|
Complexity of the Quintessential Artist By Abdulwarees Solanke
Assistant Director, Strategic Planning & Corporate Development Voice of Nigeria, Ikoyi Lagos
The archetypal artist is often a completely complex personality, usually misunderstood, an unpredictable character given to impatience, mood swings and brain waves. Yet, he has an unusual inner beauty and absorptive capacity of all experiences. He appreciates the beauty of nature to fertilize his vivid imaginations; he has utopian dreams and aspirations that confound the average man. You may find him totally a recluse or an unapologetic introvert. He could be weird, and sometimes be called mad or unreasonable. He could be boring, colorless, or unattractive. He or she could look a small rat you will consider him inconsequential; you may see him a "stingo", thin as broomstick or anopheles. He could be physically challenged: blind, lame, deaf or dumb. Because we often cannot gauge his strength, values and virtues, we are likely to underrate him. Because he is sometimes short of words, we cannot find happiness in his company.
But the quintessential artist, if we know him well is an extremely pleasant and understanding personality, with free mind that entertains no bitterness. He is very flexible if you can operate on the same wavelength with him; he is not a fanatic or stubborn personality. He is always experimenting and adapting. The complex artist has no limit in his readiness for new knowledge, always willing to learn. But this seemingly colorless artist often dies before his time, or he dies unfulfilled. Yet his works endure as evergreen or masterpieces. The complex artist is always a futuristic person. His works make him a living soul even after his death.
Who are the artists? The artists are all persons involved in the creative enterprise or industry whether as painters, sculptors, musicians, writers, scientific inventors, dramatists and playmakers, film producers, broadcasters, actors and presenters; the real owners of intellectual properties. The true artists are original: not plagiaristic, not monotonous, not the one album musician; he is not given to repetitive themes, neither is he a copycat, zombie, or follow-follow. All true artists are vigorously creative and talented: Geniuses they are. Unfortunately most artists are controversial.. They may not have settled homes, stable friends or companies, neither happy marital mates nor fulfilling matrimony. They may die depressed, lonely, unaccomplished and ignoble. But despite their frailties and failures, you cannot deny their place in our lives or history.
Usually, artists are prodigies from childhood; they tend to be deviant, rebellious or anti-order. They are mostly self-opinionated and independent, always wanting to do things their own way at their own times. So they could suffer from what psychologists have identified as attention deficit disorder (ADD), and because they are also often very restless, this disorder assumes a hyperactive dimension, so it is termed attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Many artists also exhibit split personality syndrome. They can put up different faces at different times. Their minds may also work at a thousand things at the same time, so your find them taking on multiple projects at the same time, but not able complete all, because the load of ideas in their minds pushes them to jump from one project to another.
You may also find them as excellent examples of procrastinators because they always want perfection in their projects. So, what they could have finished and let go immediately, they wait for inspiration, correcting, adjusting, dismantling or just waiting for the right time. Like religion, art is inspirational and meditational. Therefore, most artists naturally love serenity, even when what they produce borders on hilarity or laughter, music and theater. They take their inspiration from the beauty of nature, quietude of the night and the cemetery, solitude of the prison cell, loneliness and depression from disappointments, longing for their distant or lost soul mates and bereavement of their loved ones. In such situations, they often come up with their masterpieces.
If an artist is an atheist, never mind; it is because the faith you are inviting him seems lacking in the spiritual vitality that accentuates his creative impulses and energy. His filial and social relationship may be poor; it is because those around him cannot understand him. Have you ever wondered why the true love of many artists is not necessary their spouses, but concubines? Should we not be concerned that they find comfort in the bossoms of "some strangers" when their legal partners are at home? Are we not surprised that the death beds of some artists are the laps of their mistresses when they could have breath their last in the hands of their family members?
In many instances, the real friends and soul mates of artists are actually in some strange lands, to whom they pour out their emotion and relief their pains through long letters, e-mails and poems. In "Letter To A Poet", L.S. Senghor reflects the emotion of an archetype artist as he captures his own personal mood in anticipation of a Latin American compatriot for Aime Cesaire. "To the Friend I love and the brother, my blunt fraternal greeting" he opens that elegant poem, letter to A Friend.
"The sea gulls, the far traveling canoes masters have brought me the taste of your news, mingled with spice and fragrance...
They have told me of your standing, the prominence of your forehead, the flower of your subtle lips.
Like Senghor, the quintessential artist expresses his love in poems, lyrics and ballads for his beloved; sculptures and paintings for his soul mates.
Every family has its own artistic prodigy, every epoch and clime have their geniuses and masters. But many have been wasted because their world and era did not recognize or appreciate their talents. Parents may be responsible for the rebellions of their children prodigies; the society may be blameworthy for the deviance of their gifted ones. Husbands and wives may be behind artists' desperation and depression, eventual failure or suicide.
Let's no longer destroy our creative giants and potentials. Let's show them love, understanding and respect; Let's no longer be the reason for their disorientation. Let the art masters live and thrive, whether they belong to the science genre, technology, humanities, the graphics creative or fine art music, and architecture. Let us not push them to ends like that of medieval Van Gogh or the erudite Ayodele Awojobi whose AUTONOV IV is wasting away at UNILAG. The real true worth and wealth of the artist is in the depth and richness of his creativity, which must no longer be squandered.
Having realized that the archetypal artist has complex personality, the conscious artist must learn to manage himself, while those around him, whether parents, siblings, friends and associates, peers and spouses, must fully understand him and assist him. Therefore, to dwell in the artist's heart, you must live in his world, share his sentiments and emotions, and understand his tastes values; and virtues.
First, we must be his chaperon, critic counselor and mentor, able to rationalize his eccentricities, and excuse his frailties and failures, explain his motives and the motifs of his works, and appreciate them too. We should help organize his thoughts and put order in his "madness". Do not discard or destroy his unfinished work and never be careless with his tools, but treasure them. Know his silent moments and give him rest of mind and assurance of his mastery even if others find no meaning in his work. Manage his finances well, because most artists are frivolous in spending; finance or sacrifice for him, because it usually takes long for the true artist to get a breakthrough; Build his faith and confidence in his ability, and market or make his work known. Be his therapist and comforter, and if you can, get him close to his mentors and masters. Pray with him and for him, but never imagine you will be the one to change his eccentricities. Only God can. Be patient and open with him in communication. And his soul mate you'll become, sharing in his joy and grief; loving and trusting him. In return, he will practically turn himself to your baby, always waiting for your validation of his work. And he will always find in you the energy to unleash or the fertilizer to bloom. |