Suffering and the Creation of Art

What is the role of suffering in the creative process, particularly the dissatisfaction one feels when making art? Rupert says: ‘Almost all artists are dissatisfied because they’re trying to express something which cannot be expressed. As an artist, you’re always trying to express the inexpressible. Nothing you ever make will perfectly say what you want to say, though you’ll come closer and closer. This continual process of refinement continues until you need to say almost nothing. This dissatisfaction doesn’t need to feel like intense suffering. It’s a suffering that comes from love, like the suffering a parent feels on behalf of their child. It’s a suffering you are willing to bear, that you bear happily, because it’s part of your work as a creative artist.’

From event 05 - 12 April, 2025 Seven-Day Retreat at Mandali, 5–12 April 2025

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