We should start with the word: Creativity - Def: To bring something into existence.
Etymology: originates from 'creare' - bring forth, produce, cause to grow. Probably related to 'crescere' - grow (crescent). The sense 'form out of nothing' and the consequent applications of creation, creator etc, are of Christian origin in European languages.
Now we should understand our context.
Creativity in this case does not only apply to what we in modernity refer to as 'artistic endeavours'. The references made in this blog are delivered by Liberal Artists (with Cleese having a background in Physics). But the principles can apply across the board; indeed they should.
Lewis Mumford, who wrote extensively on cybernetics (the science of communications & automatic control systems in both machines and living things.) and the nature of automata, stated:
“The fact that order and creativity are complementary has been basic to man’s cultural development; for he has to internalize order to be able to give external form to his creativity.”
–Lewis Mumford, The Myth of the Machine
Having read David Di Salvo of Forbes magazine's recent, wonderfully interesting synopsis of creativity, or rather '10 Reasons Why We Struggle with creativity', I felt the need to share some points of his, others and my own.
He referred at the end of this synopsis to Sir John Cleese's presentation on making an enviornment where creativity flows
A great set of simple psychological insights, points to remember and instill in one's approach and pitfalls to avoid. One of my favourites from Di Salvo is this:
5. The functionary temptation.
“So, what are you going to do with that?” Tough question to answer for anyone trying to be creative, because there probably isn’t an answer. What we seem to have a hard time getting our arms around is the fact that there also doesn’t need to be an answer. What would a world driven by purely functionary concerns look like? Is that a world you’d want to live in?
The answer to this one is self-evident: stop asking the functionary question about everything in your life, or others’ lives. The question itself is designed to drain creativity from your bones."
As a radical bunch, we had this in architecture school all the time. Little did they know that we were being freed from the shackles of the oft repeated, stuck in what we have, X-Y-Z planes space conception, which results in slow innovation at best - boring, stale and copycat work at its worst. As an Artist, I get this even more.
He follows with an discussion on distraction - indeed TV, games, idle shopping, end up absorbing valuable time, especially in the face of a difficult and challenging creative scenario -
"What to do? Regulate time. Distractions aren’t the problem; it’s our unregulated devotion to them that doesn’t allow creativity to spark."
This is too important to ignore.
My own Architectural Diploma Thesis proposed a landscape of laboratories embedded within Sherwood Forest, England, in order to foster said creativity within technological and scientific endeavour. In this example, the atmosphere of creative problem solving and invention was enhanced by placing the groups involved within architectures formed from the very scientific processes they were studying.
Fractional distillation chambers formed cushioned membranes that filtered light into the lab space. Portals between various spaces grew and disintegrated depending on use, and the laboratories themselves were weaved (not built off site in a factory for mass produced Pokemon architectures) by giant looms, testing the very cutting edge materials prototypes the scientists were designing, in-situ.
Promenade was given right of passage; connecting bridges between islands and throughout the forest floor. These not only connect the laboratories and their prototype test sites physically, but allowing for a walk to escape the screen & machine; To immerse yourself in the highly complex, entropic and adaptive solver - the Universe.
That these concepts also have a distinctive spiritual reality, as described in the Soul In The Machine collection, exposes the incredible creative possibilities and patience required on the journey to The Creator.
One beautiful way to capture our creativity is embraced in this beautiful synergy of the flight of the spirit, pushing out and redefining our pre-conceived notions of technology, and the physical stamina required to hold fast, have patience, and love the creative outcome.
The results? Vast, embracing, open minded and free thinking; to design, build and live in a better world than the now. So stop asking why beyond all reasonable current knowledge, not doubt, and get on with it.
Thank you, Elizabeth Gilbert, for your honesty and such a vivid painting of our Elusive Creative Genius, via a TED talk delivered in 2009. You certainly inspired me.