Curious About Curiosity
What sparked my curiosity? Mortality. The topic of Mortality has sparked many artists curiosity leading to creating great works on the subject of death and losing a loved one. Some may think that this is a morbid subject to replicate into art, though the words of American Advertising CEO, Leo Burnett echo in my mind “Curiosity about life in all of its aspects, I think is the secret of great creative people” (Burnett, Leo. N.d.). So much amazing art has been spawned from artists curiosity about the aspects of life, or more directly the topics of life, love and loss. Following is a case study to compare narrative art to melodic art to uncover which is a more adequate representation or expression of theme Mortality.
Mortality sparked Emily Dickinson’s curiosity with the majority of her 1775 narrative artistic proses. Dickinson approached this theme from many angles and perceptions, and like most artists as a representation of her feelings and emotional environment, reflecting on mortality, loss and death from her personal encounters. Maria Popova studies some of Dickinson’s poems focused to contemplations of Mortality in Brain Pickings Blog, The Drift Called the infinite: Emily Dickinson on Making Sense of Loss. The two poems that struck a chord of interest in me, are on her reflection on the loss of a close friend. Popova describes these, “Penned after receiving news of a friend’s death, Dickinson stills her swirling sorrow the best way she knew how — in a poem:
Each that we lose takes part of us;
A crescent still abides,
Which like the moon, some turbid night,
Is summoned by the tides.
She adds a sobering reflection on the shock each of us experiences the first time we lose a loved one:
Till the first friend dies, we think ecstasy impersonal, but then discover that he was the cup from which we drank it, itself as yet unknown” (Dickinson, Emily, quoted by Popova, Maira. N.d.).
Why does the theme of Mortality ignite our curiosity as artists? I believe as artists we need to investigate these themes of Mortality to process our own thoughts on the subject, and put into reality what we feel, to express it, to get it out for analysis and reflection or even to free ourselves from the depths of grief. Its like the artist default to create something expressive of their emotional attitudes or environments of the time, its an intrinsic need. And through this expression, this raw emotion that is represented in the art-form, allows for connection to the audience and creating an impact, not only through these themes being aspects of all individuals lives but through the emotional bond of honesty, reflecting the artist true state of mind and being. But does this reflection or expression represented in melodic art and narrative, connect to the audience with equal impact? Is an instrumental song an adequate reflection of Mortality? Or is narrative art a stronger expression of this theme? The theme of Mortality summoned my curiosity last year after also losing a friend to suicide but unlike Emily Dickinson my medium of expression is song. Following is the instrumental version of song Nothingness for aural analysis of the study.
Nothingness — Instrumental:
The whole song Nothingness that you heard through the above link was written during the immersion in the emotion of grief and loss. The lyrics came two months later after I had worked through the emotions to the point that I could finally put words to my feelings. For a thorough comparison of whether narrative art is a better representation or expression of theme Mortality than melodic art following is the narrative art-form of the Song Nothingness.
Nothingness:
That space where, they once were, all thats left, nothingness. Loved ones leave, the flames die, all I feel, nothingness.
Some things never change, some wont be the same. I lost my sense of self, the person I once was, disappeared when you left, where to find me now, all that was is gone, nothingness.
Why you chose this path, I don’t understand, darkness guides the road, no lights to lead the way, you opened up my heart, and left an empty space, all that was is gone, to nothingness.
Some things never change, some wont be the same. I lost my sense of self, the person I once was, disappeared when you left, where to find me now, all that was is gone, nothingness.
You opened up my heart, and left an empty space, all that was is gone, to nothingness. (Thompson, L. Orthentix. 2017.).
The comparison of the examples in my opinion I think that melodic art or music is better representation or expression than written prose, at least in the context of Mortality, as it connects to the audience on a sensory level from various senses, aural and touch, leading to a stronger emotional impact on the audience. Whereas narrative art only sense connection is visual, with only one avenue of impact. Melody or music has the ability to immerse your whole being with the energy chosen to convey through melody, rhythm and harmony compared to the single method of prose for the narrative leading to a stronger representation and expression of the theme Mortality.
A stronger representation to the theme of Mortality is expressed when the narrative art and melodic art are combined created a larger emotional impact on a sensory level and using more methods of engagement through techniques of composition and narrative writing, reflecting and expressing the theme to a wider potential. A music video clip with narrative, melodic and visual elements allows for even further immersion and audience engagement through appealing to more senses leading to potential for a larger emotional impact. Here is a link to the song Nothingness with narrative and melodic aspects combined:
This has now sparked my curiosity. Does this mean that a melody can suffice as an answer to a creative problem? or Does narrative art answer more questions?
I shall conclude with my initial thoughts to these new questions. I need the theme or subject to touch me, something real almost tactile I can hold onto, creating an emotional response or connection, leading to immersion in investigating the theme further and answering more creative questions. As my curiosity is impacted through feeling, due to emotional impact of music compared to the un-tactile impact of written prose, though still enjoyable, for me doesn’t answer as many creative questions due to me be being an emotive creative inquirer and feeling sparking my curiosity. A majority of creative questions I believe can be answered via the medium of song. This I will research and investigate to uncover through further study on Creative Inquiry……I shall leave you with a final prose on Mortality from Emily Dickinson reflecting on the immorality of remembrance.
“I cannot tell how Eternity seems. It sweeps around me like a sea… Thank you for remembering me. Remembrance — mighty word” (Dickinson, Emily. 1882.).
References:
Dickinson, Emily & Popova, Maria. (N.d.). Brain pickings: the drift called the infinite: Emily Dickinson on making sense of loss, reflections on silence and eternity from the poet laureate of death. [Blog]. Retrieved from https://www.brainpickings.org/