Δαφνη Ευτυχια Αρθουρος

"we also can't make art out of our trauma while we're still in it. i am in the midst of writing a play which delves deep into a very painful period of my life and it is only possible to write it now that I am well, happy, in therapy, on meds, and that phase of my life is behind me

"the pervasive notion that 'good' art must be skewed toward darkness instead of light (i.e. drama is inherently superior to comedy) is frequently extended to artists as human beings in genuinely destructive ways, implying that our suffering is the most interesting part of us

"the takeaway from the lives of artists who wrestled with mental health or trauma shouldn't be 'wow the chaotic darkness in their heads is really what made them special,' it's 'think about all the incredible art we didn't get from them because they were in pain all the time'

[...]

"the implication that artists SHOULD suffer in order to produce more interesting art implies that they have a responsibility to the rest of us to put our desires before their own health, and that's so fucking sinister and capitalistic and evil when you really break it down"

-- Claire Willett (clairewillett), 2022-10-01