Beauty is Pain is Art
For an artist to be successful in this industry, is it required of them to exploit, or even create, their own pain?
By Arohi Gadagkar, Contributing Writer
TW: Self-harm, eating disorders and violence
Beauty is pain. We’ve all heard the saying, which was coined from a direct translation of a French term, “one must suffer to be beautiful” (Archive, 2016). Whether or not we consciously abide by this saying, humans are creatures of habit; on some level, it seems as if we have internalized this idea. Instinctually, we recognize pain, and almost immediately, we label the pain as valuable. It’s especially apparent in how we view some of the most revered forms of art: music and film. Artists are often applauded for exploiting their pain, and the question is—do they choose to, or do they have to?
Adele released the album “21” in 2011. Featuring hit songs like “Set Fire to the Rain” and “Rolling in the Deep,” the album won two Grammy awards: Best Pop Vocal Album and the highly coveted Album of the Year (Adele albums and songs sales, 2021). Adele went on to collect nine additional awards for the album. Speaking to New Musical Express following her tremendously successful run with “21,” Adele said, “I will never write songs as good as the ones that are on 21,” reflecting her recognition that her pain renders beautiful art in the eyes of the public (Adele says she was “completely off my face” writing ‘21’ album, 2016). The album is a direct product of her heartbreak, and Adele attributes its success to her self-destructive coping behavior, which ranged from drinking to binging and drowning in her despair. Now, with a child, she cannot afford to cope with difficult times in the same unhealthy ways. Her next album, “25,” recorded not nearly as many sales as “21” (22 million albums versus 31 million albums) despite being classified as a phenomenal album by her peers and music critics (Adele albums and songs sales, 2021).
Another artist who seems to understand the public’s fascination with pain is Beyonce. In 2018, Beyonce headlined the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, which attracted almost 500,000 live viewers (Beyoncé’s Coachella Performance Breaks YouTube Record, 2018). This was only ten months after she endured a difficult pregnancy; during her pregnancy, Beyonce suffered from preeclampsia, a disease that caused her high blood pressure, a blood infection, and at risk for damage to either her liver or kidneys (Beyonce Says She Had Toxemia During Her Pregnancy With Twins, 2018). The Netflix documentary, “Homecoming,” chronicles Beyonce’s difficult journey to her ultimate Coachella performance. Two months after giving birth, Beyonce adopted a strict dieting regimen: no bread, no carbs, no sugar, no dairy, no meat, no fish and no alcohol (Beyoncé Talks Her Restrictive Coachella Diet, 2019). This was in addition to rehearsing a cardio-intensive set for eight hours a day for eight months. “Just, internally, my body was not connected. My mind was not there. My mind wanted to be with my children. What people don’t see is the sacrifice,” said Beyonce (Weingarten, 2019). What they see instead is beautiful art.
In film, actors anticipate needing to employ physical and emotional extremes to produce high-quality art. Heath Ledger sacrificed his general well-being for the role of the Joker in “The Dark Night.” To accurately personify a sadistic and merciless criminal, Ledger employed extreme method-acting to portray the iconic character correctly (Academy, 2015). Method acting requires “becoming” the actor for a lengthy duration of time to palpably empathize with the character. Ledger placed himself in self-isolation for six weeks. For six weeks, he constrained his movement to one hotel room, where he inflicted extreme insomnia and physical pain upon himself. To understand the masochistic tendencies of the Joker, Ledger famously threw himself into walls and doors. Shortly after filming “The Dark Knight,” Ledger’s mental health deteriorated, and he overdosed on drugs. Post-humously, Ledger’s work for the movie was awarded an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor (Australia, 2022). His portrayal of the Joker is considered legendary in the film industry, and his physical and emotional torture is regarded as first-class art.
Another film viewed with high regard is “Scarface,” in which Michelle Pfeiffer plays Elvira Hancock, a glamorous, slender cocaine addict. To embody the character faithfully, Pfeiffer lived on a diet of tomato soup and Marlboros, noticeably losing a dangerous amount of weight in a short period of time (J.R., 2018). Reflecting on the filming period of “Scarface” in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Pfeiffer said, “I would go to bed every night crying” (Rose, 2019). As is the case, despite the mental torment Pfieffer experienced, her commitment to the role landed her an Oscar nomination and opened the door to various high-profile roles in future hit movies.
There is a recognizable pattern that pain is awarded in the entertainment industry, but has it been taken too far? For an artist to be successful in this industry, is it required of them to exploit, or even create, their own pain? It seems that way.
Sources:
Academy, N. Y. F. (2015, November 20). Deeper Into The Method: 5 Contemporary Actors That Took Method Acting To The Limit. Student Resources.
Adele albums and songs sales. (2021, October 16). ChartMasters.
Adele says she was “completely off my face” writing ’21’ album. (2016, November 1). NME.
Archive. (2016, February 8). Il faut souffrir pour être belle. Cherwell.
Australia, N. F. and S. A. of. (2022, April 22). Heath Ledger Wins Best Supporting Actor: 2008 Oscars. NFSA.
Beyoncé’s Coachella Performance Breaks YouTube Record. (2018). Fortune.
Beyonce Says She Had Toxemia During Her Pregnancy With Her Twins. (2018). Time.
Beyoncé Talks Her Restrictive Coachella Diet. (2019, April 23). Healthline.
J. R. (2018, April 26). Why Michelle Pfeiffer Lost So Much Weight During Scarface. CINEMABLEND.
Rose, L. (2022, April 27). Michelle Pfeiffer Is Definitely Done Second-Guessing Herself (Probably!). The Hollywood Reporter.
Weingarten, C. R. (2019, April 17). 5 Things We Learned About Beyoncé’s Coachella Triumph in “Homecoming.” The New York Times.