Just recently I finished watching the National Geographic mini-series “Picasso.” I really didn’t know much about his life, but was familiar with much of his work. Apparently he hardly ever took commissions. He painted whatever he pleased, yet expected people to be interested in his work. It seemed more than anything else, he wanted to deliver a fresh vision, one that was his own. Boy, did he ever!
When an artist takes a commission, they relinquish a certain amount of control. Those who commission art often demand creative input and many times want to give specific direction, something Picasso would have not allowed. His struggle was with himself, working to deliver his unique vision of the world.
I’ve said it many times before, can you imagine someone like Picasso with a room full of critics watching him as he painted? After a single stroke, a discussion might ensue about the merits of that particular expression. “I don’t really like that, I think it should have been two inches to the left and a much lighter touch,” someone might say.
That would be unacceptable to an artist of Picasso’s stature. But what about when he was younger and unknown? Putting bread on the table was a struggle for sure and there were many critics and naysayers along the way.
His success can probably be attributed to his perseverance and tenacity as much as his artistic talent. He was determined not to relinquish artistic control and did not … even when he was a young upstart.
In the best of times, creativity is a solitary activity. You withdraw from others, often to a designated space, off the beaten path. In that “studio” space you stand before the blank canvas or page and ultimately make the first few fledgling paint strokes, or write the first few words. These are hopefully followed by a deluge of more, and eventually, with some luck, intent and meaning are revealed. This is the creative process.
“A blank page or canvas, his favorite. So many possibilities.”
Artists have always been stymied by the business of making money. Commerce vs. art is an age-old dilemma.
Stephen Sondheim addressed the struggle in his Pulitzer Prize winning musical, “Sunday in the Park with George.” It has always been a favorite. I literally wore out the cassette tape back in the mid-80s when it was first released. The original Broadway production featured Bernadette Peters and Mandy Patinkin. The story revolved around the life of pointillist artist Georges Seurate and the creation of his best known masterpiece.
Seurate used tiny dots of pure color to paint the massive image. It took years. The painting now resides at the Art Institute in Chicago. Strangely enough, it was prominently featured in the film “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.” You may remember it? Some day I’ll visit the painting in person, and my infatuation will be complete!
The original Broadway production was also filmed and broadcast on PBS which I stumbled upon by accident one hot summer evening as a young adult. May I add, PBS has always connected me with a world of art and culture I would otherwise not have been able to explore. Bravo PBS!
This production was literally mind-altering to me … in the most brilliant way. I was mesmerized by the dissonant harmony throughout. It forever altered my perception of music and consonance.
The musical was considered by many to be a “significant artistic achievement” for Soundheim but ultimately the production lost money. It was nominated for 10 Tony awards, yet, only won two in the minor category of scenic design. But thankfully, it is one of the few musicals to have won a Pulitzer Prize. Well deserved.
As luck would have it, when I was in New York in 2017, Jake Gyllenhaal and Annaleigh Ashford were appearing in a limited-run revival of the musical at the Hudson Theatre only a few blocks from where I was staying. I was eager to attend, and I must say, it was the most enjoyable evening of theatre I’ve ever experienced. Several of the photos included here were taken on my iPhone that night.
Until that freezing cold New York evening, I never considered myself a fan of Gyllenhaal’s. Who knew he could sing? When I’d heard Patinkin in the original, I remember thinking to myself, who else could ever sing that role? But Gyllenhaal was more than up to the challenge and in some ways, his performance was even more poignant.
As coincidence would have it, that day, March 22, was Soundheim’s birthday and, at the end of the performance, Gyllenhaal led the audience and cast in singing “Happy Birthday” to Soundheim via Facetime. It was a unique experience.
(Soundheim via Facetime. LOL! That one was just for me.)
The musical explores the mechanism of artistic creation and both the personal and professional struggles that often ensue in the lives of artists. To quote a line, “having just a vision’s no solution, everything depends on execution.” How true of the creative struggle.
During the decade I worked at a Pulitzer Prize winning newspaper (Yes folks! Our newspaper won a Pulitzer!) in my little Southern town, more than a few times I heard coworkers announce things like: One day I’ll move near the ocean, or into the mountains, or to a warmer climate … where I’ll be able to write my novel.
I’ll never forget the elder states-person of the newsroom who often responded to these future novelists with, “Why does everybody have to wait until they move away? Why can’t you just write a book here?”
One of the most memorable lines in “Sunday in the Park,” comes as it draws to a conclusion, a line that has resonated in my mind … growing stronger through the years.
“Anything you do, let it come from you. Then it will be new.”
This is creativity in its purest form. As Picasso knew. The unadulterated free-flowing creativity which has nothing to do with pride or commerce. That’s the type of creation that has the potential to reveal the truths that live within each of us.
And as they say … what comes from the heart, goes to the heart.
Copyright Glenn Crain 2019
The Struggle to Be Known 