CENTER OF CREATIVITY
IRINA ZUBOFF
CENTER OF CREATIVITY
Welcome at my Center of Creativity!
As a child I dreamt of the homo universalis. I was fascinated by the idea that a human being can
access so many sides of his own creativity. Examples are Leonardo da Vinci who was a painter,
sculpturer, physical researcher and composer. I studied every detail of his work. Also I have been greatly attracted by the idea of the holistic art performance (“Gesamtkunstwerk”)
reflecting the ideal of the combination of all arts. This approach was introduced by Richard
Wagner and further developed by Alexander Scriabin. It has inspired many other artists. I also felt
impressed by this idea without realising why.
While searching for “something” I followed one course after another until I reached the point at
which I concluded that I would never be able to find that “something” outside myself. C.G. Jung describes in his studies into alchemistic processes how the four folded metamorphosis
of the chemical substances into melanosis, leucosis and xanthosis and iosis, which have been applied
since the early days of Christianity, constitutes nothing but the projection of the unconsciousness in
the concerned substance. Also, from a psychological perspective, the alchemistic process forms an
attempt to deal with one’s own shadow sides, to develop intuition through increasing
consciousness and to establish a relationship with one’s own creative capabilities. The passionate
soul which the alchemists wanted to free from chemical elements was still hidden in the silence of
nature. That is why the alchemists were closer to the truth than the people who lived in the era of
Enlightenment where the soul started to identify itself with intellect. Cogito ergo sum. There was no
soul outside the consciousness of the ego.
However, this ego is egocentric and blown up. During the last century we have witnessed the
result of this process. The alchemists stated the following: “Rumpite libros, ne corda verstra rumpantus”. “Tear the books so that your hearts will not be tearen.” They meant to say that you can only truly understand through experience . Your own soul, your own creativity, potential and creative forces are hidden in current and immediate experiences, not in the intellect - the past, not in the imagination - the future – just Here and Now.
This Center of Creativity aims at creating portals, portals accessing your deepest essence and your
own Centre of Creativity. I am very grateful to the Van Ede team for offering its gracious
hospitality by making rooms available for the concerned activities. I also extend my deepest
appreciation to the Iona Foundation which helps me to realize this dream.
While every human being has shaped its own personality pursuant to its own story, every human
being needs another portal giving access to his own force and own centre. Hence I would like to
build a house for all of you with portals having different shapes, colours and dimensions.