Thursday, November 18, 2021

Thursday Thoughts...

The creation of something new is not accomplished by the intellect but by the play instinct acting from inner necessity. The creative mind plays with the objects it loves.” 

Carl Gustav Jung

I am pondering art again this week and I liked the way this quote linked a few ideas together.

In a right brain and left brain differentiation thing it suggests that intellect is not the driving force for creativity which I think makes sense. I can rarely think something into being by pure logical or rational steps. There are leaps and diversions and rewinds all the way through it seems.

I had never before pondered the existence of a play instinct and probably should go explore that more, but right now time is short and I can simply feel a little bit excited by the notion of an instinct to play.

This instinct to play arising from inner necessity also seems to me to show a pretty good understanding of many artists, creators and makers.  We actually have to be making or creating. It is the way we make our way through the world and yes I agree it can definitely be described as an inner necessity.

The use of the word object in the last bit is the part where I am not quite sure. I guess it all falls to the definition of an object and can an object be an idea or a drive to resolve something? This part seems a little bet reductive and directive to me. I think the creative mind plays with ideas and resolutions, rather than simply objects that it loves...


I had trouble finding a photo of an object that I love... so here is an idea my creative mind has yet to resolve. I have enjoyed heaps of time wondering about cloud puddles and reflections; the idea of upside down/inversion; how water does magic framing things, at the right angles...

2 comments:

  1. I confess to struggling with this one ... going to the dictionary for definitions of "object" wasn't particularly helpful and I wonder if the word itself is the issue ... perhaps due to it being translated?

    that said, I do absolutely believe in the instinct to play ... something that is driven out in large part by "education" in the "right way" to do things ... I also think "play" and "joy" are kindred

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    1. Hi Liz, I always appreciate the time you take to ponder and respond. You might be right about a translation moment, because that part really did jar with me. Perhaps as an object of desire? an object of fascination? the object of inquiry? Perhaps that is more what was meant? I went literal and thought about a vase or some such! The instinct to play is fabulous and play itself is such an interesting state to be in - so much occurs within it when we let go of rules and worries about how we present to the world...go well.

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I appreciate your thoughts and comments; thanks for taking the time.