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Myth Making                                                          

Dictionary

Definitions from Oxford Languages · 

Myth Noun: noun: myth; plural noun: myths

• 1. a traditional story, especially one concerning the early history of a people or explaining some natural or social phenomenon, and typically involving supernatural beings or events.
  
  

What is myth? There is no one satisfactory definition, since myths serve many different purposes. The first purpose was to explain the inexplicable. Since the beginning of humankind's existence, myths have functioned as rationalizations for the fundamental mysteries of life, questions such as: Who made the world? How will it end? Where do we come from? Who was the first human? What happens when we die? Why does the sun travel across the sky each day? Why does the moon wax and wane? Why do we have annual agricultural cycles and seasonal changes? Who controls our world, and how can we influence those beings so our lives are easier? https://archive.artsmia.org/world-myths/MythCurriculum.pdf

What does the word Myth visually conjure up for you? If you were to make your own myth what does that word mean for you? Does it make you think of a folktale? A part of a historical tradition?  Is your myth political or philosophical? Or is it made from imagination and dreams? Or perhaps both? What can you make out of a Myth, or rather make into a myth. 

What can be created in the realm of myth, are there household items or parts of nature that can be incorporated into your art that makes your story more rich or elaborates on your myth making? Look out and look in. 

Historically in art many artists have explored Myth in myriad different ways. Contemporary artist Kiki Smith and artist Joseph Beuys are infamous for ‘myth making' in very different ways. Artists have toiled over matters of spirituality, philosophy and the human conditions for centuries. This is a way for artists to not only explore our own stories and/or questions that can perplex us as humans, but to explore mediums that can open up these stories/questions to enrich our curiosity and understandings and allow others to do the same. 

Use this year's theme as a way to create your own myth with your art, and expand on your medium! 

 Artists for further inspiration/exploration/research: Kara Walker, Louise Bourgeois, Norval Morrisseau, Ana Mendieta, Kazimir Malevich (not all artists involve myth/story making), art movements such as Surrealism, Postmodernism, Folk Art, Conceptual Art.

• Deirdre Earl

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