From Tortured to Starving
Does all great art come from a tortured spirit reconciling turmoil and conflict through creating something new? In a world of personal expression, many become focused on one aspect of the artistic process over another. Giorgio Vasari was the first art historian and biographer of artists after writing Lives of the Most Eminent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects. However, his own bias towards exaggeration left the world with a misconception of the origins of art. Is it talent, support or inspiration that creates genius? Vasari claimed they were all born talented, born genius able to richly depict their life. In fact, with art being personal expression, every aspect of life will affect the creation of art including the personal experience of the artist, those who take interest in their creation and the cultural context in which they create.
Vasari may not have been all wrong. What is an artist with no subject? In viewing artists as talented since birth, the first subjects would be the first steps of life. As the individual artist grows older, they are able to examine and experience more of the world around them, form more complex thoughts and develop greater technical skill. This experience may be positive or negative thus affecting their art. This process is internal, personal to the individual artist. However, the individual may be limited in their experience unable to access different places, thought processes and tools in their experience.
The society in which the tortured artist idea came to be was full of contribution to the arts. It was the Renaissance. Vasari himself was greatly funded by some of his patrons included the Medici family. In a society contributing to the arts, there would be much art generated as well as great competition. As Vasari commented, the artists in competition were hungry and it gave them drive to fuel their passions. So for the victors, they were commissioned and funded but that left them subject to their patrons. Even for the common artist, if no one enjoys your art, then it won’t be purchased and thus, more art won’t be supported. One can view this walking down the street seeing a musician with a collection pot on the ground. People fill it and become patrons. Some will purchase a CD. Writers want to sell books and fashion designers want to sell clothing. This is even a principle in economics called the invisible hand of the consumer. The society will chose whether to fund the individual allowing them to grow and continue to create. If not, this is the tortured artist without support. Perhaps they have a different view of their culture than the rest of society.
Would it be practical to paint a fresco in northern Europe? Would it make sense for a northern European to paint a mango? Culturally, no; the fresco would be damaged by the rigid weather in the north and mangos don’t grow in that region. These circumstances directly impact the subjects an artist choses. In modern times, an artist can research and imagine a remote location but would be limited in the detail of the depiction. Imagine attempting to sculpt calla lily using pictures. The dimensional and textual quality of the art would be diminished compared to a live subject the artist can analyze and experience for themselves first hand. The frustration creates another form of tortured artist.
Though the original myth of the Tortured Artist began with a natural born genius, any artist struggling in any of these areas would face trouble in their expression and could be considered ‘Tortured’. If the individual artist is limited in their personal growth, patronage or cultural experience – their art will reflect it. That may be why so many seem to focus on the story of the artist forgetting the other parts of the process. Though personal expression is power, other factors directly and indirectly influence its creation.
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