The Appel Tree Knows about Botany: The Creative Process Genealogy of «¿Y después?», a Danced Conference

Abstract

«The artistic creation is an mysterious unconscious work. The painter gives pictures as the apple tree gives apples. Generally [replace by: “sometimes”] the artist understands very little about art in general terms and, consequently, about his or her own art in particular. He understands, of course, the technique of his trade, but the technique of art is not art and, furthermore, of that technique he only understands practically. Better to understand it would be to say that he/she knows it. The definition of a style is an analytical task, which requires great rigor of concepts, a special technique not quite similar to the technique of the brushes. Understanding painting is not knowing how to paint, it is knowing another portion of things. The apple tree does not understand botany [add: “... or maybe it does?”]». (Ortega y Gasset 200).