Art and creativity have always been a constant component and a driving force behind initiating change. Especially in the current political climate, we find that art, music and creativity are quite possibly more important than ever.
But it’s more than penning words or thrashing about onstage – the only real way that creativity as a raw entity will be effective is through connection, and no one does this better than Amanda Palmer.
Having just been granted a five year distinguished talent visa to our fair country, we took the opportunity to catch up and chat about harnessing the power of vulnerability, fostering and celebrating true connection, and getting back to doing what she loves most.
“I never want to be away from my fans in Australia for too long,” Palmer comments when asked about her very purposeful return to our shores. “It’s just because we now have this wonderful longterm relationship that needs tending.”
When considering the importance of the artist/fan relationship, Amanda is an artist who is consistently taking this precedent to the next level, and Amanda reveals an even deeper motivation for her trip Down Under.
“One of the reasons I am able to be here and support myself, is I now have 9,000 fans who are my hardcore supporters”, she says, referring to her latest involvement with a crowdfunding campaign: Patreon. “It’s been a game changer and has totally changed my life. A big part of the reason I’m touring here is to see those people and thank them, and say hello to them at my shows. Just to really throw down with my family – that’s why I’m doing these shows”.
Amanda’s recent production was made with the help of 9,000 fans
This artist/fan relationship extends even further than crowdfunding, with Amanda reaching out and drawing upon inspiration from a very unlikely source. “During a show I did at the Gasometer recently, one of the first things I did was hand out index cards to everybody in the audience and asked them to tell me their most intimate, untold and painfully-emotional relationship story… and they did it!”, Palmer laughs whilst reminiscing on the experience. “I’m going to read them all and use them to write new material!”
Although this method of inspiration may seem a little unorthodox to those unfamiliar with her work, the spontaneity of decision almost acts as a backbone to her creative process, commenting on the real reason she decided to begin performing her music once again. “I’ve been touring a little bit throughout the States and in Europe, and the main reason for hitting the road this year was to just kind of wipe the dust off the machinery.
“Instead of waiting until I had an entirely new record or until it was time for the Dresden Dolls to get back together, I figured I would just do my work in public, because that’s sort of how I work best. I booked these shows, as a way to motivate myself to practice, as silly as that may sound.”
Amanda is really an artist who refuses to sit still or remain stagnate and her priorities are focused firmly on performing and continually moving forward. “I just knew that if I had shows, I would get myself into the mindset of playing and practicing and otherwise it would be too easy to just hang out with the baby and try and catch up on my emails”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-GQ63NStxk
Amanda has always had a very special relationship with Australia
Recently though, it was Amanda’s words on Trump, and his impact on the art world, which once again thrust her into the limelight. The current political climate has already provided many artists with a fiery platform to express their distrust in the patriarchy, but exactly how will art tackle this turmoil head on? “Without fear,” says Palmer, quickly adding, “but I don’t think it’s really up to me to have an opinion on that”.
Commenting further on the role of the artist, Amanda remains articulately on point about the matter. “I think what I would love to see is for all of the creative voices out there, of which there are thousands if not millions, really digging deeply to find their own answer to that question. I think the most powerful thing we can do in the face of something like Donald Trump is to be as personally and intimately creative as possible”.
With that sense of intimate creativity also comes a great sense of vulnerability, which Amanda says is incredibly important, but also a difficult balancing act.
“In order to be a really powerful artist, you need to walk the tight-rope of pure vulnerability, but also, you have to simultaneously be incredibly armoured to deal with the slings and arrows that being vulnerable brings along with it.”
