Introduction
One of the most important areas of personal development is creative self-realization, which fully occurs when, in the process of an individual’s activity, the objective conditions of the environment and society are maximally involved in the embodiment of a person’s talent and potential. Its examples, which shape people’s values and collective and individual cultures, are the movie “The Wizard of Oz” and the Pysanky Tradition.
Analysis
“The Wizard of Oz,” as an act of creative expression, had a profound impact on the people and situations surrounding it, creating a cult of friendship (Fleming, 1939). The characters’ relationship in the movie is artistically portrayed as being deep and intimate, expressing not only loyalty and mutual aid but also inner intimacy, frankness, trust, and love. As an act of creative expression, the Pysanky Tradition was anticipated to impact its environment by reinforcing the Christian faith and elevating the significance of Easter (Zavgorodny-Freedman, 2020). Creative expression is closely tied to the consecration and coloring of eggs, and it has a significant influence on the church and home life of believers.
“The Wizard of Oz” is influenced by the people and situations surrounding it, which is reflected in various remakes of the film. For example, these are parodies created for the film, introducing an element of modernity such as Internet friendship (Shadiqin & Ikramatoun, 2022). The film parody features a high volume of online connections among its characters, effectively demonstrating how the modern concept of friendship shapes its creative expression.
Similarly, the Pysanky tradition—including its classic patterns—is in constant evolution, shaped by the influence of those around it and its circumstances. Digital painting is gaining tremendous popularity (Zavgorodny-Freedman, 2020). Therefore, instead of traditional hand-painted stickers with patterned images, the Pysanky Tradition is gaining popularity.
The way the dynamic system of symbols, ideals, patterns, traditions, and rules of friendship is organized in “The Wizard of Oz” is the question I have regarding the relationship between culture and expression. This dynamic system is embedded in a person’s social development and spiritual world. The question I have about the relationship between culture and expression in The Pysanky Tradition is how regional traditions of dyed eggs differ across local cultures (Zavgorodny-Freedman, 2020). I am interested in exploring how the symbolism of light and the symbols used in drawings vary across different populations.
After watching “The Wizard of Oz,” the central questions that arose regarding how my values are influenced by the expression of others explicitly centered on the nature of friendship. This prompted an interest in defining the traditional concept of a friend and assessing how closely my own friends and I align with that definition. Questions about my values and how they are shaped by the expression of others that have arisen after getting to know the Pysanky Tradition are related to the role of symbols in my life. What do the traditional patterns that are depicted on some of my clothes mean?
I would approach answering the questions about “The Wizard of Oz” by conducting a deeper study of the phenomenon of friendship in culture. I will watch a few more friendship movies and read art books to track down a familiar pattern. Then, I will create an infographic of friendship and relationship symbols, and compare it to my current life situation. I would answer the questions about the Pysanky Tradition by conducting online research on coloristic and pattern elements. Based on the cultural characteristics of each regional zone, I will identify the potential causes of the meanings of the symbols I encounter in everyday life.
Conclusion
Thus, the movie “The Wizard of Oz” and the Pysanky Tradition are vivid examples of how creative expression shapes collective and individual cultural values. At the same time, as society develops, it also influences cultural expression. As a result of interactions among these processes, there is space to study critical cultural phenomena, such as friendship and traditional religious symbols.
References
Fleming, V. (Director). (1939). Wizard of Oz. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
Shadiqin, S. I., & Ikramatoun, S. (2022). Mawlid celebration in Aceh: Culture, religious expression, and political medium. Miqot Journal of Islamic Studies, 46(1), 122-138.
Zavgorodny-Freedman, K. (2020). The innovative downtrodden: The importance of primitivism in Ukrainian modernist art. Intaglio, 2(1), 36-51.