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Stein X Leikanger
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- Location:
- Peripateia
- About Me:
- The creative director of a Japanese agency I ended up working for on a project, wanted to know something about me before he would commit. He asked a few specific questions of a kind we "Occidentals" probably would not think to ask:
1. What is the color that comes to mind when you think of the finest day in your life? (A transcendent sky blue in air and water.)
2. What sound do you believe the two of us can create together? (The chattering of dolphins at play.)
3. Do you play a musical instrument? (No.)
He refused to believe my answer to the last question, as he found my work very musical, and it was the reason why he had selected me to contribute on a campaign for one of his clients.
The assignment that resulted forced me to take a long, hard look at the notion of creativity, and I'm still looking. It forced me to consider the span from Innovation>Expression that the word 'creativity' covers, and the most considerable confusion that arises when we're not agreed on a point-of-view along that dimension.
It also forced me to consider improvisation versus predetermination as related to 'creativity' -- given that there is a great desire to apply creative principles to the workings of organisations, there is also the risk that the very act of unleashing creativity will rock the organisation in its foundations.
It is my conviction that creativity is dangerous, and an anathema to the predictable workings of any organisation. It is also my conviction that applied creativity is the finest of human activities, and that the resulting havoc, in matters small or large, must be accepted if we are to retain and foster that which is truest to our beings.
Creativity is the root of growth, and without it there can be no development. Without creativity, there can be survival and stasis, but no development or improvement of conditions.
Sounds obvious, yet is often fought against tooth and nail as creativity represents a challenge to the status quo.
Am I leading up to the traditional Movement/Establishment "dualism"? I hope not, I think it runs much deeper. Our conditioned reflex is to consider creativity a boon, a positive state, yet we're presently struggling with an abundance of problems created by our creativity, because we seem to be unable to factor or fathom its consequences.
In short, we are irresponsibly using and applying the potential of creativity, in a large number of fields and activities, without adequate awareness of the consequences of unleashing that potential. Somehow, our minds are locked to local concerns without being able to see global consequences during the act. Creativity is capable of a leap from local to global impact in a flash, yet we focus on the local and immediate, missing the often considerable, negative fall-out from creatively rearranging "how things are done."
Which begs a definition. What is creativity? Here's my answer - any activity that achieves a goal quicker, with the same or with a reduced set of resources.
Here I'm always knocked over the head for not paying sufficient attention in the definition to the Expressive side of creativity - I guess that tells you a lot about me, I'm concerned with Innovation.
A few objectionable objects!
The net's a fun place. Some enterprising Chinese dvd-distributor has created a bootleg copy of a feature film I wrote and directed. I suspect I won't be seeing any royalties, but I liked the poster they made!
Now I'm inspired by this. It's a headstone that was placed on the grave of two Danish soldiers, in England, in 1689. I began unravelling the story behind their being in England, and it's become a script.
Some years ago, a magazine wanted me to answer the question: "Why are you creative?"
I had my own headstone made (do I sense a motif?) with the legend "Rest in Rage" and took this photograph of it, on a snowy day that was morbidly succinct. How many have walked about with their own headstone under their arm?
To my amusement, I found this photo on the web, and someone has faked my signature on the poster the magazine made up for an exhibition of the contributions to its question. The photo is in the book that the exhibition spawned.
Now I'm inspired by this. It's a headstone that was placed on the grave of two Danish soldiers, in England, in 1689. I began unravelling the story behind their being in England, and it's become a script.
Some years ago, a magazine wanted me to answer the question: "Why are you creative?"
I had my own headstone made (do I sense a motif?) with the legend "Rest in Rage" and took this photograph of it, on a snowy day that was morbidly succinct. How many have walked about with their own headstone under their arm?
To my amusement, I found this photo on the web, and someone has faked my signature on the poster the magazine made up for an exhibition of the contributions to its question. The photo is in the book that the exhibition spawned.
Stein X Leikanger's Videos
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TOY2
Added by Stein X Leikanger
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Lawnmover man
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TIPS-Parking
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About
This Moment's Banner...
...pays homage to Edward Hopper in the usual way: stealing his work. The image is a cropped version of "Nighthawks".
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I've been working with a variety of clients - quite a lot of work with Bang & Olufsen, which has been involving and educational. (While also rekindling my love for music in a big way.)
The personal projects involve writing, among other things the script based on the two Danish soldiers.
Checked out your commercials. Great job!
What kind of international clients? And tell me more about your personal projects.
Good to see you. And I mean "see you" now that I see your image for the first time. Bring us up-to-date on your creative work.