Letters Live: Benedict Cumberbatch lê carta sobre bloqueio criativo

Lá em Londres existe um evento chamado “Letters Live”, em que atores fazem leituras de cartas em voz alta para o público. Um dos idealizadores do projeto é o ótimo ator Benedict Cumberbatch (da Série de TV da BBC “Sherlock”, “Doctor Strange”, “Jogo da Imitação”, etc) e , inspirado pelo livro “Letters of Note”, que é a versão impressa da mesma ideia.

No video que separei para este post, o próprio Benedict Cumberbatch lê uma carta enviada pelo artista Sol LeWitt para sua amiga escultora Eva Hesse em 1965.

Eva estava passando por uma fase de “bloqueio criativo” e havia escrito ao amigo reclamando que não conseguia criar mais nada. O video é a resposta de Sol LeWitt, recomendando que ela parasse de pensar tanto e simplesmente partisse para a ação. E que o perfeccionismo mata a criatividade.

A “DO Letter”.

“Do Letter” por Benedict Cumberbatch

Essa carta também foi lida por outro ator, o Andrew Scott (que também trabalha em Sherlock) com uma performance igualmente interessante e com um estilo um pouco diferente para você comparar e decidir qual gosta mais.

“Do Letter” por Andrew Scott

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTGvbhqWoFI

Separei também umas imagens da carta de 3 páginas – e uma transcrição do texto.

A carta

Transcrição

Dear Eva,

It will be almost a month since you wrote to me and you have possibly forgotten your state of mind (I doubt it though). You seem the same as always, and being you, hate every minute of it. Don’t! Learn to say “Fuck You” to the world once in a while. You have every right to. Just stop thinking, worrying, looking over your shoulder, wondering, doubting, fearing, hurting, hoping for some easy way out, struggling, grasping, confusing, itching, scratching, mumbling, bumbling, grumbling, humbling, stumbling, numbling, rambling, gambling, tumbling, scumbling, scrambling, hitching, hatching, bitching, moaning, groaning, honing, boning, horse-shitting, hair-splitting, nit-picking, piss-trickling, nose sticking, ass-gouging, eyeball-poking, finger-pointing, alleyway-sneaking, long waiting, small stepping, evil-eyeing, back-scratching, searching, perching, besmirching, grinding, grinding, grinding away at yourself. Stop it and just

DO

From your description, and from what I know of your previous work and your ability; the work you are doing sounds very good “Drawing — clean — clear but crazy like machines, larger and bolder… real nonsense.” That sounds fine, wonderful — real nonsense. Do more. More nonsensical, more crazy, more machines, more breasts, penises, cunts, whatever — make them abound with nonsense. Try and tickle something inside you, your “weird humor.” You belong in the most secret part of you. Don’t worry about cool, make your own uncool. Make your own, your own world. If you fear, make it work for you — draw & paint your fear & anxiety. And stop worrying about big, deep things such as “to decide on a purpose and way of life, a consistant [sic] approach to even some impossible end or even an imagined end.” You must practice being stupid, dumb, unthinking, empty. Then you will be able to

DO

I have much confidence in you and even though you are tormenting yourself, the work you do is very good. Try to do some BAD work — the worst you can think of and see what happens but mainly relax and let everything go to hell — you are not responsible for the world — you are only responsible for your work — so DO IT. And don’t think that your work has to conform to any preconceived form, idea or flavor. It can be anything you want it to be. But if life would be easier for you if you stopped working — then stop. Don’t punish yourself. However, I think that it is so deeply engrained in you that it would be easier to

DO

No ano seguinte, Eva criou uma de suas obras mais famosas, o “Hang-Up”.