The Aesthetics of Protest

(Sitting Up A Giant Crane Covered in Anti-climbing Grease:M11 Environmental Protest;1994)



In the Summer of 1994, I left my flat where I would soon be moving out of in a few weeks to go to University; to get something to eat at the local cafe. I fell into a conversation with a group of environmental protestors who were huddled around thier bacon and eggs furtively discussing ways to protest against against the destruction of the planets' resources; I fully support looking after nature as nature is often said to be the best and first form of art. After much persuading I decided to join them on thier spontaneous sojourn to London, and several days later found myself climbing a hundred feet up in the air sitting on a giant crane in the middle of a building site protesting against the M11 ring road being built into London. The event of that day and the subsequent story that spans seven years of my life are extraordinary, miraculous, mystical, and magic.I phoned my friend at his flat to apologise for my sudden disappearance, and it was a while before I bumped into him again. Seven Years to be exact.

My First Life Drawing (2003)

It was a Tuesday evening art class, and I had no intention of drawing anything at all. I had always had a fear of drawing the human form as it is laden with so much classical art history and expectation; My involvement was to observe the creative and social processes of the art class to see what I could learn about individual artistic expression, and group creativity in a closed setting.

As I stood, experiencing the art class from the back of the group I observed the different spatial locations of the artists in relation to the model and in relation to each other, some were closer than others and some were further back or to the side. I wondered if this was an aesthetic choice or just random. The array of creative methods and styles of drawing were far more varied to what I was somehow expecting, and the differing choice of art materials quite vast. After about half an hour of observation I became immersed into the creative silence and spent some time observing the model. I felt sorry for her a strange way, just lying their as an inanimate object. But after a while it seemed to me that she was silently interacting with the group on a very subtle level regarding her body position and her own comfort. I couldn't distinguish whether this was deliberate or unconscious, neither could I fathom whether the members of the art class were aware of this process either; As I was only observing, and they were deep into the creative process of drawing I speculated about differences in perception.

It seemed to me that without moving suddenly, or disturbing her position, her eyes occasionally glanced around the group, as if to assess how much she could move without disrupting the concentration or perspective of those drawing her; Then she would move body almost imperceptibly slow, and as I watched these very subtle movements, it seemed to actually enhance my appreciation and perspective of the human form, in a sense I was looking and percieving in a new way that I had not experienced before.

At this moment I felt a distinct shift in my consciousness from social observer to creative p-art-icipant. After a further period of scrutinizing the shapes, shadows and angles of the model, I was abruptly snapped out of my reverie by the art tutor telling the group there was only about fifteen minutes left. My heart literally jumped and started racing, as I felt as if I somehow had to record and remember this aesthetic feeling and experience; and compelled so, my hands scurried about my pockets hungrily searching for something to draw with.

Having attended the class for observation rather than participation, all I could find was a few short stumps of colored pencils about 2 or 3 inches long with the ends worn down to rounded bumps. I began to panic slightly, how the hell could I draw anything with these? I had to get something down as a reminder! I found a small red notebook in another pocket that was literally falling to pieces and began frantically flicking through it, just as I was almost giving upon up on the idea I found a empty lined page near the back. I took a few deep breaths, tried to compose myself, and spent the next 14 minutes and 27 seconds trying to capture what I saw as best as I could trying not to worry about about the pressure of drawing the human form.

Hence, my very first drawing of the human form.

Afterwards, the model wandered around the art class to view each artistic attempt to portray her and I suddenly felt very self-conscious and somehow more naked than she had been herself. I had surreptitiously scanned the others attempts and they were all quite slendid. My feeble rushed attempt seemed child-like and naive in comparison; I wondered if I could escape and slink out the back entrance without anyone noticing, so as to avoid the humiliation of having to show it to anyone, let alone the model herself.

The other members of the art class unaware of my dilemma as they looked at each others work in soft tones of conversation, so I tried to make myself invisible and slowly eased myself in the direction of the door. It was at that precise moment I noticed the model, she was the centre of attention as everyone was intent upon showing their drawing to her; but now she was free to move around the gallery the tables were turned, and her attention was sharply turned upon everyone else. I noticed that as she casually progressed around the group to observe each individual drawing of herself, she never once seemed to lose sight of the entire group as a whole. Her perception was clearly engaged in a process of gestalt observation incorporating the micro and the macro elements of the scene in an attempt to see all and experience all, in relation to the creative self-discovery of viewing multiple artistic representations of herself via the creative expressions of others, a unique insight into oneself for those adventurous enough to undergo such a process.

