Weston, Alia This is Research; Weston: Creativity: Transformation of Adversity. OCAD University Office of Research & Innovation.

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Abstract

This research explores creativity as the transformation of adversity by communities that live in conditions of ongoing crisis in Zimbabwe. The research demonstrated how individuals expressed creative resilience despite extreme socio-economic and political uncertainty.

This image depicts artist Dexter Nyamainashe with his Spectacular Machine. Dexter lost his job as a municipal tree-cutter and re-invented himself as an artist, creating elaborate mechanical sculptures from discarded waste materials he found in the street. This research repositions ideas on creativity and expands our understanding beyond the classical (colonial) confines of psychology, art, and organization. It demonstrates how creative agency is enacted in unanticipated spaces by people who are normally discounted as being creative or productive. Equally, it facilitates a greater appreciation of the ways that people sustain their livelihoods in crisis, and the substantial contributions they make to social and economic productivity.

Dexter is depicted in this poster because he wanted his work to be shared with everyone!

Item Type:	Other
Uncontrolled Keywords:	creative agency, adversity, social productivity, economic productivity, creativity, resilience
Divisions:	Faculty of Liberal Arts & Sciences Graduate Studies
Date Deposited:	15 Apr 2020 20:16
Last Modified:	20 Dec 2021 21:30
URI:	https://openresearch.ocadu.ca/id/eprint/2918

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