Isolation sparks Creativity

I can confidently say that I don’t remember anyone in my generation, who has lived through a situation like this pandemic has thrown us in. Among other things, one thing that is happening in excess, is all art forms being flooded on the social media, giving anyone who has a smart phone too much to choose from. Everyone is posting or uploading. their singing, dancing, cooking and everything else they do ! I often feel mentally choked, not because I watch but just this unsolicited splurge of creative (often mediocre) outbursts are so distracting.

I have to admit that this experience with the pandemic is awe-inducing in it’s commonality. And, creative responses in the form of art, literature, cinema, dance, music and many more are bound to keep emerging for years to come. Now more the ever, are the words of Lenin making sense….. ‘There are decades where nothing happens and there are weeks where decades happens’.

I agree that this is probably the right time for great exploration of ideas. Most of us are lamenting about the restrictions this pandemic has brought about, we unwilling accept this social distancing. But strangely, history tells us that it was under similar circumstances that some of the greatest works have been produced. Creative people and geniuses, in the past have preferred being alone. Not just them, but also many, many spiritual seekers, ascetics, seers have sought isolation. We have heard about them making the mountains or caves , forests as their abode, a place for them to meditate. Isn’t that social distancing? We know that Buddha when he was Siddhartha decided to distance himself from family & society and went on to create his own religion.

It is said that, Charles Darwin, George Byron, John Milton, Sir Isaac Newton, all thrived in isolation. They created some amazing work in the field of literature & science. Their contribution was so inspiring that that period was called as ‘The years of wonder.’ Then there was also this interesting story about Shakespeare when he had plague. He has said that it was the single most defining aspect of his life and his work which gave him time to think & write. Infact, in several of his works like ‘Romeo& Juliet’, plague makes an appearance.

Let us take a real story from our own country, of none other than the great musician Pandit Kumar Gandharva. He endured six years of tuberculosis in silence. He was told that he will never be able to sing again. He was told singing will prove fatal, so he would spend time listening to the birds singing, the rumbling of the wind, & the music of the roadside entertainers. Yet, it was impossible for him to refrain from doing what he loved most. He used this time contemplating different aspects of music, leading him to become one of the finest musicians ever. After six years and with new drugs and support of his wife & doctors, he recovered but couldn’t sing like before since one of his lungs was damaged. But, this didn’t deter him, and he made many changes in his style of singing and started experimenting with ragas. He refused to get tied down to any one gharana and started innovating. He created new ragas by fusing existing ragas. He was not bogged down by his critics and tried unconventional methods of singing.

In that case, the question arises…does adversities create opportunities? Does isolation spark creativity?

Just mere isolation will not do, it needs a combination of exploration, expertise and collaboration which will lead to great ideas. And for the current generation, the rapid advancement in technology allows more experimentation. If you perceive creation to be a process, then now is a good time. These times where social obligations have drastically reduced, you are provided with an opportunity for cognitive reappraisal. You can reinterpret the current situation by challenging existing old assumptions, engaging in new perspectives and cultivating new behaviours. We now have time for unfettered exploration of great ideas !

The visible example of this is the speed in which scientists across the globe came together for a shared goal of finding a vaccine.

We saw the adoption & inclusion of digital technology across multiple sectors…from education, industries, healthcare at an unbelievable pace.

One other impact of this pandemic, I noticed was the flexibility injected into workplace practices. Probably, organisations could turn this into a moment of positive change.

In my opinion, the greatest lesson to us is to remain grounded in reality with humility; that every form of life needs to be respected and has the right to exist. After all, this pandemic has reminded us that we humans who have come from humus - the soil and that we are sure to return to the same humus !!

About the Author:

Sandhya Shankar belongs to a well respected business family in Chennai. She is a Life Skills & Corporate Trainer by profession. She is an avid reader and a natural writer, who has written several poems and articles. She even presented her poems as a reading at the British council. She has keen interest in all art forms  and has explored many different forms of painting like stained glass and Tanjore being among them. 

Music being her first passion, she had her formal training under Terakotti Chandrasekharaiah at Bangalore and later briefly under Mrs Champa Kumar. She is a regular visitor of concerts, theatre and other live performances. Her witty reviews have gained a loyal and interactive readership for their sound technical commentary and relevance for every kind of melophile, from the casual-goer to the ragam expert, frequenting Chennai’s rich music scene.

(*The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and not necessarily those of Music of Madras.)