Abstract
Prompted by my own art practice within the realm of intimacy. This dissertation investigates the creative influence intimacy and intimate relationships have on an artist and their artistic practice. This body of work has involved the conduction of researching the three artists, Tacey Emin, Jenna Gribbon and Anthony Cudahy. Looking into each of these artists practice, I have researched through online sourced interviews, articles and websites. Within these resources I have found a vast amount of information containing the role intimacy plays in each of these artist’s work. Chapter one of my dissertations gives the ready an overview of what intimacy is and its influence on us. Chapter two delves into the research I conducted on the three previously mentioned artists, further discussing their intimate relationships and how each of them creates separate narratives within their work. Nearing the end with chapter three, which describes art collectives and collaborations, analysing the book ‘Creative Intimacy: Partners in Love and Art’ (Sarnoff and Sarnoff, 2002) which is a study on artist couple who work collaboratively together as well as having a loving relationship. ending the dissertation with the conclusion which states the benefits of my research within my own practice and the overall benefits and pleasure of creating intimate relationships that last a lifetime.
Gustav Klimt, The Kiss (1907-1908),
and Gold Leaf on Canvas
Doron Langberg, ‘Dusan and Vincenzo’ (2020), Oil on linen, 45.72 x 60.96 cm
2.1.
Tracey Emin, ‘Everyone I Have Ever Slept With (The Tent)’ (1963–1995), Installation, embroidery and fabric
Tracey Emin, ‘My Bed’ (1998), Sculpture
Jenna Gribbon, Tick Check (2021), Oil on Linen, 48.26 x 22.86 cm 2.4.
Jenna Gribbon, Leg window (2021), Oil on linen, 27.9 x 35.6 cm 2.5
Anthony Cudahy, ‘Ian at the Window, Maine’ (2024), Oil on panel, 121.9 x 91.4 x 5.1 cm 2.6
Anothony Cudahy, Some Vision (Ian and Alex), (2023), Oil on canvas, 181.9 x 182.9 x 3.2 cm
Introduction
What is intimacy? Intimacy has many connotations, safety, trust, connection, comfort, relationship, vulnerability, etc. Intimacy also comes in a variety of relationships: lovers, friends and family. My research will delve into intimate relationships, taking a closer look and exploring how these relationships can affect what artists create. As artists we are influenced by the things around us- scenery, objects, culture and people. I will be focusing on the relationship aspect. There are many relationships an artist can have, with themselves- some artists are on the path of self-exploration/discovery and look inwards for their inspirations and can demonstrate a vulnerable side of themselves, for example, Tracey Emin who draws upon her personal life to initiate her work such as ‘Bed’ which was used as a selfexploration, self-intimacy, to get back into painting after many years due to having an abortion and not being able to be around the chemical smells (White Cube, 2023). Others are influenced by their personal relationships they have like Jenna Gribbon who gives us an intimate insight into her life with her wife as she paints domestic and sometimes sexual scenes that she shares with her wife. Alongside Gribbon who is influenced by her wife there is Anthony Cudahy who takes inspiration from his husband and friends as well as using them in his paintings to create certain narratives. Artists are also indirectly influenced by these relationships. I will delve into how these relationships effect artists in the contemporary world. This research is a backbone to my own practice as I look at the mundane and intimate moments I experience and share through my drawings and paintings. I am exploring the relationships I have and how they affect me emotionally, physically and creatively. Looking into these separate artists and their work will allow me to have a better understanding of we truly are influenced and inspired by those we share our lives with. I will come to agree with the author Osho and his words on how people are complex and so are the relations that are created with one another. There is a hard truth to intimacy and that is that you have to be open and vulnerable, true intimacy is when both parties as vulnerable and laid bare, if one does not participate then the other is left exposed (Osho, 2007).
