John is our first guest blogger
Yew Tree Youth Theatre’s Black Company was invited to perform their physical theatre interpretation of the classic children’s tale Little Red Riding Hood at a Takeover Evening at Leeds Art Gallery on Friday night. While performing under the visage of works of art far beyond the likes of which I’ve ever seen in person before was a tremendous privilege, and while adapting to the space we had represented its own set of challenges, such self-congratulatory musings won’t be the subject of this blog, for the simple reason that to me, that was not the highlight of the evening.
What struck me most about the event was the Women’s Association’s poetry performances, and the subject they dealt with. What being British meant to those with different cultural identities, or, phrased more broadly, identity itself. The performances were quite rousing. Individuals younger than those of the youth theatre picked up a microphone and performed their writing, braving their nerves and their worries to speak their mind. It was interesting to say the least, and set me thinking. Thinking about how art itself relates to identity.
I wonder how, if I’d had the chance to talk to them, any of the poets would have described themselves. I would hope that ‘poet’ would have made its way in there – though I fear there would be quite a few ‘I don’t know’s dotting the responses. I would imagine those that replied ‘I don’t know’ would feel quite frustrated by that - and to those I would assure “You might not know who you are now, but you are young, and you are creative, and there is room to carve your name into the world yet’. Because simply put, you can create an identity in the art you make.
I once read a justification of art in the foreword of a book by Nietzsche. I remember its contention that art was as worthwhile a pursuit as science, or building, in that a work of art provides for you, and others, a different lens through which to view the world. Creativity has provided for the world a million different ways to experience life – the world’s greatest artists have contributed a veritable kaleidoscope, and that to them is their identity. Their individual perspective, the way in which they see the world is who they are. The way they present their viewpoint through their art is their proclamation of who they are. And to those who create and don’t know who they are, carry on. Your corpus will provide more insight into you than an answer to a question ever could.
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