and
creative skills. The ceramic designs are first made with clay and baked in a
kiln. These murals are long and are generally inspired by canvasses. Thus,
ceramic murals are made of mosaic, tiles, clay and are then fixed onto the
wall surface.
 He feather explains that ceramic mural is the first type of custom size
murals and they are made up of mirrors, mosaics and ceramic pieces. This
type of mural represents excellent portrayal of high class imagination as
well as artistic skills. The ceramic murals are first created with the help of
clay and they are baked. The size of the ceramic murals is different from
other type of murals and you can use them on traversing as well as climbing
walls. The custom size mural increases the beautiful ambience of the
interior of your home.

2.3.4 Buon mural

According to Saras, 1998, buon fresco, Italian for true fresh, is a fresco
painting technique in which alkaline-resistant pigments, ground in water,
are applied to wet plaster. The buon fresco technique consists of painting
with pigment ground in water on a thin layer of wet, fresh, lime mortar or
plaster, for which the Italian word is ‘intonaco’. Because of the chemical
makeup of the plaster, a binder is not required.

After a number of hours the plaster reacts with the air in a process called
carbonatation HYPERLINK
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbonatation". This chemical reaction
fixes the pigment particles at the plaster's surface in a protective
crystalline mesh known as the lime crust. The advantage of Buon fresco
is its durability. The chief disadvantage of Buon fresco is that it must be
done quickly without mistakes.

2.4 The Mural Painting Process.

EricksonHYPERLINK "http://www.art.utah.edu/faculty-list/john-erickson/"

(1901) describes the process in the execution of mural works. He states that,

before executing a mural work, you need to first identify the location, prepare the

surface, sketch the design, do an undercoat, then execute your work.

Worth and Cohen (2017), a fresco painting is one of the mural painting

techniques and is derived from the Italian word “affresco” which derives from the

adjective fresco ("fresh"), describes a method in which the paint is applied on

plaster on walls or ceilings.

Dimarzio (2015) also described his process of mural painting by stating that; The mural
painting process includes preparation and making of research on the design and support.
Selecting the paint that will be used in executing the work, transferring the design onto a
support and painting the design on the support.

2.5 Uses of mural

According to community rejuvenation project (2019) Oakland in California,

murals add a creative aesthetic to the built environment, which energizes neglected
or blighted neighborhoods, and enhances districts where new development is
taking place by creating a sense of destination.

Through the visual aesthetics, murals promote a sense of identity, belonging,

attachment, welcoming and openness, and strengthen community identification
to place.

The visual effects of mural are an enticement to attract public attention to social
issues such as poverty, unemployment, corruption, poor education etc. Murals
can sometimes be used to reduce stress which also serves as an art therapy.
2.6 Significance of Murals.

Murals are very important since they bring art into the public sphere. White (2011)
asserts that murals mostly provide a wide audience for artists who otherwise might not
set foot in an art gallery. Cities and towns benefit from the beauty of works of art as
they showcase very catchy and interesting pictures. When murals are executed in areas
where people live and work, they can provide a dramatic impact whether consciously or
subconsciously on the attitudes of passersby. It is believed that the presence of large,
public murals can add aesthetic improvement to the daily lives of residents. It is also
argued that governments, especially totalitarian regimes, sponsor public art, particularly
murals, and use them as a tool of mass control and propaganda.

2.7 Review of Mural Works

The New York Times (2001) wrote an article on John Biggers, as a painter,
printmaker and sculptor known for his meticulous depictions of African and
African-American life, who died on Thursday at his home in Houston. He was
76. The cause was a heart attack, said Carl Ards, Mr Biggers's brother-in-law.
Mr Biggers's art, often in the form of public murals, was grounded in the
humanistic spirit and social realist narrative style of the 1930s and '40s. Over
the years it grew increasingly emblematic, with figures and architectural forms
arranged in intricate patterns that suggested quilts, African textiles and
modernist geometric abstraction. John Biggers began his studies in 1941 at the
Hampton Institute in Virginia, where he met his early mentor Viktor Lowenfeld
(1903–1869) and studied with artists Charles White (1918–1979) and Elizabeth
Catlett (1915–2012). After serving in the Navy, he followed Lowenfeld to
 Pennsylvania State University in 1946, where he received his doctorate in art
education in 1954. Biggers is best known for his murals on the human
condition. An early one (Dying Soldier, YEAR) was shown at the Young Negro
Art exhibition organized by Lowenfeld in 1943 at the Museum of Modern Art,
New York.
Biggers moved to Houston in 1949, where he established the art department at
Texas

Southern University. He taught at this institution for more than thirty years. In
1957

Biggers received a UNESCO grant, which enabled him to become one of the first

AfricanAmerican artists to travel to Africa. He visited Ghana, Togo, Benin and

Nigeria. After his sojourn, Biggers created the richly illustrated book Ananse: The

Web of Life in Africa, published in 1961, and developed a system of visual icons

inspired by African motifs and symbolism. His later work became concerned with

depicting matriarchal systems (opposed to European patriarchy) and quilt-like

geometry.

