Creativity and Madness

The Scream by Edward Munch 1893

3/25/2025

According to Wikipedia, Munch's childhood was overshadowed by illness, bereavement about his sister's incarceration in an institution, and the dread of inheriting a mental condition that ran in his family. Munch lived a bohemian life under the influence of the nihilist Hans Jaeger, who urged him to paint his own emotional and psychological state known as "soul painting" from which his distinct style emerged.

The Scream was conceived of while Munch was out walking at sunset, when he 'heard the enormous, infinite scream of nature'. The painting's agonized face is widely identified with the angst of the modern person.

His emotional state remained insecure throughout his life. A mental breakdown in 1908. Munch drank heavily in his adult years. Some believe him to have had borderline personality disorder, characterized by fear of abandonment, chronic feelings of emptiness, and impulsive behavior.

Do you ever think that you think too much?  Do you over-analyze?  Are you moody? Do you get stuck? Do you feel depressed? Some of the greatest mark makers that ever lived had difficulties to overcome. Van Gogh suffered from bipolar disorder, hallucinations and episodes of derangement as well as epilepsy. He committed suicide at the age of 37. Picasso? Well...clearly there was a problem. Beethoven, depression. Edvard Munch is said to have suffered from depression, agoraphobia, a nervous breakdown and to have had hallucinations, one of which inspired "The Scream." Georgia O'Keefe lived with anxiety and depression.

Is there genius creativity without madness? What is the connection? Do the difficulties we strive to overcome produce the quality of the marks we make? Why did Van Gogh paint with many little strokes? Why did Picasso distort the face? If you were/are a creative genius, would you give up creativity to end the madness? Would the absence of creativity be worth the absence of madness, depression, anxiety, worry, or other difficulties?