Her perception was all encompassing, I was trapped! On two occasions as she glided from person to person in a manner seemingly random and unhurried, I tried to move slowly towards the exit. Who was I kidding! She was the master of subtle slow movements as I had plainly observed during the class! I was at the very back of the group, unseen or noticed by all others, yet each time I felt on the very verge of escape and salvation, she casually looked over directly at me, and to leave at that oint would not only be rude, but cowardly in the creative sense to boot.

I could see the inner focus of her eyes and I detected a steely gaze of determination that riveted me to the spot. I felt her inner thoughts piercing my cowardice, daring me to try and leave! Twice I felt her thoughts actually penetrate my consciousness.... "you are going nowhere until I've seen your picture of me, It's my just reward, and you will not leave until I see it". I was doomed, but I still tried to hide by mingling amongst the group in one last vain attempt to disappear in the moving melee of the group. She carried on her class viewing tour and all the while I could feel she kept me just in the edge of her sight. I was a spring-bok hiding in the African bush, trying to camouflage myself from a hunting lioness. Oh! how I understood the razor of natures' edge at that moment; Why the lioness is the primary hunter, and the male lion all slow and cumbersome. There was no escape, I had to stay and mask my fear as she looked over the last three artists' work; Eventually my poor sketch was the only one she hadn't seen and I steeled myself for the inevitable denouement of her withering critique as she moved inextricably towards me.

I could feel minute beads of sweat tickle my palms, the flush of self-embarrassment enveloped me, and I felt my social unease surface horribly; But still I refused to give up without a fight! She smiled at me disarmingly as I sheepishly tried to explain how I hadn't really drawn anything worth seeing; I hadn't much time....I was just observing really..... I don't really draw people.......I withered on trying to keep my hands casually closed around my note book, but it was futile. She looked up at me with the confidence and understanding that all attractive women seem to have, a secret code they carry through life that unlocks the hearts of all men; even men of learning who perceive themselves above the subjective vanity of appearance are undone and reduced to self-nakedness under the gaze of a beautiful woman. Her sensuality up close was breath-taking, her mere presence so close upon me magically unfurled my clasped fingers from around the notebook, and slowly she took it in her hands and opened the page of my death knell. As she glanced down at my poor reflection of her self, I shyly stole a few moments to look at her face and hair, for I knew this shared moment of creative intimacy would be as close to her as I would ever be. She was quite beautiful but not what I what think most people imagine a model a typical model to be, but in a understated way which was enhanced by her slightly pale skin and a light sprinkling of golden freckles upon her pale skin; Her shoulder-length hair shone with a deep warm sun-kissed soft red. She moved with such leisurely confidence, and spoke in a soft tone with a slight Australian lilt to her voice that was intoxicating and hypnotic.

I was now watching her desperately to gauge her reaction. I knew that if she tried to hide her disappointment at my drawing I would see her disdain, if she said it was good, nice, or interesting, I would feel her pity, there was nothing left to do except await her sentence. No matter the verdict of vaingloriousness, I prayed she would be honest with me. Now that she had ensnared me within, I hoped to learn something from my effort no matter how poor, after-all it was my first attempt, and as such, no matter how feeble, it still meant something to me in terms of creative expression. Hence, my real fear of humiliation and rejection.

As she looked up from the page, I boldly met her eyes with my own, I had to know her real thoughts and feelings regarding my drawing. I was completely surprised by the way she was looking at me! It was a look I couldn't figure out! It was neither pity nor disappointment, it wasn't admiration, nor joy, and it wasn't anything I was expecting.....I really couldn't read her facial expression or feelings at all! What did this mean I pondered? Stunned at my own inability to interpret a look that I hadn't come across before, did she like it? Was it an abomination to her? Maybe she was so offended she couldn't speak.

