W.R. Bion: Between Past & Future

296 Pages·2000·10.688 MB·English

by  Parthenope Bion Talamo

Centro Torinese di Psicoanalisi
W. R. BION:
BETWEEN PAST
AND FUTURE
Centro Torinese di Psicoanalisi
Other volume of Selected Contributions from the International
Centennial Conference on the Work of W. R. Bion:
Bion's Legacy to Groups, edited by Parthenope Bion Talamo,
Franco Borgogno, and Silvio A. Merciai
W. R. BION:
BETWEEN PAST
AND FUTURE
Selected Contributions
from the International Centennial Conference
on the Work of W. R. Bion
Turin, .July1 997
Edited by
Parthenope Bion Ta lamo, Franco Borgogno,
Silvio A. Merciai
Foreword by
L &on Grinb erg
London & New York
KARNAC BOOKS
The Editors' special thanks go to Francesca Bion and Nicola Bion Vick
for their kind assistance with completing this book.
First published in 2000 by
H. Kamac (Books) Ltd., 58 Gloucester Road, London SW7 4QY
Karnac Books Ltd., 118 Finchley Road, London NW3 5HT
A subsidiary of Other Press LLC, New York
Introduction and arrangement O 2000 by the Estate of Parthenope Bion
Talamo, b Franco Borgogno, & by Silvio A. Merciai; Foreword O 2000 by
Uon Cringerg; chapter 1 O ZOO0 by Francesca Bion; cha ter 2 O 2000 by the
Estate of Parthenope Bion Talamo; cha ter 3 O 2000 by geocleciano
Bendocchi Alves; chapter 4 O 2000 by emanuele Bonasia; chapter 5 O 2000 by
Franco Borgogno & Silvio Arrigo Merciai; chapter 6 O 2000 by Haydee
Fairnberg; chapter 7 O 2000 b Antonino Ferro; chapter 8 O 2000 b the
Institute of Psychoanalysis; ckpter 9 02 000 b James Grotstein; ciapter 10 O
1999 Isabel Luzuriaga; chapter 11 O 2000 by Arberto Meotti; chapter 12
O 2000 by Giami Nebbiosi & Romolo Petrini; chapter 13 O 2000 by Rosa
Beatriz Pontes Miranda de Ferreira; chapter 14 O 2000 by Paulo Cesar
Sandler; chapter 15 O 2000 by Elizabeth T. de Bianchedi, Claudia Bregazzi,
Carmen Crespo, Elsa Grillo de Rimoldi, Silvia Grimblat de Notrica, Delia
Saffoires, Adela Sz unberg de Bernztein, Alicia Werba, & Rosa Zamkow;
index O 2000 by Siho A. Merciai.
The rights of the editors and contributors to be identified as the authors of
this work have been asserted in accordance with 55 77 and 78 of the Copy-
right Design and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in
a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by anK means, electronic,
mechanical, photoco ing, recording, or otherwise, wit out the prior written
permission of the pugisher.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A C.1.P for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN 19 7885 517 855 158775 91 87 3
10987654321
Edited, designed, and produced by Communication Crafts
Printed in Great Britain by Polestar Wheatons Ltd, Exeter
P
ARTHENOPE BION TALAMdOie d on 16 July 1998 in a tragic car
accident, together with her younger daughter, Patrizia, who
was only 18.
This book, along with its companion title, Bion's Legacy to
Groups, concludes several years of work dedicated to the study,
clarification, and dissemination of the thoughts of her father and
culminating in the International Centennial Conference on the Work of
W. R. Bion, held in Turin, Italy, 16-19 July 1997. Parthenope acted
not only as its President, but also as a gentle host to the many
participants from all over the world. Although she was very tired
when she opened the Conference, she was smiling and excited-
and this is the way we remember her.
Work on the manuscript was almost finished when Parthenope
died. One of us [S.A.M.] completed the final editing, in no way
changing or revising what we had done and shared. This is why,
for example, we have left the original dedication to our spouses,
Luigi, Mariella, and Mirella.
We feel indebted to Parthenope for all that she taught us
and for what we learnt together with her. She created a special
atmosphere among us, emphasizing W. R. Bion's core idea that to
be a psychoanalyst implies a willingness to maintain a full sense of
freedom when thinking, feeling, theorizing, and being curious and
aware of one's ignorance.
We deeply miss our beloved friend Parthenope. This book
should be read as her legacy and as our grateful homage to her.
In producing it, we would like to share our mourning with all
colleagues who met her and came to know and love her.
F.B. & S.A.M.

To Luigi, Mariella, and Mirella
for their patience and help
before, during, and after

CONTENTS
...
EDITORS AND CONTRIBUTORS Xlll
FOREWORD xix
Lion Grinberg
Introduction
Parthenope Bion Talamo, Franco Borgogno,
& Silvio Arrigo Merciai 1
1 Random reflections on Bion: past, present, and future
Pos~scm(J anuary 1999)
Francesca Bion 11
2 Laying low and saying (almost) nothing
Parthenope Bion Talamo
3 Considerations on some of W. R. Bion's ideas
Deocleciano Bendocchi AIves 27