Creation

The first idea addressed in this chapter is the notion of homo ludens , the playing man. The area of creation coincides with the area of play—private, intimate and joyful. Man is homo faber , born to make, transform and create. And homo faber is homo ludens , the individual who ‘makes’ by playing taking delight in his own action, over and above its goal or need. The artist’s creation engages with the public play that stimulates his ambition, with a competition that drives him on through its continuous demands. The artist works by playing and his work plays with him. This chapter reviews the fundamental aspects of the creative process: tradition and progress (once described by Gombrich as the ‘cat’s cradle’ effect), common reference points ( topoi ), custom which creates a ‘second nature’ and the artist’s gradual creation, or ‘piecemeal engineering’.