Today’s beautiful thing: The art of Henry Darger
Discussing with my friend A, abt whether imagination limits what one writes, specially if you’re writing essays, CNF, and what happens once you’re done, you reach the limit?
She pointed me to Henry Darger.
What a story.
What amazing art--- what ABANDON… his figures fly off the plane of the page into the ether with a whistle
BUT to think of all this while plodding on at a day job? A lower level one, cleaning floors and rolling bandages?
To think and make such AMAZING art cloistered in a room, WITHOUT the pat on the back that you and I and every single one professing to be CREATIVE craves?
HOW?
(If we must put Darger in a box labeled strange and borderline psychotic—a lot of artists belong in there, starting with Van Gogh, and I can live with that, damn and ptoee to the labeling.)
Google images for Henry Darger
Discussing with my friend A, abt whether imagination limits what one writes, specially if you’re writing essays, CNF, and what happens once you’re done, you reach the limit?
She pointed me to Henry Darger.
What a story.
What amazing art--- what ABANDON… his figures fly off the plane of the page into the ether with a whistle
BUT to think of all this while plodding on at a day job? A lower level one, cleaning floors and rolling bandages?
To think and make such AMAZING art cloistered in a room, WITHOUT the pat on the back that you and I and every single one professing to be CREATIVE craves?
HOW?
(If we must put Darger in a box labeled strange and borderline psychotic—a lot of artists belong in there, starting with Van Gogh, and I can live with that, damn and ptoee to the labeling.)
Google images for Henry Darger
6 comments:
Austere:
Thank you so MUCH for reminding me about Darger!!!! I had not thought about him in years, but at one time had been meaning to investigate and learn more about the man. With your reminder, I have begun exploring!
Again, thank you!
PipeTobacco
http://frumpyprofessor.blogspot.com
Thanks...
Had never heard of him earlier... will read now.
Sounds interesting..
Thank you for this - and any "beautiful thing" you showed us. I have to go and read a bit to catch up :)
(Things at the bookmine get sorted, routine sets in, more time, better technical possibilities.)
PT: this was the FIRST I heard about Darger, am still in that wonder haze.
Alien: Yes! Some of it may seem shocking or require us to jettison norms, boundaries -- but not sensibilities
mago the magician: am delighted. what a task you've done for posterity...what a frame of reference!
Austere:
With my background in neuroendocrinology, I stumbled across Darger rather easily as he was initially written about in a few neuropsych articles that I had read. But, his art and story is so far beyond my own initial introduction. I had read more widely of him a while ago, and was a fascinating individual.
PipeTobacco
http://frumpyprofessor.blogspot.com
Need to read more about him. I guess some people are just gifted - the surroundings, pat on the back just doesn't matter to them. They'd just create their master piece no matter where they are
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