This dissertation is formed of three chapters. The first chapter introduces you to intimacy and what it entails and its varying sectors. I discuss 2 separate sectors of
intimacy – emotional, which is created through vulnerability and physical intimacy which is created through trust and closeness. I then go on to explain how intimacy can be used to generate new thoughts, feelings and ideas. Within the first chapter I begin to introduce the three artists I later discuss in chapter two, who are Tracey Emin, Jenna Gribbon and Anthnoy Cudahy. I then end this chapter briefly talking about the interconnection between creativity and intimacy and how one influences the other. Chapter two is an exploration of the three separate painters I have just mentioned. I explore how the relationships they have, led to influencing the work they create and some of the emotions and narratives that speak through their work. Chapter three will discuss the creative benefits of collaboration and the connections and community that it creates. Discussing the book Intimate Creativity: Partners In Love And Art by Irving Sarnoff and Suzanne Sarnoff which talks about the collaboration between partners and how they influence/ work with one another. I will share the key information I gathered from my research on this book explaining the different dynamics the artist couples shared when collaborating, and some of the hurdles they faced that strengthened their relationships, understanding and appreciation for one another. I go on to discuss other art collaborations/ collectives such as Womanifesto. Womanifesto is a group of women from all walks of life and corners of the world who come together to work collaboratively and share knowledge with each other and creating lasting relationships and connections. Finishing the dissertation off with a conclusion that summarises my findings about how intimate relationships influence the creative work of an artist and how these intimate and personal relationships follow us in everything we do, subtly or not so subtly influencing us.
Chapter 1: Layers of Intimacy
Intimacy is multifaceted, it can take on various forms and meanings. Karen J Prager, author of ‘The psychology of intimacy’ describes “Intimacy is the process of developing a close, connected, and bonded relationship with another person, which involves the sharing of personal thoughts, feelings, and experiences in a context of trust and acceptance.” (Karen Jean Prager, 1995). It is constructed of emotionality and physicality, each meaning something different for every individual. Intimacy is key in survival; it brings us closer together, we thrive with it. Allowing yourself to be emotionally vulnerable with those you love and trust, those whom you have an
intimate connection with, platonic or otherwise. I am exploring the effects intimacy has on artists. I’m exploring the emotional factor of intimacy, and the influence of varying intimate relationships artists have and how these then wrap themselves within the work of an artist and how these intimate relationships then directly affect the work artists produce.
There are varying levels of intimacy and different sectors to intimacy. Emotional intimacy is when you may have a deep connection with another person, this intimate connection allows you to be vulnerable and to trust, you can be fully and authentically yourself, share the good and the bad, lean on one another and have a deeper understanding of each other. “This level of trust and vulnerability can be scary, but it is also advantageous. When you are able to be emotionally intimate with your partner, you will find that your relationship will become much deeper and more meaningful” (Messina, 2023). Emotional intimacy and the influence of relationships on artistic practice can shape and inspire the creative output of an artist. The emotional support that comes with your closest relationships and connections can serve as a safety blanket for artists to venture into the unknown realms of creativity and allow the artist to take creative risks.
Physical intimacy can be present in both romantic and platonic relationships. Physical intimacy is the physicality, closeness and interlocking of bodies. In a romantic relationship, physical intimacy can be sensual touch like kissing as well as holding hands and sex. In a platonic relationship, physical intimacy can be a warm embrace. Touch is important to create bonds and everlasting relationships, humans need touch, touch stimulates the production of oxytocin also referred to as the love hormone which reduces our stress levels and makes us feel good (Holland, 2018). Touch is another way of communicating, conveying love, sympathy and even worry, we are able to sense these things through touch, in the way that someone might give you a tight hug to convey their love and support for you or a gentle hug that lets you know that they are present. Artists often depict intimate moments such as a tender embrace just like the famous painting “The Kiss” by Gustav Klimt(see figure 1.1) This painting evokes passion, closeness and feelings of emotional depth and the power of a loving touch. The presence of physical intimacy can be seen through the representation of figures in paintings. Most often than not figures within a painting tell
us a story through body language and also the presence of accompanying figures can show a narrative through their interaction with each other.
