Do You Need to Suffer for Your Art?
A few weeks ago I made an attempt to watch the French film, La Belle Noiseuse (The Beautiful Troublemaker), about a painter attempting to finally complete a project he had abandoned several years ago. The nearly 4-hour film takes the viewer deep into the creative process. Seriously, 15-minute segments of the artist sketching. No dialog. No “cut-tos,” just a guy sitting at a piece of paper drawing scribbling, scratching, and sketching.
Perhaps director Jacques Rivette was ahead of his time (the film came out in 1991). I mean, people apparently watch other people play video games for entertainment, so why not watch someone else sketch? But, I digress.
I endured, for the sake of art, but I didn’t quite make it all the way through
I confess I endured two hours of this before fast-forwarding to what seemed like significant scenes and then the end. I missed out on what I have no doubt were significant details and I won’t spoil the end, but I think I got the main idea of the movie.
If you've got 4 hours to spare, enjoy watching other people draw things, contort models into uncomfortable positions which must be sustained for long periods of time (because, you know, art), you appreciate scenes of women engaged in taxidermy, or you simply want to brush up on your French comprehension, I highly recommend La Belle Noiseuse. You can watch it on Kanopy, which you can access, for free, via your local library (you may have to check with your library to see if they are connected with the service).
Side note, Kanopy has some amazing films and includes classics from the Criterion collection. If you are a cinephile, Kanopy is an excellent resource.
Must we be “tortured” to create?
I found I did not connect with any of the characters in the film, and I even found myself rolling my eyes at the idea of the tortured, eccentric artist who ignores all else for the sake of his art. While I know there is truth in the stereotype, there was something about this portrayal that felt especially annoying to me.
Additional side note, “Sunday in the Park with George,” featuring Mandy Patinkin and Bernadette Peters is a beautiful portrayal of this type of artist complete with song and all that makes Broadway shows wonderful. PBS made a recording of it...again, consult your local library. Side, side note, check out the artwork of George Seurat.
A Question
I came away from this experience asking myself one question, “Why would one have to suffer for their art; to forsake meaningful human connection for art?” Okay, so maybe that's two questions, but I'm trying to be internet friendly and avoid TLDR.
Where do you stand on this? Does creativity have to mean serious and suffering, or can it mean joy, thriving, human connection, and even, “gasp,” humor?
Something to consider
Our creativity can be an oasis for the expression of pain, sorrow, suffering, and other “dark,” “negative,” or “taboo” experiences. I think that is one of the powers of creativity that makes it vital to the human experience. I wish we had more portrayals of creative individuals who had healthy relationships, who stayed sober, or in other ways defy the stereotype of the tortured artist.
As you engage with your creative self, let that part of you explore areas where you may not usually dare to tread. If you tend toward more “serious” work, what would it be like to dabble in something lighthearted or joyful and vice versa? Creativity gives us a safe place to explore the entirety of the human condition, let yourself be taken down paths you have heretofore dared not to tread. You may surprise yourself.
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Thank you for reading!
Cheers,
Machelle with an A