Christopher Bollas, one of the most poetic and imaginative psychoanalytic thinkers, develops a rich and nuanced understanding of objects—especially evocative, mysterious, and vital objects—as psychic companions that shape our inner world, sense of self, and emotional life. His theory stands at the crossroads of object relations, aesthetics, and existential psychoanalysis.
Let’s unfold it:
1. The Object for Bollas: More Than Just “Other People”
In psychoanalysis, “object” often means a person (especially a caregiver), as in object relations theory.
But for Bollas, the object can be:
• A person
• A thing
• A memory
• A sound, a smell, a phrase, a work of art, a book, a place
What matters is not what the object is in itself, but how it evokes the self into being.
2. The Mystery of Things: The Object as Portal
Bollas describes the best objects as possessing a “mystery”—a kind of opacity or enigmatic presence that cannot be fully known, decoded, or controlled.
What does this mean?
• Some objects resist interpretation—they speak to us, but not in clear language.
• They carry a psychic echo: a resonance of something lost, forgotten, or unknown.
• Rather than solving the mystery, the psyche dwells in it, and is transformed by it.
The mystery of the object is what draws us in—not to master it, but to commune with it.
This recalls Winnicott’s “transitional object”, but in Bollas, it extends to adult life and becomes more aesthetic, poetic, and spiritual.
3. The Evocative Object: That Which Calls Forth the Self
Definition:
An evocative object is any object that calls forth or activates an aspect of the self that might otherwise lie dormant.
• It touches us in a way that we cannot fully explain.
• It may remind us of early life, but it also transforms us in the present.
• It allows for what Bollas calls “self-communication”—the self discovering itself through affective resonance with the object.
Examples:
• A certain book that feels like it’s always known you.
• A room, a coat, or a piece of music that brings out a different you.
• A person whose presence unlocks non-verbal aspects of your being.
Evocation = psychic awakening through the sensuous or symbolic presence of the object.
4. The Vitality of the Object: The Livingness of the Inanimate
Bollas emphasizes how some objects feel alive to us, even if they are not.
They vibrate with psychic meaning—not because of what they are, but because of how they feel.
This “vitality” is not animation in the literal sense, but a felt intensity:
• The aura of a painting
• The presence of a childhood toy
• The pulse of certain words or phrases
These are objects that feel like they’re speaking to us, even if they say nothing.
They carry a personal signature, often unconsciously rooted, and connect us to what Bollas calls the “unthought known”—feelings or truths we’ve never verbalized, but already know in our bones.
5. The Object as a Transformational Other
Ultimately, for Bollas, the object isn’t just a source of comfort or familiarity—it can also be a site of transformation.
• Through repeated encounters with evocative, vital objects, we unfold the self.
• Therapy itself is a transformational object—the therapist as a presence that evokes, contains, and provokes psychic growth, often without clear explanations.
“The object becomes part of the self’s idiom of being.” —Bollas
6. Summary Table: Bollas on Objects
|
Concept |
Description |
Function |
|
Mystery of Things |
The object resists decoding, yet compels psychic engagement |
Opens space for unconscious exploration |
|
Evocative Object |
Awakens dormant parts of the self |
Acts as a mirror and trigger of self-communication |
|
Vitality of Object |
Feels alive, vibrates with meaning |
Bridges inner and outer worlds |
|
Transformational Object |
Holds and shapes the self through sustained engagement |
Enables inner change without direct instruction |
Why This Matters
Bollas reminds us that:
• Not all healing is verbal or rational.
• Sometimes, a book, a scent, a room, or a gesture does more than a theory ever could.
• Life is lived with objects, and some of them make the soul feel possible.
Would you like to explore how this relates to trauma therapy, van life aesthetics, or the healing role of non-verbal, quiet, evocative presence?
