Psychology

‘Drawing Is Always a Struggle’: An Interview with Art Spiegelman ( https://www.nybooks.com/daily/2018/04/13/drawing-is-always-a-struggle-an-interview-with-art-spiegelman/) interview by Claudia Dreifus.

I have not read any of Art Spiegelman’s graphic novels. (I have only read one graphic novel in my life.) However, I knew he had done ground-breaking work, starting with Maus, a graphic novel about growing up with parents who had both survived Auschwitz, and was curious about what the interview would reveal about a creative artist.

The interviewer begins by listing Spiegelman’s achievements: “Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Pretty sure this is a French honor), has been a Guggenheim fellow, has two honorary doctorates and a Pulitzer Prize, to mention just a few of his awards and honors. There have been one-man exhibitions at the Museum of Modern Art and at the Jewish Museum and, perhaps even more important to him, a guest appearance on The Simpsons.” [Fits with our definition of creative genius: A person who has been recognized by expert opinion as having contributed something of original value to the culture.]

“Drawing it [Maus] was a struggle. Drawing is always a struggle.” [A finished work that looks effortless requires effort and persistence.]

“Actually, I don’t think I’ll ever make another graphic novel. Maus came out of the impulse of wanting to make a long comic that needed a bookmark and that begged to be reread. After I finished it, I did not think, ‘Aha. Now I’ve found my perfect form.’” [Many creative artists continue to look for new ways to express themselves; they are not content to continue working in the same format.] 

Earliest Maus began in 1972. (“Funny Animals” about his mother’s suicide. [Childhood bereavement of creative individuals.])

“Urge to do something big – a book-length comic of some kind.” [Ambition of the creative individual.]

Began interviewing his father about Auschwitz. No one in popular culture at that time (1970s) was talking about the Holocaust. [Desire to create something new.] He and his father were estranged [Creative individuals often have turbulent childhoods and difficult relationships with parents, especially in the arts], but this was one area of common ground

Unexpected Problems

Maus took longer than expected (13 years). [Work ethic; confidence in one’s work.]

Was not “prepared” for it to be published by a respected publishing house. [Surprise at positive reception of one’s work although had enough confidence or love of the work to continue for 13 years. Illustration of intrinsic motivation of creative individuals?]

Spiegelman dropped in and out of depression while working on it. [Connection between mental illness and creativity.]

In a way it was a collaboration between Spiegelman and his therapist (an Auschwitz survivor). Therapist as father figure.