Geelong artist Jimi Hendrix’s tackles life with borderline personality disorder

A Geelong artist who goes by the name Jimi Hendrix has overcome lifelong struggles, including living with borderline personality disorder and homelessness, to launch his debut exhibition.

Jimi Hendrix, aka Steve Horvath, said he is thrilled to be launching his first art exhibition. Picture: Mark Wilson

A Geelong artist has overcome struggles, including dealing with borderline personality disorder and homelessness, to launch his debut exhibition.

Steve Horvath, who paints under the moniker Jimi Hendrix, has had a rocky road to get to “The Battle” exhibition at Liminal Gallery on Ryrie St.

Horvath said the showcase – which opens to the public on Saturday – was based on his experience living with borderline personality disorder (BPD) for three decades, and he hoped to foster a connection with his audience.

“I’ve had a lot of troubles in life,” Horvath said.

Steve Horvath, who paints under the moniker Jimi Hendrix, pictured in front of an abstract portrait titled “Not the person you think you are”, holding a Jimi Hendrix replica Fender guitar. Picture: Mark Wilson

Horvath was diagnosed with BPD in 1995 after suffering a mental breakdown shortly after starting university but said the symptoms of mental illness were present from a young age.

“It’s basically been a battle my whole life … I couldn’t communicate with people, I couldn’t maintain friendships, my life was just a lonely existence,” Horvath said.

“I was in a deep psychosis and cut off from people, cut off from society.”

The disorder has been an impediment throughout his life, however Horvath said he’s now using his struggles to inform his art.

“I’ve won a battle and I’m using BPD to work with me and not against me,” he said.

But as his debut exhibition draws closer Horvath has found himself homeless, sleeping rough in Geelong’s CBD.

He has also had to vacate the Norlane studio where he created his art.

Horvath started drawing as soon as he could hold a pencil, but the artistic drive has fluctuated and he’s seen a number of false starts.

“I just fumbled and stumbled through life,” he said.

Visual art isn’t Horvath’s only creative outlet, he also describes himself as a musician and writer.

“I’ve been told by people that I sound exactly like Jimi Hendrix, so that’s the reason why I changed my name,” he said.

He tried following his passion for music, but found the disorder held him back.

“It doesn’t matter how good a guitarist you are, you’ve got to be able to talk to people,” he said.

In 2007, he rediscovered his passion for art, however, it was around that time he developed a mysterious muscle condition, which weakened his arms and rendered him at times “helpless”.

Each of the 22 artworks in Mr Hendrix’s exhibition are line art traced over other original works of his, and will be accompanied by a 250-word essay that represented “who I am and what I believe in”, Horvath said.

Horvath said using tracing helped recapture the pleasure he found in art as a child, and had reignited his passion.

“It’s very motivating trying to recapture that joy,” he said.

“Not all of us had very good childhoods, but there were little bits and pieces for us that were special and they’re worth hanging on to.”

Horvath said he hoped to make a career out of his art, and that the exhibition opening was a fresh start.

“This is the beginning of my new life,” he said.

The Battle runs from January 25 to February 15.

Originally published as Geelong artist Jimi Hendrix’s tackles life with borderline personality disorder