'Coincidence and Creativity'

Coincidence was a subject of which fascinated Rosen for many years, particularly coincidence as a factor in creativity.

The preface of PP/ROS/H/4/7 states: 'Coincidence Journal 1980, which records the observations and growth of ideas towards the formulation of the hypothesis that coincidence may be regarded as part of a complex signalling system between the individual and the universe which functions analagously physiological cell communications systems. the functional communications systems have inhibitory and stimulatory mechanisms with multiple ramifications of origin and expression, which carry signals that may be interpreted as meaningful or non-meaningful in various ways relating to individual or universal significance and casuation...
...When studied in a sytematic prospective way, coindicences may be seen to relate to the higher development of the individual and the universe, and different functions of the significance of the coincidence may pertain, such as the marker function which may be taken to indicate one is following an acceptable developmental pathway...
...the variety of phenomena with which coincidence is interrelated is well instanced in this study. However, the single impression that is gained is one of the unitariness of the world, including those phenomena known as physical and psychical as well as psychological, philosophical and religious.' (dated 21 Oct 1980)

In file PP/ROS/H/4/8: in the introduction Rosen says that for nearly 20 years he had been noting the simultaneous occurrence of creative phases and significant coincidences. These observations were collected and recorded as they occurred in random fashion. He says that the stimulus to undertake a systematic prospective study of the relationship between coincidence and creativity was provided 'by my entering the Rolex Awards for Enterprise Competition.....' He proposed to prepare works of art for an exhibitioin entitled 'Exodus', as a follow-on from the his previous exhibition 'Genesis' at the Camden Arts Centre in 1974. He also proposed making visits to the Sinai Desert in order to imbue the art works with the genuine atmosphere of the desert wherein Moses and the ancient Hebrews had wandered.

See also PP/ROS/B/27-29.

1960s-1983

12 files