Where have the Bohemians Gone?
Bohemianism as a lifestyle emerged in post-Revolution France. What started as poverty and the political
rejection of the aristocracy, became an affirmation, an intellectual counter culture
to mainstream norms, embraced by the artists and writers of the Rive Gauche
(Left Bank) of Paris - poets such as Baudelaire and Rimbaud, the artists
Braque, the young Picasso, Modigliani and Leonor Fini, the writers Simone de
Beauvoir, and Jean Paul Sartre.
The name, Bohemian, was associated in France with the
gypsies, who migrated westwards from the North West of India over a 1000 years
ago, but faced rejection wherever they tried to settle. The exception was
Bohemia, now part of the Czech Republic. The story goes that in 1423 the Holy Roman
Emperor and the King, wrote a letter to the head of the gypsies stating they
had the same rights as other citizens, and that they would be allowed to follow
their own culture and social rules. The gypsy love of independence, music, dance,
colourful clothing and eclectic accessories and their own brand of spirituality,
resonated with the creative community of Paris.
Bohemian clothing was the most visible aspect of this
lifestyle. It was not uncommon for a poet, artist, musician or a writer to wear
the same coat for five years as Jean Paul Sartre did. Simone de Beauvoir
dressed creatively with materials and accessories from local and peasant
materials from all over the world. It
was not about being financially down and out, but a graceful defiance of materialism.
They were the “vivants” – feeling alive and celebrating their individualism.
Bohemian as a fashion statement took on a life of its own
inspiring the Beat Generation of the 50s, the Hippy style of the 60s and 70s,
the Grunge fashion of the 80s and now Boho chic. In 1966, the fashion guru,
Yves Saint Lauren, said “I had had enough of making dresses for jaded
billionaires” and created a new line inspired by Bohemianism.
Bohemianism is also an attitude. A Bohemian would be more excited with the
smell of the first monsoon rain than by window shopping in a mall. They can
make their home look beautiful on a shoestring budget with the creative use of
found and recycled materials. A bohemian is not an angry rebel, but rather a person
who, as Ada Clare says, gracefully steps over rules guided by their own
personal principles and aesthetic taste.
As a mindset Bohemianism reflects unconventionality and
independent thinking. Journalists of the
American Civil war called themselves Bohemian to describe what Andie Tucher
calls, their shared conviction that they were different from everyone else
around them. In 1872, a group of artists and journalists established the
Bohemian Club in San Francisco. Ironically, it soon became an exclusive club including
rich industrialists, high-ranking military officials and politicians including
the likes of Henry Kissinger, Richard Nixon, and Ronald Reagan.
While Bohemianism is seen as a deeply personal and private
set of beliefs, a few public figures may fit the image. The Nizam of Hyderabad,
considered the richest man in the world, entertained his guests with gold
cutlery while he himself ate out of a tin plate and was even known to wear
second hand clothes. Gandhi greeted
world leaders wearing a loincloth.
Princess Abida Sultan of Bhopal had a man’s haircut, rarely wore jewelry,
flew planes and played polo. The world
famous philanthropist, Abdus Sattar Edhi retained his drab office in Karachi’s
old district of Mithadar, always wearing his signature grey clothes.
Some politicians also challenge the norms. Theodore
Roosevelt became a war time President although confined to a wheel chair.
Donald Trump’s tweets bypassed his White House staff who had to accept them as official
statements. Vladimir Putin fans are treated to images of the shirtless
President riding his horse in Siberia. Jacinda Arden wore a headscarf to show
solidarity with her Muslim citizens. Imran Khan thrills the man on the street
with his international speeches that bypass the rules of diplomacy. Pope
Francis regularly sets aside Vatican conventions. Muhammad Yunus, founder of Gramin Bank,
challenged conventional economics by establishing microfinancing, as did Dr
Amjad Saqib, founder of Akhuwat Foundation.
Elizabeth Wilson says we live in world where “a web of mass
distraction”, is designed “to smash the diamond of an individual’s will into a
thousand smithereens of tweets and trivialities”. But the French novelist Maurice
Barrès reminds us that “Nothing passionate exists in the world without
Bohemianism” .
Durriya Kazi
June 6, 2022
Karachi
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