Stephani Stephenson on wed 15 aug 01
for some interesting thoughts on the role of art,
" The Gift: Imagination and the Erotic life of Property" by Lewis Hyde,
provides grist for the mill.
His premise is that art making does not originate in the commodity
exchange/market economy part of a culture but has to do with gift
economy. Too complex to explain here, but it makes sense. Art making now
coexists in both economies. 'Gift ' means many things , and does not
just mean 'something you purchase for someone's birthday', though
nowadays it probably does....and Hyde tries to traverse the rugged and
snarly terrain of figuring out the function of art and art making in
cultures past and present. Maybe better reading for those long winter
nights.
And remembering Mel's Frank Lloyd Wright quote about motors running ,
especially regarding the use of alcohol or drugs to quiet the motor,
another book of interest. might be
"Witness To The Fire: Creativity and the Veil of Addiction" by Linda
Leonard. She explores archetypes and how those archetypes and substance
abuse play a part in the lives of some well known artists, though she
tends to use literary rather than visual artists as examples. The lives
of Jack London, Jean Rhys, Dostoevsky, etc.
this book definitely has a 12 step underpinning to it as well as
abundant literary references but can be eye-opening to those who know
someone who's creativity and dependency are intertwined, or are facing
the issue themselves.
AND A POEM
Thou that hast giv'n so much to me,
Give one thing more, a gratefull heart:
See how Thy beggar works in Thee
By art:
He makes thy gifts occasion more,
And sayes, if he in this be crost,
All Thou has given him heretofore
Is lost.
George Herbert
from 'Gratefulness' (1633)
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