The two quotes I found interesting are: “The only way people can really describe pain is to objectify it.” and “When people forge tools or build things, they are often trying to alleviate discomfort. But first they must define the discomfort”
“The only way people can really describe pain is to objectify it.”
What intrigued be about this quote is that I interpreted it as it saying that in order to create a work with meaning behind it and also shows you put dedication and hard work (pain) into it, you must manipulate it yourself and shape it to however you want without fear of changing what it was originally meant to be. Often times in creating art, artists are faced with hurdles that they themselves place for themselves and it is up to them to overcome them and rise from it to create something new and innovative.
This part of the article challenged me as a creator because I realized that one must look beyond the value of things and instead treat them as objects because when creating something new, anything can be used as a material or source of inspiration. I didn’t see this as a negative thing where it’s telling me to oppress everything I see or touch, but rather to stay aware of what’s around me because anything can be used to create or inspire art.
“When people forge tools or build things, they are often trying to alleviate discomfort. But first they must define the discomfort”
The way I interpreted this quote is that an artists creates something based on what they think they, or people around them need. However, the important part is determining what the “need” aspect is. It could be an emotional need and the artist creates an emotional piece to respond to it, such as creating a sad song after a break up, or when the Romans created their enormous arches to immortalize their triumphs over their enemies in war. Either way, feeling some kind of want or discomfort usually tends to cause for something new to be created in order for that desire to be fulfilled.
As a creator, this quote shows me that to create something new, I don’t only have to look at what’s around me, but also within myself and what I may want to change in me, or in the world, and to channel that desire to create something new.
There is power within unlocked when sought after.