Language
Country/Area
No result found
From idea to card: What’s the untold story behind the creative collaboration between Brian Eno and Peter Schmidt?
At the intersection of music and art, creativity often needs a little stimulation to break through the mental block. Created in 1975 by musician Brian Eno and multimedia artist Peter Schmidt, “Oblique Strategies” (with the title: Over a Hundred Worthwhile Dilemmas) has become a unique motivational tool. This set of cards is not only a magic weapon for artists and musicians to break through creative bottlenecks, but also triggers many hidden stories and sources of inspiration.
Origin and History
Peter Schmidt's creative journey began in 1970 when he released a boxed book called The Thoughts Behind the Thoughts, which contained 55 typographical quotes from his Created from discarded prints in the studio. Brian Eno, who had developed a friendship with Schmidt in the late 1960s, began similar work in 1974, calling these handwritten ideas "Oblique Strategies."
“These cards evolved from independent observations about the principles behind what we do.”
As their ideas overlapped greatly, they decided to combine their respective creations into a set of cards for sale in late 1974. The cards began to gain legendary status after Schmidt's sudden death in 1980, and subsequently became a collectible. A few years later, software pioneer Peter Norton persuaded Eno to make a fourth edition as a Christmas gift. Although it is not sold to the public, it still occasionally appears at auctions.
Design and Usage
Each card is printed with metaphorical suggestions or philosophies, designed to help users break through the obstacles of thinking. Some of these suggestions are specific to music composition, others are more general. For example: "Use old side thoughts", "Put the problem into clear words", and "Respect mistakes as hidden intentions".
"When faced with a difficult situation at work, you can pull out a card at random and trust it, even though its applicability may not be clear."
These cards are not only a source of inspiration, sometimes they even become a manual for the music creation process. A musician can stumble across a card in the studio and gain new insights for their current work or for future creations.
Cultural influence
Oblique Strategies has not only made an impact in the art world, its references in popular culture are equally striking. In the movie Slacker, characters randomly hand out these cards to passersby, with messages like "Respect mistakes as hidden intentions" and "Repetition is a form of variation."
"The process of drawing inspiration from the work gives us a different perspective."
Many musicians have also been inspired by the cards, including Coldplay and French band Phoenix, who have incorporated the essence of Oblique Strategies into their recording processes. The influence of these cards even extends to the world of sports, such as the A.S. Velasca football club has used these cards in official matches, demonstrating their wide application in different fields.
Versions and Changes
The content and versions of the Oblique Strategies cards have evolved over time, with each re-creation reflecting the possibilities of creativity and advancement of thought. In 2001, Eno launched a new version of the card again, and released a limited edition in 2013, attracting wider attention and collection.
In this series of collaborations and explorations, we see how Eno and Schmidt use cards to promote creativity and break boundaries. Behind each card lies a profound insight that sparkles with inspiration in countless creative processes.
From ideas to cards, the story of the collaboration between Brian Eno and Peter Schmidt provides us with an important reflection: Is creativity really a process that can be concretized, shared and reproduced?
p >