The creative psyche and the representation of reality

Abstract

The human psyche plays a very important role in the formation of symbols and sublimation is the core of creativity. Starting with Freud’s theory of sublimation, we will employ his writing to discuss the work of George Fenech and the artist’s perception of beauty. So we need to understand Freud’s definition of sublimation as the process of deflecting sexual instincts into higher acts of social valuation and, in particular, a ‘conspicuous feature of cultural development; it is what makes it possible for higher psychical activities, scientific, artistic or ideological, to play such an important part in civilised life’ (Freud 1961: 79–80).