Artist Doron Langberg is a great example with physical intimacy being represented in art. As an artist who depicts the essence of touch, he demonstrates through his paintings, story’s that displays physical touch. “Langberg’s paintings celebrate the physicality of touch – in subject matter and process – a closeness that engages with new dialogues around queer sensuality and sexuality.” (www.lvhart.co, 2023) You can see this throughout his paintings that he depicts the close relations between people for example in his painting Dusan and Vincenzo (see in figure 1.2), the
vibrant colours he uses create an energy, you can feel the warmth, love and passion that the figures have for each other as they lay alongside each other.
The artist’s personal relationships and connections can bring forth new perspectives and an array of new ideas. Intimacy can be used as a generator, sharing a closeness with others opens you up to new worlds, everyone has a different experience from one another and having those close and intimate relationships allows you to share these experiences. The ones we hold dear to us become our inspirations, they can evoke new thoughts and feelings within us which results in new creative work for an artist. The making of art in itself can be intimate. It can elicit different thoughts and feelings, ones of self-discovery and reflection, art making can be a portal into the mind, bringing up your deepest darkest thoughts and making them into something to share with viewers and possibly connect on another level (Lev, 2020). In reference to Brad Aldridge with his article Painting as an Intimate Act, Aldridge explains his way of painting and how it relates to vulnerability but also intimacy within the act of painting. Expressing that he believes that ‘all communication, including painting’
(Aldridge, 2021), is an act of intimacy and he as an artist is sharing who he is through his paintings, giving a piece of himself to the painting. He expresses that artists put themselves in vulnerable positions which I agree with. It is evident in artists like Emin and Gribbon that they are also sharing pieces of themselves, allowing the viewers a glimpse into their life and who they are as a person, portraying their deepest thoughts and feelings and sharing them with the viewers. Art is a way of connecting; the works artists make can conjure certain thoughts and feelings that the artist themselves felt. For example, Tracey Emin with her work My Bed (1998) (Tate, 2015). A striking depiction of vulnerability, connecting viewers with the shared painful experiences (Cohen, 2018). Art transcends surface level aesthetics, it starts meaningful conversations, it allows you to question things. Work like Georgia O’Keeffe’s sensual depictions of flowers evoke intimacy and contemplation, Francis Bacons figurative paintings evoke distress and alienation. Artists such as these invite viewers to feel a shared emotional experience, connecting themselves to their viewer and inviting them into have a glance at their inner turmoil. Intimacy is rooted deeply within all of us- we seek intimacy- we crave it- we want it- we need it- we allow it to fester inside us- to influence us- to comfort us- we allow it to grow and take shape in many ways- we want it as it is a way to connect with others, to feel close to them and to feel loved and comforted. Creating art can be an outlet for the intimate emotions and connections that we feel and have. Within my research about intimacy, I have been exploring different painters and their use of intimacy within their work. For example, both Jenna Gribbon and Anthony Cudahy express that they use their nearest and dearest as reference in their work. Gribbon who almost exclusively paints her wife, sharing that she wants her viewers to recognise Mackenzie as a recurring character within her work and for the viewers to create their own relationship with the character and to watch how the character grows and changes over time. Cudahy expresses that he uses both his husband and his friends as references, thinking about the essence and energy to create certain narratives within his work, stating that certain friends fit into specific scenes he has in mind for a painting. Intimacy is a connection, and these artists use these intimate connections to their full advantage. The people we hold close often inspire us in a myriad ways. Their experiences, perspectives, and passions can ignite our creative sparks. They introduce us to new ideas, expose us to different cultures, and broaden our horizons, all of which can invigorate our creative thinking.