How strange I thought, how odd her eyes view me! I can only say she gazed at me in such a puzzling manner I was totally perplexed. A look I hadn't seen before, or since, and for the first time since she overwhelmed me, I felt a strange sense of relief. At least she hadn't laughed out loud, or smirked! That would have be horrendously crushing. So I felt almost okay, but intrigued by her response, it was the only moment during the entire evening or during our interaction that her composure seemed to shift slightly, and although I couldn't understand her look, I thought I gained a glipmse of her real inner-self as opposed to her model self. It almost felt to me as though her reaction wasn't about the picture at all. Stranger still, was the way we parted, we didn't exchange a single word after the notebook changed hands, she looked at me strangely, and I unable to interpret her response looked confusedly from her to the picture to try and work out what had happened. As I looked up at her one last time to try and figure it all out, she was gliding slowly away.....




Model, Musician, and Artist: Australian Natalie from The 491 Gallery, and The Scout Huts, Creative Communities respectively; London. 2003.

Recommended Reading Creativity & Art

Books Discussing Creativity in General:

Creativity And Conformity: Clark Moustakas, 1967.
On Creativity: David Bohm.

Academic Research Based Books On Creativity :

The Handbook Of Creativity: Richard Sternberg, 1999.
The International Handbook of Creativity: Richard Sternberg, 2005.
(Particularly the Chapter on Creativity in Germany)


ART
___

Art and its Institutions: Current Conflicts, Critique and Collaborations (Black Dog Publishing, 2006),

Creativity & Consciousness

"If I am wise I do not try to take another into that strange placeless place of my thoughts, but I lead them into the forest and lose them amongst the trees, until they find the trees within themselves, and find themselves within the trees."

(Clark E.Moustakas: Creativity and Conformity; Van Nostrand 1967)

The Social Need For Creativity

I maintain there is a desperate social need for the creative behaviour of creative individuals.

Many of the serious criticisms of our culture and its trends may best be formulated in terms of s dearth of creativity.

(C.R.Rogers, Towards a Theory of Creativity (1954); in Creativity, Penguin Books 1970)


Education

In education we tend to turn out conformists, stereotypes, individuals whose education is "completed", rather than freely creative and original thinkers.

Leisure Activities

Passive entertainment and regimented group activities are overwhelmingly predominant, whereas creative activities are much less in evidence.

Business and Industry

Creation is reserved for the few - the manager, the designer, the head of the research department - whereas for many life is devoid of original or creative endeavour.

Individual and Family Life

In the clothes we wear (see below), the food we eat (see below), the books we read, and the ideas we hold, there is a strong tendency towards conformity, towards stereotypes. To be original or different is felt to be "dangerous".

(C.R.Rogers)

Note:

Apart from the fact the majority of people are now eating from the limited set menu choice of the main supermarket "chains", and wearing a limted range of clothing from an increasingly limited choice of shops, What amazes me even more so, is the way that everyone seems to be wearing their scarfs in exactly the same way! You cannot have failed to notice that very specific style of scarf knot. Who invented that? Why is everyone copying it? and how did people manage to tie their scarfs before this eminent breakthrough?

Organisational Creativity

A central aspect of The Creativity Manifesto is a(r)evolutionary theoretical synthesis that can be applied in organisations, centres for education, and social institutions to facilitate, individual, team, and group creativity to its full potential. Not that this will be easily implemented or encouraged of course, given Governmental opposition to (see Government & Creativity), and ingrained social suspicion of creativity. The Creativity Manifesto can at least lay down a blue print for some to implement. It will be these more open-minded, and flexible organisations that will succeed in the future economic and social climate, for not only will they out-think, out-create and out-manoeuvre their competitors in the global market place, they will also attract the most able and most talented creative minds, who even now are attempting to avoid systematized archaic bureaucracies in favour of companies who value genuine creative social processes at work and the in/output of employees.

The reality of modern business economics is that those companies and organisations who lack creativity in (vision,ideas, imagination, prediction, new products and innovations, creative development of employees) the market place, will fail to compete against their more ceative competitors, and will ultimately contribute to their own demise.

Connective Aesthetics

(Photo:Curating the Blue Room:
Blue & White Exhibition 2003)

"Art, universally is the spirit creative."

"The Conscious utterance of thought, by speech or action, to any end, is Art."

(Ralph Waldo Emerson; Society and Solitude, 1912, Everyman's Library)

The relationship between Creativity and the Art World will be a central theme that will enthuse certain aspects of the Manifesto. The distinction between creativity and art will play a significant role in discussing notions of creative restraints and freedoms.

