Artistic Outlook

The Artistic Outlook, with a particular focus on the novel and literature
by Ruth Rikowski

I decided that I wanted to put pen to paper (metaphorically speaking) on a few of my thoughts in regard to my artistic outlook. In my view, facts, figures and non-fiction can only get us so far; and that language, in itself can indeed, sometimes be quite limiting. Furthermore, that, we should not underestimate the power and value of surrealism in itself. This applies today as much as ever, I think, with the many crazy and worrying decisions that are being undertaken by many of those in power, whilst others in decision-making positions often behave in quite illogical, unpredictable, if not immoral, ways. Relating this to some of my own personal experiences, in the London Borough of Newham library service (where I worked from 1980-1995) for example, over 20 members of its staff were made redundant at the beginning of 2009. The library service is now being run on a shoestring. And this is in a deprived area where education, books, and libraries are particularly important to the people in this local community, in order to try to raise the level of education, literacy, awareness and understanding, whilst at the same time hopefully helping to lower the level of crime (which is high). Meanwhile, the Daily Telegraph investigated UK MPs expenses in May 2009. UK MPs, supposedly responsible decision-makers, are claiming for items like maintaining their ponds and moats as part of their MP expenses claims (see, for example, Winnett, 2009). One ponders to what extent the making of sound political decisions necessitates sitting besides clean and attractive ponds!!

How ‘real’ then is the real life; and indeed, how fictitious is fiction? If in the ‘real’ world, crazy and idiotic decisions are being made and mad things are going on, how can we really engage in a sensible way with it all? This has been a significant problem for me for a number of years, but the problem seems to be intensifying and exacerbating rather than lessening. Having faced various difficulties in trying to engage and work with managers in the ‘real’ world, and trying to get them to consider, address and tackle serious problems, I then decided to focus on writing non-fiction material instead. I saw this as another vehicle; another way to try to address some of the issues that managers and decision-makers were not taking seriously enough, or even worse, seeking to undermine, twist or ignore. I thought that by this means, perhaps some real progress could be made. I got my non-fiction material published easily enough – great! My first article was about the relationship between library/information departments and computer/I.T. departments in organisations, and by necessity it was implicitly critical of management, in some ways. I also emphasised the need to be pro-active, saying for example that:

The computer world is changing rapidly – it won’t wait for us. It is up to us to do the moving. Then, perhaps, we can start to shape the future ourselves. Information professionals could be responsible for the design of their own software products and start to dictate the pace and direction of change in the future – i.e. be proactive. Learning to think differently is more important than learning a particular product or skill. (R.Rikowski, 2000, p. 45)

I have made an impact in many and various ways with my non-fiction writing. My book on globalisation was long and detailed, alerting people to the continued onslaught of commercialisation and privatisation and the threat that this poses to our way of life. Its focus was on the threat the neo-liberal agenda posed, to our state-funded library services, particularly through the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). But still, the commercialisation and privatisation programme rolls on; cut-backs in public services (such as in Newham Library Service) carry on; and the neo-liberal agenda continues and at a seemingly ever alarming pace. So, in that way my words and my thinking are not exactly being acted upon! Rather, people sometimes seem to prefer to use it to try to further their own careers (such as by me providing publication opportunities for fellow academics). So be it. In other ways I have made a real impact. I have connected with many people, many of which have been very influenced by me, I think, though may be not policy and decision-makers as such. But this means that, for me, non-fiction writing does not necessarily solve the problem of making real, worthwhile and significant changes in the ‘real’ world and to be able to make a difference to this unjust world that we find ourselves in today.

