As Socrates declared, “If a man comes to the door of poetry (philosophy and arts) untouched by the madness of the Muses, believing that technique alone will make him a good poet, he and his sane compositions never reach perfection, but are utterly eclipsed by the performance of the inspired madman.”

Sylvia Plath once said, “Creative people must not avoid the pain that they get dealt. Hurt must be examined like a plague.”

Can’t be denied that insight gained through intense, extreme, even painful experiences can add depth and meaning to creative works. It might answer Aristotle’s question “ Why is it that all men who are outstanding in philosophy, poetry, or the arts are melancholic?”

—– No great genius has ever existed without some touch of madness. -Aristotle-

#art #artist #genius #madness #creativity