10/20 Post

10/20 Post: First, referring back to our first few reading assignments (Plato, Vasari, Nietzsche, "Schematic Structure"), what are some ways in which "Belly of an Architect" constructs a narrative about artists and artistic creation?

The biopic focuses on the main years of the architect in which he was at the heightened point of his creative years. “Belly of an Architect” diverges from the schematic structure because it does not show us the artist’s life from birth to death. Instead, we see the film from the perspective that illustrates the “golden age” of the artist as well as his demise. The film shows the architect (Stourly Kracklite) who goes to Rome to be a part of an exhibition, and thus, his art serves as part of his creative “productive-ness” as well as his demise through mental and health issues and degradation of his personal relationship with his wife. Kracklite’s obsession with his work is spurred by his mental instability that is shown through his hypochondriac nature. Throughout the film we see his obsession with portraying stomachs coinciding with his mental degradation and believing that he had a health issue. Therefore, by constantly believing it, he manifests his issues out of thin air and the health problems plaguing him almost seem real. The downfall of his marriage also serves as a catalyst that amplifies his mental erosion. Throughout the film, Kracklite’s alcohol consumption is also directly correlated with his creative inspiration, serving as crutch for his influences and highlighting his vices which ultimately kill him. Thus his art becomes part of his life as his obsession with anatomy and portraying stomachs acts an abstract visualization of Kracklite’s personal degradation. The film is then just a timeline of the artist’s demise, mainly focusing on his downward spiral from an artist at the height of his creative ability (showcasing an exhibition), to someone who is so consumed by personal grief and mental instability that he commits suicide at the opening of the exhibition that was taken away from him.

Next, elaborate on how the film connects gender with creativity. You had some really great insights on that subject in class.

The film blends the lines between gender and creativity, specifically in reference to the male gender of the artist. In the beginning of the film his wife states that, “maybe he wants to have a baby.” This can be interpreted as saying that maybe Kracklite wants to give birth to his work, any work because his self-worth is completely wrapped up in his ability to produce art. Judging from the title of the film “Belly of an Artist,” the creativity of the artist comes from within, as the belly being a metaphor for creation. The film references the stomach as a specific place for artistic creation and production. This is seen by the constant repetition of domes which the roundness of the domes can be read as pregnancy which equates to fertility, growth and success (of the artist). Also in the film, there is a mis-en-scene of stomach images. Through the various images the stomach goes from being completely fit to degraded and physically “let go;” much like how the film portrays the life of the artist. The stomach is then seen as a point of physical fitness, health, digestion and deconstruction and life. The focus on the stomach also shows the fertility and creation of life—a struggle in the relationship between Kracklite and his wife as she is pregnant with the artist’s child but seeing someone else throughout the film. Thus, the stomach becomes a symbolic reference for both male and female gender. Kracklite’s creativity is spurred from his artistic genius (from within, his belly), but his obsession with his health becomes the catalyst which spurs his downfall.