Blog 2

Nietzsche offers a definition of artist as "Imitator" breaking through nature. "We have considered the Apollonian and its opposite, the Dionysian, as artistic forces which break forth out of nature itself, without mediation of the human artist and in which human artistic drive is for the time being satisfied directly." This definition relates to Pollock as an artist because he expresses his own emotion and experience through painting. The physical creation of his work and the art itself imitates the nature of his mind and his own interpretation of the world around him. When Pollock begins to work with the canvas on the floor, physically moving around it, he becomes one with his work, morphing the position of artist into the art he is creating. As Pollock (the man) becomes more engrossed with emotion he falls subject to his own inner demonds. His art becomes more chaotic, exemplifying the nature of his life and of his mind. Therefore we can see Pollock as "simultaneously an artist of intoxication and dreams" because both his work and life are a constant state of "Dionysian drunkeness and mystical obliteration of the self".
Pollock is an emodiment of Nietzsche's Greek Tragedy because he seperates himself from the world around him. Niezsche explains that in order to reach the greatest level of expression, one must attain a higher freedom from the self. In other words, Pollock grew as an artist the more destructive he became to himself, and as he removed himself from the social constructs around him. Nietzchse says "the dithrambic servant of Dionysus will understand only him!" Although Pollock became more and more destructive to himself and others around him, his art became more of reflection of his true self and nature that no one could understand but himself. On one hand we can "excuse" his behavior because the art he created achieved such a level of excellence; but on the other hand, he became his own worst enemy and parished.
The beginning scene of "Basquiat" starts with the voice of an art critic jotting down notes in a park, while behind him Basquiat emerges from a cardboard box. This opening scene foreshadows the artist life in that he is the stereotypical "starving artist" now, but soon this critic will be writing about him and his work. Jean-Michel walks through the streets of lower Manhattan labeling the walls with graffiti (SAMO) and rearrangers the diner's bilboard symbolizing the rebellious, non-comforming artist who will emerge.