I want to briefly touch upon ‘creativity’, creativity plays a huge role in an artist’s life, it is the beginning, it is playfulness and it is the backbone to their work. Creativity is an enrichment for the brain, it also plays a role within relationships. Intimacy and creativity go hand in hand - intimacy harbours room for creativity, as previously explained intimacy creates feel good chemicals, this I believe can lead to creativity blossoming and the want to explore these feel-good emotions. Creativity is instrumental on finding innovative solutions to challenges that arise in any relationship. Creative thinking enhances communication, allowing partners to express themselves openly and understand each other deeply. Without creativity there is no room for an artist to express themselves, creativity allows room for playfulness. Intimacy within our relationships allows us to expand on this creativity, the relationship is a stabiliser, you feel safe and secure to explore creativity as you know you have this intimate relationship as your anchor, you have the support system you need to try new things. A study was created by Kelly Campbell and James Kaufman where they seeking to ‘examine the associations between love, personality and creativity for people in relationships. Their study found that ‘We speculate that the association between creativity and love is bidirectional. In other words, people who enact creative behaviours are more likely to secure romantic partners because creativity is a desirable trait, and creativity within a relationship leads to greater passion, intimacy, and commitment. On the other hand, greater love within a relationship may also stimulate creativity, particularly with respect to everyday behaviours.’ (Campbell and Kaufman, 2016). Intimacy and creativity go hand in hand with one another, influencing each other and creating a relationship that is deeper and more meaningful as creativity mingles within it, allowing the relationship and the mind to flourish.
Chapter 2: Exploring the Artists
Within this chapter I will explore three separate artists and their relationship between intimacy and art, delving into their individual practices and reflect upon the connection between their varying intimate relationships and how they influence the art they create.
Tracey Emin is a staple in the art world, she is well known for her upfront work that reveals the truth about herself and her life, she exposes the deepest parts of herself, allowing others to see what she bares, opening herself up, leaving herself vulnerable, not caring, this is her art, this is her life and she is choosing to share it, in a raw and unapologetic way, a true way. Emin hones in on her personal relationships and the struggles she faces, using these experiences, she creates a body of work that is innately intimate. In her piece ‘Everyone I Ever Slept With’ (see in figure 2.1), Emin showcases her private relations, she displays all the names of whom she has slept, the names were embroidered within a tent. This work is a conversation about intimacy, identity and the human experience (SINGULART, 2024). The tent is a representation of an intimate space, you use a tent to sleep, whether that be alone or with someone else, sleeping alongside someone else is an intimate act as you let your guard down and allow yourself to drift off and be in a vulnerable state with the one who is next to you. Emin’s work is not directly about the sexual connotation of sleeping with someone but more about who she has shared a bed with, lovers, friends, family and she includes her unborn foetuses (Takac, 2020). This is platonic intimacy, this is closeness and vulnerability, she creates a deeper intimate meaning to the tent. Sleep is a state of vulnerability and comfort, drifting towards the body you are sleeping alongside for closeness, for security. Varying emotions can be emitted while sharing a bed, ones of rejection, using your body as a barrier, griping to the edge of the bed, trying to get as far away as you physically can from the person consuming the other side of the bed. Or being as close as physically possible, bodies blending with one another, soothing that physical need, the need to be close and to touch the one you love and find comfort in (Swartz, 2023). The bed is a universe in itself and that correlates with Emins display of a tent with all of the names of those who she laid beside. This also comes through in her piece ‘Bed’. Emin tells stories through her work, realistic stories, stories that are sometimes dark and hard to swallow. ‘My Bed’ (1998) (see in figure 2.2) is a representation of a human festering in their own filth, but also how it became her universe during a difficult time in her life. Emin had experienced a bad break up and like many of us would, became sad. She resorted to drink, drugs, pleasure and depression. ‘Bed’ is a physical rendition of the reality of life. It’s not always easy and it’s not always glamorous. Life is hard and being honest with yourself is too. Emin has expressed that it’s difficult to look back on this time in her life when she reinstalls the work but knows it has a
purpose to serve (Takac, 2019). It engages the viewer, conjuring mixed feelings, disgust, sadness and maybe even relation. Many people experience heartbreak, and this piece allows us to see how truly devastating it can be. Emin uses her heartbreak, sadness, happiness, pleasure to create bodies of work that resemble what it’s like to be human, she allows her viewers to feel that sense of intimacy that she emits from her work (Cohen, 2018).Emin uses herself as her subject with the intention of starting with what she knows, she knows herself and her thoughts, her emotions, her past, using all of these things to drive the work she makes (Tate, 2006). She reaches the highest tier of self-actualisation, exploring her true self and engaging with her most authentic emotions and thoughts. This is personal fulfilment (McLeod, 2024).
