Creativity vs Elimination
Two quotes that caused a long thread of mails between me and Nkk, and also planted a seed of a thought process (that would last long) in both -
"Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes.
Art is knowing which ones to keep." -- Scott Adams
"Besides the noble art of getting things done,
there is the noble art of leaving things undone.
The wisdom of life consists in the elimination
of non-essentials." -- Lin Yutang
You may stop reading here and continue to ponder over the above quotes. Trust me, they are very insightful!
Some coincidences are beautiful. I came across the first quote somewhere. It sounded so appealing to me, I thought I would send it to Nkk. As soon as I opened to my gmail account to compose a mail to him, I found a mail from him that had the second quote. Look at them carefully. They both actually are in the same spirit.
Then started (still going on) discussion on creativity, elimination, art. Which is more natural - creativity or elimination? Which is more concrete? A few excerpts from the thread -
Nkk - I think this is what that imposes restriction on expressing our feelings.
Me - NOOOO... quite the contrary... it gives you creative freedom. rather, you have creative freedom. you can express many things. but, at the same time (or may be a little later) you should know which ones to retain and which ones to throw away, so that it, from a 'collection of expressions' becomes 'a piece of art'. creativity is for yourself. Art, on the other hand, does not just remain for yourself .. in fact, should not. Take this correctly, art should not remain for yourself is far different from saying you should create art for people. NO.. you should create art for yourself. but if it is indeed art, then it should not remain with yourself.
Me(again) - On second thoughts, probably it is a restriction. creative freedom is a more abstract thing.. but it does not usually materialize. on the other hand elimination is more concrete.
Nkk(again) - For unknown reason, today morning I somehow get to understand that it is elimination and not selection.
Me -I like your father's remarks about being a 'river', but dont quite agree with the conceptualization of the 'sea' as a powerful closed system that bullies. For me, sea celebrates many qualities of life in its own way. Well... anyway, that's besides the point.
Had been thinking about creation, elimination etc for quite sometime yesterday night. after some time I kind of started to develop more sympathy toward elimination. i somehow started thinking that there is more 'krutakate' in art than we think. i thought i need to write a poem now. ideas were forming. well.. did not write a poem, but did start with one. initially a couple of lines flashed. they were like this -
huTTisida shabdagLa husidAda bDivAra
sOsida baNNagLa sobagina chittAra
Then, I wrote a few more lines. will try to get a poem out of these lines and more. Let's see.
"Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes.
Art is knowing which ones to keep." -- Scott Adams
"Besides the noble art of getting things done,
there is the noble art of leaving things undone.
The wisdom of life consists in the elimination
of non-essentials." -- Lin Yutang
You may stop reading here and continue to ponder over the above quotes. Trust me, they are very insightful!
Some coincidences are beautiful. I came across the first quote somewhere. It sounded so appealing to me, I thought I would send it to Nkk. As soon as I opened to my gmail account to compose a mail to him, I found a mail from him that had the second quote. Look at them carefully. They both actually are in the same spirit.
Then started (still going on) discussion on creativity, elimination, art. Which is more natural - creativity or elimination? Which is more concrete? A few excerpts from the thread -
Nkk - I think this is what that imposes restriction on expressing our feelings.
Me - NOOOO... quite the contrary... it gives you creative freedom. rather, you have creative freedom. you can express many things. but, at the same time (or may be a little later) you should know which ones to retain and which ones to throw away, so that it, from a 'collection of expressions' becomes 'a piece of art'. creativity is for yourself. Art, on the other hand, does not just remain for yourself .. in fact, should not. Take this correctly, art should not remain for yourself is far different from saying you should create art for people. NO.. you should create art for yourself. but if it is indeed art, then it should not remain with yourself.
Me(again) - On second thoughts, probably it is a restriction. creative freedom is a more abstract thing.. but it does not usually materialize. on the other hand elimination is more concrete.
Nkk - I do not know. But would like to say it is selection, not elimination. Might be both appearing complement to each other, but what waves up on the mind is like selection, is it not same as the manifestation?
I remember one analogy that my father gave in one of his only lecture on independence day, that freedom is like (rather, should be like) flowing river. It is bound by two banks, still it is ever free. It should not be like a sea. Yes, it is good to be a roaring sea, but by that time the one who becomes, will no more be a 'river', he will be a 'sea' and he has 'right' to intrude the surrounding shore lines.
Yes, it is true that creativity is for myself, but art is, being an external aid to let people know my creativity (not intentionally though), will not remain for myself. "People have right to comment on my art, but not on my creativity", this is what I meant by your lines.
Me -I like your father's remarks about being a 'river', but dont quite agree with the conceptualization of the 'sea' as a powerful closed system that bullies. For me, sea celebrates many qualities of life in its own way. Well... anyway, that's besides the point.
Had been thinking about creation, elimination etc for quite sometime yesterday night. after some time I kind of started to develop more sympathy toward elimination. i somehow started thinking that there is more 'krutakate' in art than we think. i thought i need to write a poem now. ideas were forming. well.. did not write a poem, but did start with one. initially a couple of lines flashed. they were like this -
huTTisida shabdagLa husidAda bDivAra
sOsida baNNagLa sobagina chittAra
Then, I wrote a few more lines. will try to get a poem out of these lines and more. Let's see.
i had heard the first earlier... and was thinking abt it...
i have few thoughts about it too.
but more on that later..
the quote that Nkk sent.. thats totally new to me. but, its very profound. perhaps, it says more than the first quote.
and i am looking forward to that poem. lemme know when that is done. just send me a msg or mail me... (although we are right next to each other the entire day)....
or simply, u can just tell me. :-D
Posted by
Anonymous |
1:06 PM, April 28, 2005
For some reasons, as yet unclear, I dont feel like writing that poem anymore! I am still in the process of getting clarity on my current thoughts. I might probably put my thoughts down after that. Then the poem might come as well, perhaps in a different flavour.
Posted by
Sanket |
1:13 PM, April 28, 2005
yes. clarity. hmmm... thats important.
Posted by
Mandar |
1:14 PM, April 28, 2005