Page 98 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 23

Art & culture
life of people is attributed to
the work on the creatives.
It is usual to find people
who perceive artists as
carefree and misfits of
society. When we imagine
an artist, the picture of a
rugged looking and isolated
individual, who has stopped
caring about the real world
often comes to mind. This
misunderstanding is born
when we disregard the
anxiety and burden of the
artist. The task of creation
is too heavy for such people
to engage in the common
buffoonery of the rest of us.
The creative is confronted
with profound anxiety and
fear that emanates from
breaking down previous
realities and creating new
ones. Rollo May argues that
the anxiety comes when
creativity ‘broke down
my previous hypothesis’
and ‘shook my self-world
relationship’. He goes on to
say, “At such a time I find
myself having to seek a new
foundation, the existence of
which I as yet don’t know.”
In the end, this anxiety gives
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birth to a profound joy when
the work is complete and
becomes part of reality.
In the creative process, the
balance between solitude
and solidarity should be
maintained. The artist must
seek solitude and a moment
of pause for reflection.
This solitary existence is
not hatred of social life but
absolute love of humanity.
In the life of every religious
prophet, we see the prophet
deserting the people and
temporarily leading a life
of a hermit. This time is
dedicated for meditation
and holistic comprehension
of reality. It is only with
this transcendental vision
that the prophet returns to
the people and quench their
thirst for wisdom. The same
is the reality of scientists,
writers, painters and all sorts
of creative people. From
there solitary comes a new
understanding that shakes
the foundation of the old.
When the old system is
questioned by the new
reality presented by the
creative, it is common
for institutional people to
become their foe. Rollo May
expressed it eloquently in
stating, “Just as the poet
is a menace to conformity,
he is also a constant threat
to political dictators. He
is always on the verge of
blowing up the assembly
line of political power.” It