I am highlighting a particular element of art-making which involves subconscious thought and intuition and how this correlates to theories around improvisation and intuition in the making of music. Using theories of Musician and philosopher Cathleen Coessens (Vrije Universiteit Brussel; Research Fellow, Orpheus Institute, Ghent ) and musician and composer  Maja Solveg Kjelstrup Ratkje.

Kathleen Coessens outlines the factors which contribute to artistic practice which she calls ‘The Web of Artistic Practice’:

“Beneath the artist’s apparent expertise and creation, revealed in artistic realisations such as composition or performance, a complex domain of experience, knowledge, and actions is hidden and difficult to pin down. This domain consists of different tacit dimensions, which can only be made visible, understandable, by theorising, or by the introspection and interpretation of the artist. Moreover, within the process of creation, the artist is seldom consciously aware of these dimensions, the focus at that moment being creation itself, some artistic idea or aim. The tools of the artist, knowledge, expertise, experiences, and actions present in his or her creative endeavour, remain in the background of this act.” (Coessens, 2014)

According to Coessens the five dimensions which contribute to this creative interaction are; “embodied know-how, personal knowledge, the environmental, the cultural-semiotic, and the receptive dimension”. (Coessens, 2014) In simple terms this is one’s ability/expertise, knowledge, physical surroundings, cultural background and interactions with others. It is interesting to note that Coessens comes from a musical standpoint however; these five dimensions can be applied to creative practice in a wider context including not only music but visual art, performance and arguably written word. Musicians and visual artists alike describe this in their practice; Norwegian composer Maja Solveg Kjelstrup Ratkje explains; “Music for me is all about communication… the meeting place … the time …the room… the people in it, yourself, the audience, and your creative collaborators”. (Ratkje, 2008) English abstract painter Gillian Ayres highlights the similarity between musician, poet and painter stating; (painting is) “Evolving something, rather in the way perhaps that a bar of music or a line of poetry follows from the last, developing and changing.” (Ayres, 2020) “Art is about expression and experience, but it’s not terribly conscious.” (Janes, 2001)

Notes

In relation to Cousens Web of Artistic Practice and the elements talked about in this theory: How does the current internal situation we are in impact on creative output such as the receiving of this work in the current situation in terms of environment and interactions with others?

If we are unable to expose the work to the listener, viewer then how do we understand it fully develop it? Visual art (painting) needs the voices of those who seek to read discuss and understand or make sense of it. Music is the same requiring a kind of conversation with the audience. This interaction is currently limited to digital platforms and cannot breathe in the space of a gallery or concert hall. There are no eyes and ears to prompt conversations, criticism and thoughts. These communications are vital to the progression for artists to be able consider their creative outcome from a different perspective allowing for progression. Input from others can be integral to development of practice particularly from other creative’s who understand the tools with which one works. Music/Painting/Installations need to exist beyond their place of creation/studio in terms of how the maker perceives the work as well as potential audience; this often provides a unique moment where it becomes an entity in its own right. The acoustics, the sense of the work is changed as it is presented as an experience, an experience tied up in the physical and sensed surroundings. Instead musicians and artists are documenting, recording and sharing digitally and the creativity is focused on developing new ways to expose the work to an audience. However, there is still a sense that it is temporary and that we are waiting to uncover the live experience and for the conversation to resume between creative outcome and the outside world.

Alternative trandisciplinary input that I could have discussed:

On intuition: Burgson

On Home/Space: Bachelard

On Space and Home: Architects

On Home: Fiction writing/Author of descriptive writing and/or poetry

Bibliography

Ayres, G., 2020. Modernists & Mavericks: Bacon, Freud, Hockney And The London Painters. [ebook] London: Thames and Hudson, p.Chapter 10. Available at: <https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=RVfGDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT206&lpg=PT206&dq=gillian+ayres+%22intuition%22&source=bl&ots=CpLmP0a-AO&sig=ACfU3U0GDC-NjFOjkyvqvuE_YRd_pkh6Ow&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiMhPPPmsDpAhWTgVwKHaBuBMMQ6AEwAXoECAoQAQ#v=onepage&q&f=false> [Accessed 20 May 2020].

Coessens, K., 2014. Artistic Experimentation In Music. [ebook] Lueven University Press. Available at: <https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt14jxsmx.10> [Accessed 9 October 2019].

Janes, H., 2001. Return of the OBA’S. The guardian, [online] Available at: <https://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2001/nov/04/life1.lifemagazine5> [Accessed 20 May 2020].

Maxwell, G., 2013. Intellect And Intuition In Henri Bergson. [online] The Dynamics of Transformation. Available at: <https://rockandrollphilosopher.wordpress.com/2013/06/10/intellect-and-intuition-in-henri-bergson/> [Accessed 20 May 2020].

Ratkje, M., 2008. On Henri Bergson And Improvisation | Maja Solveig Kjelstrup Ratkje. [online] Ratkje.no. Available at: <https://ratkje.no/2008/03/on-henri-bergson-and-improvisation/> [Accessed 20 May 2020].