From Anonymity to Boredom to Creativity

Abstract

Boredom has been acknowledged as a necessary moment before creation. Throughout the history of modern architecture, influential figures – including Le Corbusier and Philip Johnson – have confessed to suffering the condition, denoting that the desire to elude it has been a fundamental factor in their work. Moreover, due to the monotonous and anonymous processes required for the assembly of architecture, boredom ensues from the lack of opportunities of personal expression. Contextualized by studies from different fields, this article explores the relationship between anonymity, boredom and creativity through an interview with Peter Cook, and a series of drawings by Ingrid Lønningdal, titled Performance with Ruler and Digits I–VIII.