Therefore, I am increasingly drawn these days back towards fiction. Indeed, I have wanted to write a novel ever since I was a child (this was before I was politically and socially aware). I wrote a piece which focused on the work and writings of the novelist Michéle Roberts, and then related her experiences to my own experiences; as having heard her talk at a Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) meeting in October 2008 I surprisingly found that I had a lot in common with her. In this piece I talk about the desire I have had to write a novel, ever since I was a child. I say:

How I wanted to write a novel. I went to talk to Miss Alison [my secondary English teacher at school] about it. But unfortunately she said that basically I had ‘ideas above my station’. Instead, I should concentrate on improving my own reading. In this school classroom exercise, I read a lot of Agatha Christie novels, for example. Miss Alison thought this was low-grade reading and asked me why was I not reading more of the classics, and a better class of book, instead? This upset me, particularly given that I was reading more than anyone else in the class! And this was a teacher that really rated my ability. I lost my confidence about the idea of writing a book. (R. Rikowski, 2008)

Writing and reading novels and literature is part of the ‘real’ world anyway in one sense – it certainly does not happen outside of that world, whilst at the same time, the novel captures much of what happens in the ‘real’ world and can also be very critical of it. Novels can capture and express so many of our thoughts and feelings. They can also help us to think about and challenge society in various ways; George Orwell’s book ‘1984’ being a classic example here. In fiction, it is often possible to express things simply and more powerfully than in non-fiction, I think. Non-fiction requires a lot of referencing, in order to be convincing, but even then, some will seek to undermine the arguments that are presented.

Also, escapism is important and necessary for all of us anyway – we would quickly go insane without it! The value of escapism, which obviously includes fiction, is articulated really well I think, by Carey in his book What Good are the Arts? Carey says that escapism:

…seems to be a human necessity [and that] …escapism is fundamental to our sense of ourselves. (Carey, 2005, p.37-38)

Leading on from this, Carey then quotes from Dissanayake, saying:

If we privilege ...what we are escaping from as more real - or in one way or another more valuable - than what we are escaping to, we are preferring what we fear to what we seem to desire." ( Dissanayake, 1988)

Carey looks at the value of art in general, but thinks that literature surpasses and is superior to, all other forms of art as a mode of expression.

…literature…unlike the other arts…can criticize itself. Pieces of music can parody other pieces, and paintings can caricature paintings. But this does not amount to a total rejection of music or painting. Literature, however, can totally reject literature, and in this way it shows itself more powerful and self-aware than any other art. (Carey, 2005, p. 174)

Carey is also of the opinion that:

Literature is not just the only art that can criticize itself, it is the only art… that can criticize anything, because it is the only art capable of reasoning. (Carey, 2005, p. 177)

Furthermore, that literature is an “idea-bank and that no other art [can]…compete with it in that respect” (Carey, 2005, p. 213). So, the power of literature! Let us let that one rest for a while.

All the arts are wonderful and enrich life; indeed, who could, or would want to seriously imagine a world without art? Carey’s book is very much about appreciating this fact. Music, for example, can take us to places where nothing else can. As Carey says, although music can sometimes be empty of meaning, in a rational sense, meaning can limit us anyway. Again, from Carey:

Operas and films can criticize, but only because they steal words from literature, which allow them to enter the rational world. When literature criticizes other arts its target is often their irrationality…Music is the art that has most consistently seemed irrational to poets and writers…for some writers it is precisely being empty of meaning that makes music good. Meaning limits. To mean one thing is to exclude everything else. But music leaves listeners free to make up their own meanings as they go along. (Carey, 2005, pp. 177-179)

I love many different types of music; far too many to explore further here. Also, the opportunity that music provides us to free our mind, in many ways.

Whilst art, itself is the least-known and appreciated area of the arts, for me. I am no professional art-appreciator or critic, and I am certainly no actual artist, but for now, I would like to share with the reader an art book that inspired me recently. This is ‘Brilliant Women: 18th-Century Bluestockings’ by Elizabeth Eger and Lucy Peltz. Eger and Peltz speak about the ‘Bluestockings’ in the Preface saying that:

The word ‘bluestocking’ describes a literary or learned woman and has a curious but fascinating history. Its shifting meaning reveals much about changing attitudes towards women who have sought a life of the mind…eighteenth-century bluestockings – a remarkable group of writers, artists and thinkers who met to debate contemporary ideas and promote the life of the mind. (Eger and Peltz, 2008, p. 16)

In such ways, art can provide a vehicle for talented and creative women to shine through in. On a personal basis I certainly enjoy art, and know what art I like and what art I do not like so much.

