13 Comments

Wow, this post really hit my between the eyes, Bertus - the project looks ambitious and amazing, and I can well imagine how heartbreaking it must have been for the big MEH, until TV told people it was great. Creatives stand apart so often; we can only project our vision on to the back of the screen, and how or whether the audience (if any) reacts is beyond our control. Looking forward to more stories about creativity. ⭐

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Thank you Troy. Only these last years I was able to allow in the heartbreak. I have been, (and still am) so angry…. your empathy means a lot… it adds fuel to the fire…the one we gather around to tell our stories….

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Holy hell! Where was my invite in 2011? I would’ve been there every day, covered in glue and cardboard shreds, you would’ve gotten sick of me, you would’ve kicked me out, I would’ve tried to sleep in the cardboard kingdom. I LOOOOOOVE what you created and screw those who couldn’t see. You see, and your seeing is vital and it should scare us. Since then, I do hope you’ve found some brave ones to enter into the unknown with you. Lucky humans.

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founding

Wow, thank you so much for sharing this story Bertus, and your insights into what lies beneath, or before, or ever...

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What a beautiful, amazing and truly impressive project - sparking powerful genuine inner alchemy/goldsmithery. From cardboard to gold ;-) I loved reading this, Bertus - and recognise sooooo much of what you've written. Thanks for showing up in my life; glad to connect with you and looking forward to reading more!

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Your cardboard city sounds amazing and I love the pictures. I think whenever we try something new, other people can't see our vision, can't see the future something, but only the present messy becoming. But when we're called to that creation, we have to go there, no matter what others think.

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Nov 19, 2023Liked by Bertus

to say bravo, yes, but to really say what i want to say is here's a big thank you for reminding me of all the mountains of unknown assumptions that have piled up in me. And they don't show up until I try to do something new, different. And ohhhhh, that unknown is the changer and the changing, funny (not really) how when the road presents a choice, that familiar can call louder when I take that next step, but I love hanging out (I think) in the unknown, exploring AND knowing I'm held by some benevolence of loving forgiveness and a gifting from life that I can choose again and again. Loves, loves all.....

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Thank you Skye, so glad to have you still reading along….how strange to feel you would be such a good neighbour while half a world lies between. Would so much enjoy stopping by for a tea now and then, a stroll down the garden, to talk or not talk and say, see you next time with a big hug….

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'm looking for you to come over for that spot of tea and walk in the garden. It's just a "mind shift" away

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First, mind blown by the city. But also, yes, at a profound level. I feel kind of stunned and wordless reading this, having been caught so many times in this vortex of creativity, reaction, timing and pain. Thank you for taking time to write this, and thank you for sharing your city, which, honestly, is painfully beautiful. It feels like your heart explained.

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Wow. Those pictures are incredible and can only imagine it was much more majestic in person. I really enjoy your writing and what an interesting story!

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What an incredible project, Bertus! Only a truly creative spirit can come up with an idea like this... an idea that takes on a life of its own, too big for people to get their heads around, and only when the media show up and blast YOUR work through THEIR channels, does the audience finally get it (well, some of them, after the artist is burnt out and has lost heart)

We've seen this pattern happen all the time, living in St. Ives, Cornwall, which was a place for artists, poets, writers, (and surfers), when we lived there. We always supported the crazy ideas, the beginnings of anything creative...(because that's when artists really can do with some encouragement and support, or so we thought)

Asking others whether they would join us, we often got the response, "Oh, I'll see how it goes first... maybe next year."

"There might not be a next year," we used to say. "If nobody comes this year, why do you think they would try again?"

People (audiences) don't seem to get that. Audiences are suspicious of true innovation and creativity. They wait for the herd leader to tell them where to go when...

"Creativity is a brutal force. Raw and savage. It induces fear." You write.

That's so true. Creativity is sometimes framed as this gentle, pretty, entertaining, fun to do pastime... something not relevant to living in the 'real world'.

Bullshit! Creativity is essential to life. It's what regenerates the life force and keeps ourselves and our society healthy. We need the ideas of our Inner Genius for survival. Ideas that inevitably confront us with the Unknown. That's why true innovation is scary to most people.

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