Plate 2 John Biggers, the History of Negro Education in Morris County.

Caroline Wallace (2001) said John Biggers made this half-scale drawing for a
mural

painting of the same title for the school library of George Washington Carver

High School, the first African American high school in Morris County, Texas.

Commissioned to commemorate the retirement of Carver High School Principal

P. Y. Gray, whose own master’s thesis provided the work’s title, the mural traces

the history of education in rural northeastern Texas. Drawing upon the legacy of

American social realist art of the Great Depression (1929–1939) and adapting
 the colour palette and spatial organization used by
Mexican muralists (such as Diego Rivera, David Alfaro Siqueiros, and José Clemente

Orozco), Biggers’s artistic language exemplifies the history and ideals of the

community about civil rights in mid-twentieth-century America.

On the far left, a preacher addresses members of his congregation in a farmyard

against a backdrop of labourers’ shanties; to its right is a view of the crowded

conditions in the area’s earliest one-room schoolhouse; in the centre, Principal

Gray is at the apex of a busy scene of activity, including education and collective

enterprises, such as quilt-making and harvesting.

Johnathan Boos (2007) published a statement on Charles White, he stated that he

is an American artist known for murals and prints which often portrayed African
American subjects. In particular, he used printmaking as a way to communicate
with a wider audience and produced political cartoons and reasonably priced
works as a way to ensure his art remained accessible to the masses. White’s
mural, The Contribution of the Negro to American Democracy (1943) at
Hampton University is perhaps his best-known work, depicting famous African
Americans across history. He saw art as a vehicle for social activism, once
remarking: “Art must be an integral part of the struggle. It can’t simply mirror
what’s taking place. It must adapt itself to human needs. It must ally itself with
the forces of liberation.

Plate 3: Harvest Talk, Charles White, 1953.

Oesterling (2012) made a statement that Rivera imagined a fabulous fresco depicting

HYPERLINK "https://www.sartle.com/artworks/topic/kids"childhood HYPERLINK

"https://www.sartle.com/artworks/topic/kids"scenesHYPERLINK

"https://www.sartle.com/artworks/topic/kids" in Alameda Park combined with important

figures in Mexican history to showcase the oppressions and triumphs of the people. In

doing so he included the image of a man named Ignacio Ramirez. Mr Ramirez was a

student at the Academy of Letran who deduced that mankind supported itself, thus

nullifying a need for God. The priests on the faculty didn’t take kindly to Ramirez’ plan

to speak to the school about his “God is useless” theory. It was only through the

intervention of Father Lacunza, a man who later became the Mexican Archbishop that he

was allowed to speak. In a moment that stands for a balance in religious doctrine and

science (take note of Tea Party), Father Lacunza insisted Ramirez speak and then invited

him to become a member of the Academy based on his superior logic. (Plate 4).

Plate 4: Dreams of a Sunday Afternoon by Diego Rivera (1946-1947)

According to Colnaghi (2018: 37), Mystic Marriage of Saint Catherine of

Alexandria by Bernardino Zaganelli constitutes an important addition to the

artist’s oeuvre (Plate 3). Until recently it belonged to the heirs of the Duque de

Hernani who, according to family tradition, was given the painting by the Infante

Gabriel de Borbon Braganza in the late eighteenth or early nineteenth century;

this royal provenance is supported by collection stamps visible on the reverse of

the panel. The painting is datable to the last ten years of

Zaganelli’s life, by which point he had parted ways with his brother Francesco (d. 1532).
At some point before 1499 (the date of their earliest signed work), the brothers

had entered into a fraternity contract. Their collaborative paintings are signed

with both names,

Francesco’s always preceding Bernardino’s, and distinguishing their hands is near

impossible. On the occasion of the Melozzo exhibition of 1938 in Forlì, Cesare

Gnudi attempted to distinguish individual contributions within their paintings,

however, Roberto
Longhi subsequently defined them as “Siamese brothers”.