The work of the contemporary British artists Gilbert and George is also very interesting and important, I think. There was a major exhibition of their work at the Tate Modern Gallery, London, from 15th February to 7th May 2007. These artists put their thoughts and feelings at the centre of their art, and their pictures capture human experience. In a caption under one of their exhibits at the Tate Britain Gallery, which I saw in April 2009, Gilbert and George say that:

We have no interest in reflecting or showing society – we are only interested to be forming it. What are believers tomorrow is what the artists are today. Already we see the world as very different from when we started.

So, an interesting idea here that art can and is shaping our future, albeit perhaps in subtle ways, and is indeed, perhaps shaping it more than our politicians. We cannot escape the fact that politicians, policy makers, and those in other decision-making roles in society, can and do affect our way of life in profound ways, but perhaps the art comes in not taking their decisions as seriously as they would like us to! There are always other ways of achieving things, and aiming to live the sort of life that one wants to. Young people can be particularly creative in this regard, I think, particularly through their interaction with new media, and finding alternative musical outlooks and sources, for example. So, if Newham library service is run down, what do we do? Fight and campaign? A good idea; but if it all becomes too negative and draining, it might be better to just move on, be proactive put our energies elsewhere into something positive and find some alternative source.

There are, of course, other areas of art, such as poetry, but we will leave these areas for another occasion.

Meanwhile, Carey has a chapter in his book, entitled ‘Do the arts make us better?’ (Chapter 4). In this chapter he considers the views that various philosophers have had about art over the years. He notes the fact that the belief that art can make people better goes right back to classical times, and that Aristotle said that music, albeit the right sort of music, was character-forming. Whilst Plato, horror of horrors, thought that art made people worse, saying that encouraging the development of our passions works against rationality. Meanwhile, Carey points out that:

In the 19th century it became a widespread cultural assumption that the mission of the arts was to improve people and that public access to art galleries would effect this. It was felt in particular that if the poor could be persuaded to take an interest in high art it would help them to transcend their material limitations, reconciling them to their lot, and rendering them less likely to covet or purloin or agitate for a share in the possessions of their superiors. Social tranquillity could thus be ensured. (Carey, 2005, p. 97)

Goodness gracious! Whilst Tolstoyhad quite a lovely, albeit idyllic view of art, which as Carey highlights, was not dissimilar to Karl Marx’s view, in many ways. Marx’s famous quote:

From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs! (Marx, 1972 [1875], p. 17)

can clearly be applied to art, as well as to other walks of life; with ideally people being able to express themselves artistically in a fulfilling and satisfying manner, each according to their wants and needs. Tolstoy says that:

All human life is filled with works of art of every kind, from cradle song, jest, mimicry, the ornamentation of houses, dresses and utensils, up to church services, buildings, monuments and triumphal processions. (Tolstoy, 2004)

Carey continues later saying that:

Claims that the arts make people better or more civilized seem…problematic, and some thinkers have urged that art, far from encouraging fellow-feeling among people, is essentially divisive. (Carey, 2005, p. 116-7)

Whilst Carey’s personal view is that:

It is time we gave active art a chance to make us better. (Carey, 2005, p. 167)

Carey also thinks that we should switch the aim of research in the arts from finding out what critics think about various works of art, to “…how art has affected and changed other people’s lives” (Carey, 2005, p. 167). This seems like very sound thinking to me.

I think I should now end my journey down this artistic road at this juncture, other than to say that to only go down a non-fiction, political and economic path, from a Marxist perspective (or indeed, from any other perspective), clearly has limitations. And that, in particular, I think it can mean that strangely enough, the female mind might not always necessarily be given enough respect and credibility in the process.

With the labour-power theory, which Glenn Rikowski is developing, for example, (see G. Rikowski, 1990a-b, 2008) which is too complex to go into now; it becomes abundantly clear that males have more value embedded in them than females on average in capitalism. This is because of the way that capitalism works, and the fact that biologically, women often take ‘time out’ of the labouring process, in order to nurture the next lot of labour-power (i.e. raise their children), as well as for other reasons (which means that men tend to work longer hours than women on average). This means that their labour is worth less, has less value embedded in it on average, in capitalist terms, and so female labour-power is worth less than that of men, on average. Thus, less profit can be derived from female labour and so they command a lower wage than men on average, in the work-place. On this basis then women will always have less power, money, status etc than men in capitalism; and indeed, the need to transcend capitalism then becomes even more urgent.