Jenna Gribbon is an artist who focuses on the themes of gender sexuality and intimacy. She portrays figures in intimate and personal spaces such as bedrooms or other private settings. She often depicts female figures in erotic poses, these figures are of herself and her wife. The combination of private settings and relaxed/
exposing positions release a sense of intimacy, as if the viewer is intruding on a private moment. ‘Her earlier paintings are representative of trying to break free from the historic mould of using female bodies as objects in artistic works and progress into an intimate depiction of female relationships and queer love’ (Saxena, 2022). The use of posture can be used to communicate emotional expression and convey different messages to the viewer. Gribbon comments that with the nude figures in her paintings she does not want the viewer to look at them passively as if it is a natural thing to see an exposed naked body on display, she wants to make the viewer somewhat uncomfortable, maybe even self-conscious, she is displaying vulnerability within her paintings, the subject is showing their vulnerability through their nakedness (Nast, 2022). Tapping into psychological intimacy with the positioning of the subjects’ eyes, gazing at the viewer or looking inward. The direct gaze with the viewers creates a connection, intensifying the intimacy rendering the viewer captivated. On the opposite side of this is when the subject is looking inwards leaving the viewer feeling like an intruder like in her painting Tick Check (see figure 2.3) it’s a if you’re stumbling upon this intimate scene that you shouldn’t be seeing. Gribbon continuously asks her viewers questions, not only about what they are seeing but about themselves. How do these paintings make you feel? most of the time self-conscious. Who is looking at whom? are you looking at the people in her paintings or are they looking at you? Gribbon brings to light the sapphic portrait, through her work we see what she sees or what she wants us to see. Gribbon is a prime example of using intimacy to fuel and effect the work she creates. Using her intimate relationship with her wife she speaks to the viewers in the hope that they respond with certain feelings, again feelings of uncomfortableness but also recognition, challenging the traditional view of intimacy. Recognition of queer intimacy. Making the female body a non-benign object. “Those are nudes, and they’re considered tasteful. But I want people to understand that’s it’s not a passive act to consume the image of another person’s unclothed body, which is why I like to make them feel more naked. Like, ‘oh maybe I’m not supposed to be looking at this.’’ It’s a way to make the nude body less benign and more true to what reality is, which is extreme vulnerability on the part of the subject.” (Nast, 2022). Gribbons relationship with her wife has continued to grow and blossom, the trust they have built with one another has evolved into something more solid which occurs in her paintings of her partner in some unflattering poses and angles. Gribbon expresses
that these unflattering forms have evolved as trust and closeness has expanded (Iodice, 2023). Reiterating the point on expansion, Gribbon wants to expand the narrative of her relationship with her wife, she wants her audience to get to know the recurring character that is her wife in her paintings and watch her grow and develop over the years that she paints her. She is a person the audience will start to recognise and connect with more and more; in a sense they will develop their own intimate connection with her.
