A couple of months ago, we were introduced in Linguistics Class to someone I did not know, his name was Steven Pinker. We watched a video where he discussed the mechanics of thinking and language. I personally found his notions very avant-garde for he stated that thinking was not only related to words. When we think the brain makes a series of very complex associations where images, sounds and concepts meet. Then, he exposed the human capability of thinking without words, which is a fact.
Today, I remembered this clip which I discovered a few years ago. This masterpiece is the result of combining the minds of two of the most powerful artists of the past century, Salvador Dali and Walt Disney. When it was first made, it was banned for children for its strong visuals concerning sex and other taboo issues (such religious notions). Then it was presented to the public, including me, and it is truly delightful.
I was thinking of using this clip to encourage students to work on creative writing. Before presenting the video, they could go through summarized biographies of the two artists and how they were pioneers in their own areas. After discussing their impact on art, they watch the sequences and the morphing characters in the story and try to recreate in their own words their story, what they think the images try to convey.
This could be a great exercise to stimulate thinking through music and a sequence of images that could be interpreted in so many levels of thinking and that could realted to every student in a very personal way and also discuss their current effect in art.
I found this quote in youtube and it could not be more suitable to describe Dali's genious "
I hope there's a heaven, so that Dali can be there. Who else would they have for an architect?"
Enjoy.
