Page 11 - C.A.L.L. #26 - Winter 2005/2006

KALEIDOSCOPE
The Communitarian Scene from all Over and Under
Compiled (and partly translated) by Joel Dorkam

Have you ever asked yourself (best dialogue partner!) how important art was in the
early period of communitarian life? Seems that ever since cavemen (and women?)
first engraved their intimate experiences on the walls of their residences - e.g. caves -
art and artists have been a bone of contention, particularly amongst the early kibbutz
settlers who were known to be predominantly intellectuals with artistic inclinations. However, in those
distant days, practicing artists were a highly valued, but rather rare species, whose products were
appreciated as long as they contributed to community life. And of course they were supposed to practice their
skills after working hours, preferably late at night, in the aftermath of stormy Hora dancing,… As time went
by and the Kibbutz evolved into multi-generation-communities, artists became more and more valued as
genuine representatives of the modern communal lifestyle - and accordingly, were liberally granted working
hours, posh studios, study days and trips, materials, instruments and other benefits to enhance their
creativity as writers, poets, composers, dancers, singers, painters, sculptors, architects and what not.
Occasionally a few cynical comments concerning the artistic value of their creations slipped through, but on
the whole, communal artists enjoyed a fairly high standing and lots of freedom. Or so we liked to believe, in
spite of the fact that many of them preferred to leave for more individualistic ways of life......

“Art, music, dance, and theater are sources of joy for us. Being totally oblivious to the world during the creative
process is a training ground for and a foretaste of how each of us can live creatively in the moment.”
- Bill Nickl and Barbara Stutzel, ZEGG Community

And then the socio-economical crisis of the eighties struck and the message to the art world of the kibbutz
now metamorphosed into: be so kind as to contribute your share to our income! Art-for-art's-sake - out,
commercial art - in! Start marketing! To be quite frank, I must admit to always having been of two minds
concerning art - particularly the modern/abstract kind. I also was rather nonplussed when I read in our last
issue (CALL 25) about the Australian artists' colony of Montsalvat. My initial reaction went: Omygod! How
many inflated artistic egos can cohabit in one place without tearing one another apart?
But then I learned about the sea-captain-founder and the symbolic Holy Grail connotation, which put my
mind at ease. Could it just possibly be that the about twenty people sharing everyday life at Montserrat have
at long last discovered a new, hitherto unknown form of art: LIVING TOGETHER! Imagine my bliss when I
stumbled upon Geoph Kozeny's "Art of Community" in Communities #126, which seemingly corresponded
perfectly with my assumptions. But I’d better let you judge for yourself:

THE PERIPATETIC COMMUNITARIAN
The “Art” of Community

When the FIC named its conference series "The Art of Community," it wasn't a public relations ploy. That simple
phrase conveys the essence - and the biggest challenge - of building and sustaining intentional communities. It's an art.
Sure, a "Science of Community" is also involved. However, relying on a scientific approach to community - with a solid
set of technical skills; theories about relationships, psychology, economics, and decision making; access to a wide array
of resources; and an orderly list of "how to" steps - isn't what will ultimately make or break a community… although
the presence of those assets will greatly increase the odds of success.
Living in community is analogous to other artistic pursuits such as ballet, writing poetry, or painting with watercolors.
A practitioner can study the "science" of those disciplines, learning all the various styles and techniques, and then
practice for a lifetime. Yet, in the end, the final result is going to depend on how and when a particular technique is
used, how the parts are woven together, and the degree to which the artist communicates meaning from deep within.
The science provides the foundation, the art is in how it's applied.

Reprinted with permission from Communities magazine, a quarterly publication about intentional communities and
cooperative living in North America. Sample US$6; subscription US$20.00. store.ic.org.

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