Online Custom «Creative Thinkers: Pina Bausch and Banksy» Essay Sample

Creativity is an ability of the individual characterized by willingness to generate fundamentally new, unusual ideas that deviate from the traditional schemes of thought. Creative people possess the ability to broad the wide-accepted frameworks in order to express socially significant concepts from their own perspective. Each creative idea is original due to the conditions that have an influence on the process of its creation. Even when the creative idea seems to be controversial, it introduces the significant contribution to the scope of any field of social life as it opens the perspectives for further development of the particular field. The paper is going to discuss street artist Banksy and choreographer Pina Bausch who are considered outstanding figures in terms of each professional field despite the controversy of their interpretations of art. They managed the significant contribution that influenced both cultural and social lives.

Banksy is an English street artist who conceals his real name. He was born in England, Bristol, in 1974 in the family of photocopying technician. His interest to graffiti awoke in 80’s in the period of Bristol aerosol upswing. He began as freehanded street artist in the early 90s, but had to change the method to stenciling to save the time when concealing from the police (Banksy, 2005, p.13). Banksy implements his social and political commentaries into his stenciling technique. He chose the graffiti due to its spatial peculiarities (bridges and walls of the streets in all over the world), it gives the possibility to appeal to the wide audience. Publicity of graffiti style is one of the main reasons Banksy has chosen it as it helps to use pictures in order to obtain the direct channel of communication with the audience. The main ideas and themes revealed in Banksy’s art are the depiction of that social and political environment he faced while living in Bristol. Manufacturing industry crisis and the resulted unemployment influenced his outlook towards economical issue of the country; racial struggles that took place in 60s and 80s also introduced these themes into his art (Santos, 2012, p. 12). His attitude to police was influenced by the riots near St Paul Cathedral that were caused by the poverty and social injustice to national minorities. These events depicted in his works with showing the police with smiling faces as they enjoy what they are doing. Among other political and social events that have an impact on Banksy’s works are the UK Monarchy, the Iraq invasion, and anti-capitalist demonstration in London in 2000. All these political and social conditions become central themes of Banksy’s works. He stands for justice and peace and agitates society not to be passive. This massage was introduced through the series of subverted paintings in Bristol British museum. He added some extra objects to Monet’s painting trying to provoke people to stop being apathetic. With his works he undermines the authority of officials commenting the consequences of their policy in ironic tone. There are no traditional tags. Their content is a response to certain events, which demonstrates a social assessment raising important social issues. His identity is controversial though: some people consider his mysterious personality as a necessary condition of security, other consider him as a puppet with good PR team (Santos, 2012, p. 14). His works are playing a significant role in today’s public social education as he directs its opinion to the way some things have to be changed. He had an important impact on the change of the attitude to the street art in general. His works were the first that obtained the legitimate status because of their aesthetic value; he opened the door for street artists to the official exhibitions as he is the first who have his works presented formally to the public. However, some images like the image of the British Queen is not the issue that has to be humiliating even by Banksy. It divests people of the icon that gathers them in their respect to it and maintains the sense of national unity.

Another bright representative of creative thinkers is Pina Bausch a great choreographer who communicates with audience through the non-verbal language and became one of those who have changed the understanding of the dance in 20th century. Her performances have become a synthesis of dance, dramatic art and video installations, and her famous “Tantztheatr Wuppertal” is famous throughout the world. Bausch has erased the boundaries between theater and dance, created her own unique style. She mixed dance and conversation. In her performances, hits, jazz improvisation, musical comedy, children’s songs sounds are combined with the music of the Parisian avant-garde artist Pierre Henri. Her theater plunged into the inner world of a man. As she was born in family that ran the restaurant, she was able to observe many people analyzing their inner motives. Leitmotivs of the restaurant live are depicted in her works: people coming and disappearing, talking about their dream of happiness. Another condition that influenced her work themes was her war experience that is represented through the panic flashes and feeling of fear in her performances (Servos, 2008). Her art philosophy was shaped by the influence of her teacher Kurt Jooss and his revolutionary choreography philosophy that tended to broad the frameworks of the traditional ballet (Manning, 2010, p. 11). In the late 70s Pina directed “Café Müller” and “Seven Deadly Sins”. Critics have called these works the most destructive spectacle of performances of all that ever existed on the German scene. It was addressed against the brutality and humans’ indifference. She was inspired by the diversity of the world: after Portugal, in 1997, she directed “Mazurka Fago” after Hong Kong – “Window Washer”. However, her art is considered controversial. Her first performances were not appreciated: “The Rite of Spring” - for the wild pagan dancing on the stage covered with earth, expressive scenes of violence and death; “Seven Deadly Sins” - for violence, outspoken feminism, the rejection of the classical ballet standards; “Bluebeard” - for speaking dancers and intricate storylines.