Delving into the ideology of her work, Gribbon explains that she makes her work from the perspective of a person inhabiting the body of a woman who has experienced that is to see and be seen. She is a person that likes to look. In an interview with Taylor Dafoe, Gribbon explains that her work was always personal, “It was always figurative, always had a personal slant,”- “I was painting people I knewfriends, and lovers- and trying to draw from personal experience.” (Dafoe, 2020). Taking things that are meaningful to her and synthesising them into the way she paints now. Gribbon explains that her smaller paintings are more voyeuristic as the source from photographs of her partner Mackenzie in intimate and mundane scenes she is not aware of being captured. The smaller paintings are also domestic in nature as they are moments taken from her daily life (Saxena, 2022), for example in her painting Leg Window (see figure 2.4), Which demonstrates Gribbon’s wife in an unposed and unaware state.
Another artist who explores the realms of intimacy and connection is Anthony Cudahy. Cudahy shares that he believes himself to be a ‘very sentimental artist’ (Cudahy, 2023). Diving into Cudahy’s inspirations and sources, the artist uses an array of characters of which are directly in his life and not. He is a storyteller, he uses the people around him and creates narrative, he influences this narrative through his own knowledge, “I feel as if each painting is a proxy object for me, a chance to share or withhold something about myself. That also is a part of the narrative that I’m interested in. I’m interested in the vantage point, how knowledge of the author can impact the narrative of reading of the painting” (Evan, 2024). Within his array of people that he uses as references, his main source of reference is his husband, commenting that sometimes the paintings are more domesticated portraits as can be seen in his painting Ian at the Window, Maine (see figure 2.5) and other times it is like his husband is an ‘actor’ in a scene that he creates like the painting Some Vision (Ian and Alex) (see in figure 2.6) which consists of two men standing rigidly in the centre of the painting. Cudahy also references his friends in his work, using their ‘energies or essence’ when painting them into his scenes. He points out that he thinks about how certain friends would fit into a specific role within his painting. Not only does Cudahy use his friends as references in his work but he also shares that his friends impact his work and the conversations he then has. Cudahy describes his interest in multiplicity, “Multiplicity is a thing that’s interesting to me about figurative work because I’ve always been agnostic about a paintings ability to reveal the subject’s true soul or personality. I think it’s more like a painting is a descriptive agent, but it allows you to get one angle or facet of someone at a point in time. So, when you have a multiplicity of portraits of someone, across a body of work maybe you get towards what that person is like.” You can see this interest Cudahy has all throughout his work with his use of using characters in his life repeatedly. Similar to Jenna Gribbon take on using a character over and over again, the audience starts to build a relationship with this figure and come to have a better understanding of who they are. Like I previously mentioned, Cudahy uses his husband repeatedly and creates a personal narrative that the viewers can see unfold. In an interview with Martin Onufrowicz Cudahy expresses that he ‘believes that intimacy is about opening yourself up to pleasure or pain. I think it has a lot to do with precariousness and leaving yourself vulnerable’, further stating that ‘that’s one of the very core things that recur in all of my paintings.’ (Cudahy, 2023). When thinking about this statement
from Cudahy, I think about the author Osho who I have previously mentioned in this research, Osho says in his book ‘intimacy; trusting oneself and the other’, “without intimacy, you are alone here among strangers. With intimacy, you are surrounded by friends, by people who love you”. Thinking about both Cudahy and Osho, you can see the interconnection with what intimacy means to both of these people, it is about opening yourself and becoming vulnerable and welcoming to the full experience of intimacy.
Chapter 3: Synergy
This chapter will explore artistic collaboration that fosters intimacy, creativity, connections, as well as a community. Before explaining what collaboration, I will first start by addressing that the creating of art is usually an individual experience. An artist creates to express themselves, their unique thoughts, feelings and experiences as I have mentioned in chapter two in the exploration of the three artists. But when you step away from the individualism you have collaboration. Collaboration is synergy. Art collaborations refer to the act of working together. Collaborations allow multi-disciplined artists to come to together and share their unique background, culture and experiences, creating new ideas from merging these different and unique qualities together, challenging each other and pushing creative boundaries. Artistic collaborations foster a supportive environment where artists can help to build upon each other’s strengths as well as give guidance and support with their weaknesses. Creating a space for open communication and constructive feedback, harvesting a creative hub for generating new collective ideas to be explored and nurtured.
