#MerzSays: The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters?
“The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters” by Goya is often misinterpreted as criticism against the monstrosity of mindless.
Yet he comments on it:
“Fantasy abandoned by reason produces impossible monsters: united with her, she is the mother of the arts and the origin of their marvels.” (source)
It is not a dichotomy of reason versus emotion, enlightenment versus superstition, and dark prejudice.
It’s about art and creativity, which, liberated from the control of the mind, can produce jewels and wonders. This is why I appreciate Dadaist and Surrealist écriture automatique, Max Ernst’s collage hallucinations and AI hallucinations.
Colliding themes and contexts leads to new semantic terrains, unusual aesthetics, and fascinating narratives. And that is more important than reproducing perceivable reality with a particular artistic method.
