Making Art in Turbulent Times, Part 2
During a recent discussion in my Mark-Making as Practice class, the subject came up, how do artists continue the business of making art in times of struggle? This struggle coming from within oneself, either as a reaction to daunting events happening in the artist’s life or in the world at large. During our discussion, some in the class felt was that it seemed frivolous and silly to make art during this time of war, global upheaval and political and cultural change and because of these things, others felt just too distracted and depressed to even be in the studio. Having witnessed many personal, political and cultural events in my 25 years of teaching, I have heard these thoughts from many students and have also had these disparaging thoughts myself.
My answer when having these conversations is always the same, MAKE ART, especially now in these times! That directive is not always so easy to follow, but it makes things easier when these things are put into some kind of historical context.
As humans and artists, we are prone to periodically self-focusing, often under the assumption that whatever is going on in our lives has never happened to anyone, ever. We are certainly all unique and yes, it is true, that the same moment you experience has never been experienced the same way by anyone ever before. However, overall, there have always been, more or less, vile and horrific times throughout history. Even under the best of times, one could still find someone on earth who was suffering. On the other hand, one can also find stories of beauty, strength, love and hope to brighten times of interminable tribulation. As artists, we have been put here for a purpose, to be the the light, for such a time as this (Esther 4:14).
Back in the day, I was riveted to a TV show on Discovery Channel that re-enacted real life stories of survival…people who survived unimaginable accidents, storms, being lost in the desert/woods for long periods, etc. The stories were crazy and it was only by shear will that most of these people survived. After each episode, I was always thoroughly inspired, thinking how strong is the human spirit… certainly, if this person could survive, I could stop whining and make it into the studio that day. Finding equivalent artist stories of survival was actually not that difficult-artists are a resilient, spirited and willful group! Read on for a shortened list of the many artists throughout history who faced tremendous adversity and continued to make the art they were made to make, to be rock stars and leave a legacy to inspire artists and non-artists for generations.
Frida Kahlo, Without Hope, 1945, oil on canvas
Frida Kahlo (1907-1954) is the first artist who comes to mind when speaking of adversity. She endured tremendous physical pain as a result of polio as a child and a tragic bus accident in her teens that left her with a fractured spine, pelvis and ribs. These injuries plagued her with chronic pain for the rest of her life and necessitated numerous surgeries with long periods of bed rest. In fact, she even attended the opening of her first solo show while on her bed-yes, the entire bed was transported to the gallery with her in it. Whenever I’m not working in the studio while in mired in complaint-mode, the image of Frida laying flat on her back, enveloped in a body cast, brush in hand, painting away with a mirror so she could see what she was doing in a prone position, always forces me sheepishly back into the studio.
Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179) created gorgeous illuminated manuscripts, theological texts and hypnotically beautiful music (music that I actually listen to!) Steeped in the male dominated, ecclesiastical hierarchy of the Middle Ages, she continued to contribute to the arts even though her work was met with skepticism and even scorn. Like Frida, she also suffered physically and learned to create past her pain. Hildegard was tormented with severe migraines from an early age into adulthood. She interpreted her migraines as divine visions and her visions were later recognized as mystical revelations.
Caravaggio (1571-1610) is an artist I remember well from art history class, having to memorize the the definition of the word chiaroscuro. Caravaggio was the revolutionary who first used this technique noted for intense light and shadow to create a powerful realism in his paintings. Some facts about his troubled life that I don’t remember learning in art history class is that he led a tumultuous life, which was marked by frequent brawls, imprisonment, and exile due to a murder conviction. He ended up living as a fugitive for much of his later years, but still continued to paint, even on the lam.
Artemisia Gentileschi (1593-1656) was a victim of sexual assault by her teacher and faced significant prejudice as a woman in the male-dominated art world of the Renaissance. To further her humiliation after the attack, she endured a torturous public trial to prove her claims against her abuser. She later worked through her trauma and transformed her pain into powerful paintings, which depicted women as strong, dynamic protagonists.
Francisco Goya (1746–1828) As a court painter to the Spanish Crown, Goya witnessed the horrors of the Napoleonic Wars and later became deaf due to a severe, undiagnosed illness. As he aged, he lived in virtual isolation as his work became increasingly dark, focusing on insanity, mental institutions, witches, monstrous creatures and religious and political corruption. Goya’s most profound work is The Disasters of War, a set of 85 etchings graphically documenting human suffering, political turmoil and war, which reflect his disillusionment and personal struggles.
Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890) We are all too familiar with Van Gogh’s personal struggles and his awe-inspiring contribution to the art world. My empathy goes out to him after reading about his mental illness, his constant battle with extreme poverty and the emotional and professional rejection he endured throughout his life. It’s impossible to imagine anyone making art under the constant torment of an addled mind, but he created hundreds of paintings only in the span of ten years and most of the work was created in the last few years of his life. It appears the more his problems persisted, the more he painted. Tragically, he ended up taking his own life at the very young age of 37.
Kathe Kollwitz (1867-1945) I only discovered Kollwitz’ haunting work very recently while researching another artist and it stuck with me. I later learned that she lived through two World Wars, losing her son in the first and her grandson in the second, as well as persecution by the Nazi’s for her anti-war stance. Despite her overwhelming grief and torment, she went on to create expressive prints and sculptures that stand as poignant anti-war statements and reflect the grief and suffering of those impacted by war and poverty.
Edvard Munch (1863-1944) lost both his mother and sister to tuberculosis at a very young age. This trauma stayed with him throughout his life as he struggled with mental illness, a violent temper, obsessiveness and a hoarding problem. In his large home, his paintings, pictures, tools and books were scattered all over the floor, furniture, countertops, inside and outside. Many of his pictures were even stored outdoors, and human footprints and traces of dog paws have been found on both prints and drawings. To this day, remains of water damage, bird droppings and candle wax may be spotted on several of his paintings. He worked through his trauma, amassing a large collection of prints and paintings, the most well known is the wholly disconcerting painting, The Scream.
Alice Neel (1900–1984) endured many personal tragedies, including losing her first born to diphtheria and later resorted to shoplifting while on welfare as a single mother supporting two young sons in New York City. Perhaps the most heartbreaking chapter of her story is when her husband took off to his native Cuba with her infant daughter, leaving Alice alone in New York. Mourning the sudden loss of her family, she had a nervous breakdown, was hospitalized for a year and attempted suicide. Despite the almost constant despair and loss in her life, she became one of the most well known contemporary portraitists of our time.