Starting off this chapter with the discussion of the book ‘Intimate Creativity: Partners in Love and Art’ by Suzanne Sarnoff and Irving Sarnoff. This book is about the creative collaboration between artists who are in a loving relationship, it goes on to explore how these collaborations flourish into relationships that have heightened communication, understanding and artistic and personal growth. Firstly, discussing their own relationship dynamic, when it came to working together the Sarnoff’s share that although they attained many personal, relational, and professional benefits from working together, their enthusiasm was often dampened by the dissension that arose between then as they attempted to find a common voice (Sarnoff and Sarnoff, 2002, p.3). Further elaborating that they were able to learn that the conflicts that arose were to be neither avoided nor denied, to face and solve them, intensifying their intimacy and effectiveness of their collaboration. This demonstrates that through open communication with someone who you garner trust and vulnerability with, this can allow your relationship to expand. The Sarnoff’s personal experience inspired them to learn about how other couples integrate love and creativity. They interviewed multiple couples focusing exclusively on those who have fully integrated their loving relationship with creative collaboration, asking questions such as, “what rewards do they derive, what difficulties do they encounter, and how do they surmount those problems?”. Seeking to clarify the ways in which a couple’s love affects their creativity and “how their creative work influences the quality of their loving relationship”. The Sarnoff’s begin by explaining creativity and how even as individuals, creativity is extremely gratifying as we bring our own ideas and creations into the world. As individuals we have free rein to our own imaginations, “without having to stop, consider, discuss, and incorporate offerings from another person” (Nana, 2023)
The Sarnoff’s found that the couples the commitment to focus their loving relationship on the creating of art was ‘exceptionally deep and clear’, generating the will and motivation to learn the skills necessary to enhance their union with one another, enduring the frustrations and struggles along the way. Despite different backgrounds between the couples, they were ‘strikingly’ similar when creating techniques they used to communicate and cooperate. The Sarnoff’s expressed that one of their most impressive findings was that although the couples were working as a unit-a team, they were not only able to retain their individualism and personal
autonomy but to strengthen it working alongside each other. Resolving their disputes through the process of retaining their individual integrity until it was time where there had to be a decision made as to whose position was best to go forward with. in reference to unity, the study found that “All the partners have evolved strategies for communicating and reaching consensus on every decision that must be made in the course of their joint endeavours.” Further stating “Independently, they seem to have discovered and developed a set of interpersonal skills and attitudes that enable them to reap the benefits of intimate creativity while minimizing its costs.” This is a clear indication that intimate relationships that harbour open communication and trust can allow you to overcome many obstacles such as creative disagreements. It is evident that when you spend the time to nourish your relationship. you will reap the benefits. One’s voice was not bigger than the other, coming together in unison they listened to each other without judgment, putting all of their thoughts and feelings out into the open to then be evaluated and dealt with accordingly, both being supportive of each other. The couples count on one another, they are partners in love and partners in creativity, supporting each other “in weathering painful periods of incubation or overcoming obstacles to implementing and marketing their work”. They come together as a team who has developed an abundance of trust and support growing even more trusting and dependable.