Plate 5: Mystic Marriage of Saint Catherine by Bernardino Zaganelli (1519)

Khan Academy (2015) made a documentary that says the subject of the Last

Supper is Christ’s final meal with his apostles before Judas identifies Christ to the

authorities who were arrested. Christ says to his apostles “One of you will betray

me,” and the apostles react, each according to his personality. Referring to the

Gospels, Leonardo depicts Philip asking “Lord, is it I?” Christ replies, “He that

dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me”. We see Christ

and Judas simultaneously reaching toward a plate that lies between them, even as

Judas defensively backs away (Plate 4). Leonardo also simultaneously depicts

Christ blessing the bread and saying to the apostles “Take, eat; this is my body”

and blessing the wine and saying “Drink from it all of you; for this is my blood of

the covenant, which is poured out for the forgiveness of sins”. These words are

the founding moment of the sacrament of the Eucharist (the miraculous

transformation of the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ).

Plate 6: Last Supper, Leonardo da Vinci, 1498,

Plate 6 shows the triumphant goddess of love and beauty. The Romans knew her

as Venus, while for the Greeks she was Aphrodite. She stands tall and naked at

the centre of the canvas, looking ethereal and luminous. She seems to draw all
attention to herself; a symbol of beauty, who is both physical and spiritual. If you

believe the neo-platonic philosophers, contemplating her beauty is a way to

elevate the human spirit and get closer to the divine.

Plate 7: The birth of Venus Florence - 1486 by Sandro Botticelli

In (2016), Francis Adade and lamptey Albert executed a mural at the Faculty of

Applied Art and Technology of Takoradi Polytechnic. The work depicts a beach

with three truncated canoes; two at the left side of the picture plane and one at the

right. The sea is rendered in tints and shades of cool colours ranging from blue,

green and violet. The work measures 224cm x 122cm (Plate 7).

Plate 8: Awaiting the Catch by Francis Adade and lamptey Albert (2016)

Patience Annan and Grace Ofosu Mensah (2019) also executed a mural at the
Faculty of

Applied Art and Technology. The painting represents the four faculties in

Takoradi Technical University (the Faculty of Applied Arts and Technology,

Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Applied Sciences and Faculty of Business

Studies). The work is rendered in different colours (red, blue, yellow, brown,

green, violet) in different shades. The work is measures 76.2cm by 127cm, (plate

9).
Plate 9: Dauntless Lass by Patience Annan and Grace Ofosu Mensah (2019)

Plate 10 shows eagles in an action of attacking their prey. The discarded car tyres

appear to have different shades of colours that help the artists to achieve forms in

executing the work. The work is measured 365.76cm by 243.84cm.

Plate 10: Mural from used Lorry tyres, Prince Kwame Akrong, Quashie Dela Abednego, Mary Awuni
(2019)

In the Last Dance (plate 11) by Michael Nartey and Khris Psalms Ashitey (2019).

The figures depicted are drumming and dancing. Drumming and dancing are

associated with the festival of the Ga Adangbe (Asafotufiame) in Ghana. Hence

the abstract painting is to describe some festivals in Ghana.

Plate 11: The Last Dance by Michael Nartey and Khris Psalms Ashitey. (2019)

2.6 Therapy

According to Carlock (2012), art therapy is the use of art as a form of

psychotherapy for people experiencing trauma or illness.
It also deals with seeking personal development, or struggling to deal with
the day-to-day act of living. Through the creation of art, people are able to
develop skills that increase their cognitive abilities, awareness about
themselves and others, and also help them to cope with the distressing
symptoms or limitations imposed by disability or disease. The primary
purpose of art therapy is to help patients heal their mental and emotional
wounds as much as they can.

th
Oepen et al (2018) also suggests that, in the 18 century, art therapy was
used as a moral treatment for people living with psychiatric challenges. Due
to this moral treatment, Hogan (2008) (A Canadian film, television and

stage actress) also argues "Arose out of utilitarian philosophy and also from

• non-conformist religious tradition, and in a re-evaluation of non-western

and untrained Artists’’. Oepen et al also continued to say that ‘Art therapy

as a profession began in the mid-20th century, arising independently in

English-speaking and European countries. The early art therapists who
published accounts of their work acknowledged the influence of aesthetics,
psychiatry, psychoanalysis, rehabilitation, early childhood education, and
art education, to varying degrees, on their practices’’.

A British artist, Hill (1942) coined the term art therapy whiles recovering
from tuberculosis in a sanatorium, discovered the therapeutic benefits of
drawing and painting while convalescing. He wrote that the value of art
therapy lay in "completely engrossing the mind (as well as the fingers),
releasing the creative energy of the frequently inhibited patient", which
enabled the patient to build up a strong defense against his misfortunes. He
suggested artistic work to his fellow patients that began his art therapy
work, which was documented in 1945 in his book, ‘Art Versus Illness’.

