Mitologia artystyczna na kontrkulturowych ścieżkach: Roy Harper

Abstract

W artykule niniejszym przedstawiam polityczny wymiar muzyki popularnej w kontekście działań mitologizacji własnej twórczości przejawianych przez politycznie i społecznie zaangażowanych wykonawców z kręgu miejskiego folku i rocka, na przykładzie brytyjskiego artysty Roy’a HarperaArtistic Mythology on Counterculture Paths: Roy HarperSUMMARYThe article presents the political dimension of popular music in the context of actions meant to mythologize their own musical works by politically and socially engaged urban folk and rock performers, as exemplified by a British artist Roy Harper. The case of this performer shows that artistic mythology can be gradually constructed strictly according to the patterns taken from mythical narratives that function in all cultures in the world. It serves the specifically understood process of mythologizing the activities of an artist and the personality created by the performer. Harper’s biography is a contemporary version of the heroic myth transmitted to the public through the mass media and complemented with themes originating from folkloristic stories such as the magic fairy story. A myth like that is a certain pivot around which a mythological narrative is developed, consisting of diverse elements essential to a specific artist.