Stepping away from collaborative couples, I want to discuss art collaborations/collectives. Womanifesto will be the first collective I will discuss. Womanifesto is about bringing communities together and sharing experiences and creating lifelong relationships and bonds with others. They explore what it is like to be a woman and share knowledge that has been passed down from generation to generation. “Focusing on the position of women and the wealth of stored knowledge, equally shared amongst men, women and children in rural areas that has been handed down from generation to generation, the emphasis is on engaging with artisans and exploring local materials and a traditional way of life” (Womanifesto, 2004). They want to amplify the voices of female artists who are stifled in a male dominated art world. The Womanifesto, founded in Thailand in 1995, held exhibitions biannually to build an international platform for women living in Thailand between 1995 and 2008, these exhibitions showcased the work the women in the community were making. Shifting their focus “Womanifesto went on to develop a diverse range
of activities spanning community-based workshops, publication and internet-related projects, workshops and residencies, and more recently a regular online meeting point entitled lasuemo.” (University of Dundee, 2024). Harvesting new skills within the local workshops, exploring and cultivating the local culture, they formed relationships, they had conversations, they were creating an intimate environment for women to flourish. Preenun Nana describes Womanifesto as a ‘big extended family’, “As a collective, we actually are a big extended family encompassing artists from various generations and countries, and this makes Womanifesto and us continue the journey until now.”. They are for the people by the people. There are many art collectives and collaborations that foster a community and a space to learn from other artists. There seems to be a main running theme within art collectives and that is- community. Similarly to Womanifesto, Amy Tobin examines about the intersection of feminism and the collaborative artistic practices in the 1970’s, highlighting the how the feminist art movement at the time often utilised consciousness-raising and collaboration as techniques to challenge traditional gender roles. These movements were grounded in the belief that personal experiences could be used as tools artistic expression and political change. Tobin refers to two collaborative art projects: The Postal Art Event 1975–7 and London/LA Lab 1981, these collaborative projects garnered a “space for women artists to develop, exhibit and converse about their work, creating an alternative environment for creative experimentation that abandoned isolation and objectivity” (Tobin, 2016), creating not only a collaborative but a community between these woman, but a safe space for them to share their stories and experiences and to learn and share, creating close intimate relationships. Whilst collaborating the shared intimate collaborative moments were made public and legible, acting as a form of activism. These projects connected women from all over the country and then across the pond to Los Angeles. Amy Tobin shows that this collaborative and politically engaged approach to art making not only shaped the feminist art movement but also contributed to a larger cultural shift towards more inclusive, participatory forms of art.
Conclusion
Through my research I have explored many different fascists of intimacy and artistic creation/expression. There is not one type of intimacy or relationship that is the same for everyone, there are different experiences within this. Intimacy is surrounding us in
everything that we do and who we are, it is comforting to have close intimate relationships that allow us to feel safe, nurtured and gives us creative freedom to be who we are as people. And artists it is a privilege to be able to express ourselves creatively and authentically and being able to share our inner most deepest thoughts that never would’ve seen the light of day otherwise.
Researching what intimacy is has allowed me to have gained a better understanding of the intrinsic parts of intimacy. The differences between the different types of intimacy, that both emotional and physical intimacy can allow us to be close to someone on varying levels but as equally as beneficial. How intimacy can be used to fuel our creativity and willingness to explore with the support of those around us who are there to catch us if we fall. I found looking into the three artists from chapter two and their varying relationships and connections to intimacy has been an interesting and formative experience. Learning the many ways that intimacy shines through within our work from painting a representation of what intimacy could mean to that artist, not necessarily directly but subtly, from the ways that they create certain narratives that go along with their own life experiences and sharing parts of the people that they are closes to in life In terms of how my research has benefited my own practice in which I focus on the personal and intimate relationships I share the people I share my life with. I feel I have new confidence in going forward and continue to look at these relationships I have and think about the artists like Anthony Cudahy and Tracey Emin in my own work, to be unapologetic and to use these relationships and the emotions they evoke to my advantage, they are what draws people in, they will allow people to relate to you and your work. I also feel from my research on collaborations and collectives that there is an important of being a part of creative communities as they will foster your own creative imagination and help you to grow as an individual and as an artist and to creating everlasting bonds along the way. And through the Sarnoff’s studies it is possible to be in a loving passionate relationship and work alongside one another creatively. Taking inspiration from those who we are intimate with and also the new connections and relationships that are built from collaborations that harbour intimacy and allow it to grow with new people and allow that to influence us in a meaningful way and create an abundance of new and innovative creations
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