The role of the artist's unconscious with regard to the creative processes in fine art

Abstract

A great many individuals who have asked themselves the question, "What is the making, characteristic of the artist, which is not an illustration?" have found an answer in something like the following: "This nontechnical making is plainly not an accident making, for works of art could not be produced by accidenr' (Tomas, 1964:5). If it is not the artist's skill, proposes Collingwood (Tomas, 1964:5), then it cannot be his reason, will or consciousness and must be something else. In this regard, Collingwood makes the following proposal: "It must be either his body, in which case the production of a work of art is at bottom a physiological activity, or else it is something mental but unconscious, in which case the prodygtive force is the artist's U[?q_onsq_i_g_y_§._f!Jind" (Tomas, 1964:5). Although the creative process is not a form of condition or a sort of unconscious functioning, created artistic products have definite unconscious consequences and appeal. Rothenberg (1979:351) proposes that "work's of art ~r_esent and incorporate UflQOfJ._§CiQ_L/§_ material and they reson_~te with the u__nqpnsc_iof.!~ey_el of the vi~yver or augien_r;e". Paul Torrance defines creat!yjty as "a/most inUnite. It involves every sense-sight, smell, hearing, feeling, taste, and even perhaps the extrasensory. Much of it is UfJ_~lf!e!J! . _nonverbal, and unconsciqus" (Sternberg, 1988:43).