Recommended Reading:

Suzi Gablik: "Connective Aestectics" - (American Art, Vol.6 N).2 (Spring,1992) pp.2-7.

Artist, art critic and art historian. Gablik was born to Anthony J. Gablik and Geraldine Schwarz (Gablik). She briefly attended Black Mountain College during the summer of 1951 before entering Hunter College (now part of the City University of New York) where she studied with Robert Motherwell. She received her B. A. in 1955. Gablik began as an artist working in college paintings. In 1966 held her first one-woman show in New York. She and the New York Times art critic John Russell (q.v.) wrote the exhibition catalog, Pop Art Redefined in 1969. Another solo show was held in 1972 in New York. In the late 1970s she ceased making art to devote herself to writing art history and criticism. She became a university lecturer. In 1977 she authored Progress in Art. Her writing became increasingly concerned with the social aspects. Has Modernism Failed? appeared in 1984. It argued that the early modern art movement's commitment to social change ceased in the art of the 80s. She was the London critic for Art In America for most of the 1980s. Gablik claimed she stopped being a visual artist because her writing was more satisfying and was more able to alter people's thinking through books than art.
Her Re-Enchantment of Art, 1991 pitted a new "connective aesthetics" against deconstruction and despair. The dominant art, she believed, was part of the problem. Re-Enchantment suggested a new "connective aesthetics" arguing against what she saw as the dominant trends of deconstruction and despair. Art should heal, she argued, something that contemporary art did not do.

Communities & Creativity

(Photo:Dusk in The Garden of 491 Gallery.)


The period between 1999 - 2004 spans the years of my involvement with the overlapping networks of various outside art communities in London. In particular, the 491 Gallery based in Leytonstone, East London. I lived in the 491 Gallery art community as a p-art-cipant-observer for a three year period as field research for my P.hD in Counter Culture. It is my intention to recount the experience of the 491 Gallery as a microcosm of Society. Through this unique example I shall explore and delineate the wider social structures and mores that exist in Society between the ideational relationship between notions of art, creativity, and conformity. Through this microcosmic case-study I shall attempt to share with you themost extraordinary personal,artistic,and creative journey of discovery into the comlex heart of contemporary social issues, current debates on Communities,and ultimately the very nature of the social dynamic between concepts of individualism and macro mechanisms of State social control.

Preliminary Notes:

I was lucky enough to have observed, or been part of almost every aspect of the project from its initial formation and development involving two single people to a thriving arts community acting as an "organic catalyst" for the entire borough of Waltham Forest consisting of 250,000 residents. What initially began as a small underground and illegal art squat, has eventually become "almost legitimized," and is still the only community based arts organisation serving the creative needs of the entire Leytonstone area and beyond.

During this period the local council reneged on its promise to provide a formal arts venue to the borough; and even as I write their is a current people campaign to try and prevent the closure of the William Morris Gallery & Museum.

I shall be using this experience to illustrate the creative and social difficulties, contradictions, and ultimately the possibilities of Communities that are given the freedom to explore, share, and develop their collective creativity for the wider social benefit.

Governments and Creativity

A Synopsis of themes and ideas contained in The Creativity Manifesto will appear soon.

Education & Creativity

"In Education we tend to turn out conformists, stereotypes, individuals whose education is 'completed', rather than freely creative and original thinkers."

(C.R.Rogers; Towards A Theory of Creativity; in Creativity, Penguin Books 1970)


For a critical reading of the education system The Creativity Manifesto recommends:

Pedagogy of The Oppressed: Paulo Friere, 1972, Penguin Books

Martin - Blue World Painting- Blue/White Show

Martin was a chemistry teacher from South Africa but his passion was always art. he eventually took that creative risk, resigned from a job that was impeding his creative development and painted this work. I had the privelege of being able to hang it in my blue room for a period. Waking up in the morning watching the rays of the Sun come through my window and lighting up his work was breath-taking, I spent many times sitting in bed looking at this, it gave a sense of calmness, amongst the chaos that an art squat often engenders in ones life.

Georgia (Artist, Herbalist, Environmentalist)

I have met some very charismatic and creative people in underground and georgia is such a person. She taught me a lot about the spiritual elements of creativity, and nature. Here she is with her Art Angel painting during the blue and white exhibition experience; and a art squat dog called Jack whom everyone adored.