7 Comments

The idea of context collapse is fascinating. Thanks for explaining it so beautifully!

This post resonated with me because I’ve been thinking about/hoping to write about creativity as rest. I, too, have been overwhelmed and highly anxious this past week, and I’ve found myself turning to my art as a place of respite and escape. Creative time + more time with myself (vs with my partner or friends) seems to be a helpful combo right now.

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I'm glad you enjoyed it. There are some really big ideas I didn't feel totally confident in expressing and I didn't want to overwhelm my readers, but I am definitely interested in writing more pieces like this.

It's definitely changed my relationship with my art when I started incorporating low pressure activities to my practice. Thanks so much for your comment!

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Apr 12Liked by Jeremy Mathew

I re-read your piece and took notes. I love learning about art history and well, anytime humans resist power. I love how the clown, jester, actor, comedian can shine the light on how absurd the rules are to be included in the sacred circle. After thinking about it, I think the trickster is someone who has met death and is okay with it. They aren't tempted by the diamonds and jewels. Those things don't satisfy and therefore they dance and entertain for their own pure enjoyment. Not to be sold and become a performer for the gratification of the rich. So yes, we must create for our own true pleasure. No one else! Curious to learn more about digital collage therapy! Currently the clouds are my therapy.

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I'm so glad it resonated! I think you hit the nail on the head with that description of the trickster archetype. As for the digital collage process, I just perused museum archives for images that are open access and no longer copy right protected. The Met has a huge collection to choose from. Then I scanned in a bunch of different images into google drive and through it all together on my ipad. It felt really cathartic. Let me know if you give it a try!

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...in a midst of too much i find peace in just enough...a pile of garbage is just cans, paper and crumbs...love the idea of art for artistry instead of capital...sat with an incredible and very successful painter today and even he said that 99& of his work is rejection, but he looks for the pieces of light, and that revelation shines bright enough to make any of the darkness worth it...was semi profound...love the gardening clown...we could user more anachronistic workers in the world...i want my pizza parlor to wear bear suits and my mailman ballet slippers...

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You are quite articulate. Thanks for this essay.

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I'm glad you enjoyed it! Thank you :)

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