09 March 2011

art: sacrifice and risk

From the book I and Thou by Martin Buber - a lovely little tome.

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'This is the eternal origin of art that a human being confronts a form that wants to become a work through him. Not a figment of his soul but something that appears to the soul and demands the soul's creative power. What is required is a deed that a man does with his whole being: if he commits it and speaks with his being the basic word to the form that appears, then the creative power is released and the work comes into being.

The deed involves a sacrifice and a risk. The sacrifice: infinite possibility is surrendered on the altar of the form; all that but a moment ago floated playfully through one's perspective has to be exterminated; none of it may penetrate into the work; the exclusiveness of such a confrontation demands this. The risk: the basic word can only be spoken with one's whole being; whoever commits himself may not hold back part of himself . . .'

2 comments:

al-blys said...

aside from the gendered language, i really like this.

sort of reminds me of bukowski's "if you're going to try, go all the way..."

jc said...

this would be funny put above a kid making a popsicle stick reindeer. so serious.

but yeah, that risk and abandonment!

although if this is how thought art making as I'd be too scared to do it!