Monday 12 July 2010

Day 35: Creative cultures

It's summer time now and I recon quite a few people will be going off on holiday to hot (and cold) places all over the world for a break.

I've been wondering about other countries and cultures recently. Is creativity used differently in different places? Does it have different values in different cultures? Are different activities and pursuits seen as creative compared to English ones?

Things like beauty are definitely interpreted differently in different cultures, so I'm pretty sure creativity would be 'graded' differently too.

Take India for example. Colours are vibrant all over India. Their clothes, temples and spices are all bright. Weddings and funerals are full of colour and music, nothing like the traditional English ones. Music is different, films are different, art is different. In fact there is very little about India that could be regarded remotely similar to English culture.

So, what am I getting at? I'm encouraging you to look and listen when you are away this summer, wherever it is. Even if it's still in England, local culture still changes. India is of course an extreme example, but wherever you go, have a look for me. How do they regard creativity? Is is important? Is it public? Which senses does it engage with? But don't just look, take it in, process it and use it...(take your notebook!)

What will you find this summer to inspire you...?

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