What is Existentialism?

Existentialism is based on the idea that human existance is fragile, small and seemingly meaningless. Life's meaning is man made, there is no universal purpose for our existance - we are simply grains of sand floating about in a giant cosmic empire.

 

Existentialists also stress that, because there is no purpose for life, each human being is responsible for their own actions - we all have the freedom to do as we wish and must create our own meaning for life.

EXISTENTIAL ANXIETY (or existential angst) is a term used to describe the anxiety and fear one feels when burdened with the responsibility of freedom. In his book 'The Concept of Anxiety' philosopher Soren Kierkegaard describes it as a "Dizziness of Freedom". 

  For example, if you were to stand on top of a cliff it may suddenly dawn upon you that nothing is stopping you from jumping off that cliff - you are free to make your own choice - you may choose to jump or you may choose not to jump. Either way, the responsibility is yours, and you are the only one to blame for the consequences.

So while freedom is a quality that many of us wish to have, for some of us the idea of being responsible for your own actions may be a daunting prospect as we live in such a cruel and indifferent society - because of this we try to shelter ourselves away from the truth of responsibility and all the hazards that the outside world has to offer.

  "Man kind does not feel at home in this world, there is no safety in the world" - Paul Tillich, philosopher.

(Source(s)http://www.thefreedictionary.com/existentialism  http://www2.webster.edu/~corbetre/philosophy/existentialism/whatis.html )

The Shell – by Molly Drake

Living grows round us like a skin
To shut away the outer desolation
For if we clearly mark the furthest deep
We should be dead long years before the grave.
But turning around within the homely shell
of worry, discontent, and narrow joy
We grow and flourish
And rarely see the outside dark
That would confound our eyes.

Some break the shell.

I think that there are those
Who push their fingers through
The brittle walls
And make a hole.
And through this cruel slit
Stare out across the cinders of the world
With naked eyes.
They look both out and in
Knowing themselves
and too much else besides.

(Source(s): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qr7sTW-47Hc )

“The world hurries on at its breakneck pace
People fly by in their lifelong race …”

- Nick Drake

"I know simply that the sky will last  longer than I"- Albert Camus

“Man is condemned to be free; because once thrown into the world, he is responsible for everything he does.”

Jean-Paul Sartre

(Source(s): http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/existentialism, Nick Drake: They're Leaving Me Behind: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yXTPO0GMIA )

Existential Angst by Andrew Baines
In this image the artist has managed to juxtapose the subjects with the environment. It has become evident that Baines has deliberately depicted the stereotypical portrayal of city men who have been enduring life in a busy society and are suddenly plummeted into a contemplative and silent environment; this almost gives the image a quality of surreal melancholy. The dark clouds sitting on the horizon give the impression of ‘impending doom’ which may represent existential thoughts of an anxious type.

The way in which the subjects are organised is also very interesting as they appear completely identical which may be symbolic of conformity to a certain class or paradigm.

This is further demonstrated through the three subjects on the left who are standing in an identical manner and have apparently let go of their matching briefcases and umbrellas. – However the other subject, standing on the far right, is separate from his company.  He is still adamant on keeping hold of his umbrella and matching brief-case which seems, to me, to be representative of denial of the truth – almost as if he is ‘sheltering’ himself from the ‘impending doom’ of the clouds on the horizon.

This idea is compatible with that of dream analysis which suggests that umbrellas are symbolic of protection. The mystical interpretation suggests that umbrellas are a negative symbol representing loss. Either way, I believe that this is a very successful portrayal of sheltering oneself from the truth if existence.

“corporate people contemplating their futures in a ‘goldfish bowl’ existence” - Red Sea Gallery

“It was my artistic way of letting the corporate battery hen metaphorically escape from long office hours and grey city streets to enjoy nature.” - Andrew Baines

"The majority of clients who’ve acquired a painting by Baines are corporate workers, they see themselves in the subject, hoping for that day of escape." - Chris Churcher 

(Source(s): http://www.redseagallery.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=138 http://www.slideshare.net/nancyahenry/fine-art-and-existentialism )

These are my attempts at recreating Baines' composition. The first image is a pencil sketch and the second is a felt pen drawing.

Existence 


What is the point of living
if we only live for living's sake?

Rendered
Nothing more than a breathing machine,
inhaling dust,
waiting
as our internal clockwork starts to rust.

Yet through this churning we still wonder,
'What is life to me?'

- It's transient, fragile,
sadly so,
completely, unbearably free.