However, whilst objectively this is clearly true, (indeed, Glenn Rikowski’s work is ground-breaking in this area), it is obviously important to try to ensure that female creativity is not undermined unnecessarily at all in the process of this analysis. Creative and innovative women with sharp as well as subtle minds also need to be able in their own right and in their own way, to think and work beyond the rather narrow confines that are imposed on them by capitalism. Obviously, this can and is explored by women within the real world itself; they can and of course, do seek to improve their wages and conditions, for example. However, art provides another and completely different outlet, and is one that women can really shine in, I think. The basic point is that the factual world and the artistic world both represent valuable ways of looking at the world, but art can satisfy the soul in a way that facts and the non-fiction world cannot and women can play a wonderful, indeed, a life-changing, part in this artistic world. They can, for example, challenge the extent to which we can and should take the non-fiction, factual world seriously; which is, after all, a world where men still wield the most power and influence. Females can suggest alternative ways of looking at the situation. Given the many crazy and illogical decisions that are being made today in the ‘real’, factual world, women playing a leading role in this alternative, art-focused, creative way could prove to be extremely worthwhile and will probably become of ever-increasing importance in the future, as ‘real’ life becomes more and more surreal.

I will end this piece by saying that, as ever, let us look, in various ways, to a better future and a brighter and a kinder world, and also to a more enriched life.

References

Carey, John (2005) What good are the arts? London: Faber and Faber

Dissanayake (1988) Ethnographic survey – cited in ‘What good are the Arts’ by John Carey, 2005, p. 38

Eger, Elizabeth and Peltz, Lucy (2008) Brilliant women: 18th-century bluestockings, National Portrait Gallery, London

Gilbert and George, Major Exhibition, Tate Modern Gallery, London, 15th February – 7th May 2007 http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/exhibitions/gilbertandgeorge/ ( Gilbert and George, Major Exhibition, Tate Modern Gallery, 15th Feb-7th May 2007 )

Marx, Karl (1972) [original 1875] Critique of the Gotha Programme, Foreign Language Press: Peking

Orwell, George, (2004 – new ed) 1984 (Nineteen Eighty-Four), Penguin Classics

Rikowski, Glenn (1990a) The recruitment process and labour power, Part 1 http://www.flowideas.co.uk/http://www.flowideas.co.uk/index.php?page=articles&sub=Recruitment%20and%20Labour%20Power ( The recruitment process and labour power, Part 1 by Glenn Rikowski )

Rikowski, Glenn (1990b) The recruitment process and labour power, Part 2 http://www.flowideas.co.uk/http://www.flowideas.co.uk/index.php?page=articles&sub=Recruitment%20and%20Labour%20Power&on=1 (The recruitment process and labour power, Part 2 )

Rikowski, Glenn (2008) Against What We Are Worth http://www.flowideas.co.uk/http://www.flowideas.co.uk/index.php?page=articles&sub=Against%20What%20We%20Are%20Worth ( Against What We Are Worth by Glenn Rikowski )

Rikowski, Ruth (2000) The Essential Bridge: a new breed of professional?, Managing Information, April, pp. 40-45

Rikowksi, Ruth (2008) Michéle Roberts: novelist and radical feminist – comparisons with Michéle Roberts and Ruth Rikowski, writers, book lovers, feminists, radicals, librarians and pro-activists. See:
http://www.flowideas.co.uk/http://www.flowideas.co.uk/index.php?page=articles&sub=Michele%20Roberts ( Michéle Roberts: novelist and radical feminist by Ruth Rikowski )

Tolstoy, Leo (2004) , Penguin Classics

Winnett, Robert (2009) MPs’ expenses: Telegraph investigation expenses allowances, Daily Telegraph, 8th May http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/5293147/MPs-expenses-Telegraph-investigation-exposes-allowances.html ( MPs’ expenses by R. Winnett )

© Copyright, Ruth Rikowski, September 2009