Again, artist Edward Adamson ( a British artist), demobilised after World

War two, joined Hill to extend Hill's work to the British long stay mental
hospitals. Other early proponents of art therapy in Britain include E. M.
Lyddiatt, Michael Edwards, Diana Raphael-Halliday and Rita Simon. The
British Association of Art Therapists was founded in 1964.

United States of America art therapy pioneers Margaret Naumburg (An

American psychologist, educator, artist, author and a theoretician of art
therapy) and Edith Kramer (an Austrian social realist painter, a follower of
psychoanalytic and an art therapy pioneer), began practicing at around the
same time. Naumburg, an educator, asserted that "art therapy is
psychoanalytically oriented and that, free art expression becomes a form of
symbolic speech which leads to an increase in verbalization in the course of
therapy’’. Kramer pointed out the importance of the creative process,
psychological defenses, and artistic quality, writing that ‘sublimation is
attained when forms are created that successfully contain anger, anxiety, or
pain’. Other early proponents of art therapy in the United States include
Elinor Ulman ( a professor of art therapy at George Washington
University), and Judith Rubin (a fifty years art therapist experienced).

National professional associations of art therapy exist in many countries,

including Brazil, Canada, Finland, Israel, Japan, the Netherlands, Romania,
South Korea, and Sweden. Diverse perspectives exist on history of art
therapy, which complement those that focus on the institutionalization of art
 therapy as a profession in Britain and the United States.

By the middle of the 20th century, many hospitals and mental health
facilities began including art therapy programs after observing how this
form of therapy could promote emotional, developmental, and cognitive

growth in patients (children). The discipline continued to grow from there

becoming an important tool for assessment, communication, and treatment
of children and adults alike. From the above definitions and statements, the
researchers also defined art therapy as a form of treatment intended to
relieve or heal a disorder.

2.7 Types of art therapy

According to Malchiodi (1998), there are many types of arts therapies

which includes expressive therapy, music therapy, drama therapy,

dance/movement therapy, play therapy, and sandplay therapy.

2.7.1 Expressive therapies

The expressive therapies are defined as the use of art, music,

dance/movement, drama, poetry/creative writing, play, etc within the
context of psychotherapy, counseling, rehabilitation, or health care. Several
of the expressive therapies are also considered as “creative arts therapies”
specifically, art, music, dance/movement, drama, and poetry/creative
writing according to the National Coalition of Creative Arts Therapies
Associations, hereafter abbreviated as (NCCATA). In United States of
America ‘2004’, Additionally, expressive therapies are sometimes referred
 to as “integrative approaches” when purposively used in combination in

treatment. Also, expressive therapies can be considered a unique domain of

psychotherapy and counseling.

2.7.2 Music therapy

This uses music to effect positive changes in the psychological, physical,

cognitive, or social functioning of individuals with health or educational
problems. For instance, a depressed or broken hearted person may rely on
old blues (cool) music to calm down his or her emotions.

2.7.3 Drama therapy

This is the systematic and intentional use of drama/ theatre processes,

products, and associations to achieve the therapeutic goals of symptom
relief, emotional and physical integration, and personal growth. It is an
active approach that helps the client tell his or her story to solve a problem,
achieve a catharsis, extend the depth and breadth of inner experience,
understand the meaning of images, and strengthen the ability to observe
personal roles while increasing flexibility between roles.

2.7.4 Dance/movement therapy

This is based on the assumption that body and mind are interrelated and is
defined as the psychotherapeutic use of movement as a process that furthers
the emotional, cognitive, and physical integration of the individual.
 Dance/movement therapy effects changes in feelings, cognition, physical
functioning, and behavior.

2.7.5 Poetry therapy and bibliotherapy

These are terms used synonymously to describe the intentional use of

poetry and other forms of literature for healing and personal growth.

2.7.6 Play therapy

This is the systematic use of a theoretical model to establish an

interpersonal process, wherein trained play therapists use the therapeutic
powers of play to help patients prevent or resolve psychosocial difficulties
and achieve optimal growth and development (Boyd-Webb, 1999;
Landreth, 1991).

2.7.7 Sandplay therapy

It is a creative form of psychotherapy that uses a sandbox and a large

collection of miniatures to enable a client to explore the deeper layers of the
psyche in a totally new format. By constructing a series of “sand pictures,”
a person is helped to illustrate and integrate his or her psychological
condition.