Рик Рубин и неговата книга „The Creative Act“
Вярвам, че правилните хора и ресурси те откриват в точния за теб момент и безкрайно ценя тази синхроничност на вселената :о). Затова и не съм учудена, че именно по време на подготовката за изложбата за есента на 2025, попаднах на първото видео за Rick Rubin и неговите идеи за творческия процес.
Рик Рубин е музикален продуцент, който твърди, че “нищо не разбира от музика”. :о) Затова пък през годините е работил с музиканти като Адел, Еминем, The Beastie Boys, Red Hot Chilly Peppers, Slayer, Metallica, Johny Cash и има не една и две награди Грами. Бидейки интересен персонаж, неговият подход към създаването също е изключително необичаен, но безкрайно ефективен и близък до света на твореца.
В началото изгледах няколко негови интервюта, които с удоволствие споделям тук. В тях открих книгата на Рик – “The Creative Act – A Way of Being”, от която също споделям част от цитатите, които “ми проговориха” и ме размислиха.
За повече от 20 години творчество, много от нещата, които Рик споделя в книгата, не са нови за мен. Но тя е написана толкова плавно, почти като дневник, и с една особена благост, която валидира всички достигнати от мен по емпиричен път схващания за изкуството и Процеса, че нямаше как да не се възхитя.
Мъдростта на Рик и неговият поглед към творческия процес безспорно ми помагат в безкрайните и изтощителни часове в студиото, пред големите платна за изложбата и вече знам, че ще ме преведат през идните интензивни месеци на много труд и удържане на напрежение (според неговите определения, още частично съм в Crafting периода (рисувам), но вече пребивавам и във Finishing частта, придвижвайки събитието за есента…)
Подзаглавието на книгата подсказва, че всъщност тя е за всички, не само за хора с творчески професии, защото всички прилагаме креативността в ежедневието.
“To live as an artist is a way of being in the world. A way of perceiving.”
“You exist as a creative being in a creative universe. A singular work of art.”
“Oscar Wilde said that some things are too important to be taken seriously. Art is one of those things.”
“It’s possible to create a piece, love it, and then look at it the next day and feel completely different about it. The inspired-artist aspect of yourself may be in conflict with the craftsperson aspect, disappointed that the craftsperson is unable to create the physical embodiment of the inspired artist’s vision. This is a common conflict for creators, since there is no direct conversion from abstract thought to the material world.”
“In fact, it is impossible for anyone to experience your work as you do, or as anyone else does. You could have a distinct idea of what a piece means, how it functions, or why it’s pleasing-and someone else can like it or dislike it for an entirely different reason. The purpose of the work is to awaken something in you first, and then allow something to be awakened in others.”
“It’s helpful to continually challenge your own process. If you had a good result using a specific style, method, or working condition, don’t assume that is the best way. Or your way. Or the only way. Avoid getting religious about it. There may be other strategies that work just as well and allow new possibilities, directions, and opportunities. This is not always true, but it’s something to consider.”
“Patience is developed much like awareness. Through an acceptance of what is. Impatience is an argument with reality. The desire for something to be different from what we are experiencing in the here and now. A wish for time to speed up, tomorrow to come sooner, to relive yesterday, or to close your eyes then open them and find yourself in another place. Time is something we have no control over. So patience begins with acceptance of natural rhythms. (…) When it comes to the creative process, patience is accepting that the majority of the work we do is out of our control. We can’t force greatness to happen. All we can do is invite it in and await it actively.”
“Crafting contains a paradox. To create our best work, we are patient and avoid rushing the process, while at the same time we work quickly without delay. By remaining too long in this phase, many pitfalls may arise. One is disconnection. If an artist is creating a beautiful work, and keeps endlessly crafting it beyond the need, sometimes they suddenly want to start all over. This can be because they have changed or the times have changed. Art is a reflection of the artist’s inner and outer world during the period of creation. Extending the period complicates the artist’s ability to capture a state of being. The result can be a loss of connection and enthusiasm for the work over time.”
“Art is choosing to do something skilfully, caring about the details, bringing all of yourself to make the finest work you can. It is beyond ego, vanity, self-glorification, and need for approval.”
“Great art is created through freedom of self-expression and received with freedom of individual interpretation.”
“How shall we measure success? It isn’t popularity, money, or critical esteem. Success occurs in the privacy of the soul. It comes in the moment you decide to release the work, before exposure to a single opinion. When you’ve done all you can to bring out the work’s greatest potential. When you are pleased and ready to let go. Success has nothing to do with variables outside yourself. To move forward is an aspect of success. This happens when we finish a work, share it, and begin a new project. Whatever comes after this quiet feeling of accomplishment is subject to market conditions. Conditions beyond us.”
“Making the simple complicated is commonplace,” Charles Mingus once said. “Making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that’s creativity.”
“The reason we’re alive is to express ourselves in the world. And creating art may be the most effective and beautiful method of doing so. Art goes beyond language, beyond lives. It’s a universal way to send messages between each other and through time.”
P.S. След като погълнах книгата в оригинал, открих, че я има издадена и на български. Все пак оставям цитатите в оригиналния им вид, защото по този начин, поне аз, се чувствам по-близо до оригиналната мисъл на автора.
P.P.S. Рик Рубин има подкаст, който се казва Tetragrammaton. Очаквано, гостите му са творци от всякакви области, а той е изключително добър водещ – обран, изслушващ, със задълбочени въпроси. Можете да намерите разговорите в Spotify и в YouTube, където някои от тях са с видео.
