Why I refuse the concept of art.

• Published: 2024-01-22 10:33

Note

This started as collection of disconnected thoughts about "art". For the purpose of exploring my own thoughts and perspective. If you want the TL;DR: I refuse art as a concept...

What made me write this

The idea of being, or referring to myself as artist never resonated with me. Something about it tasted bitter, questionable, illegitimate, dishonest, insincere, or dubious. Or—for the lack of a better word: mega-lo-manic.

For one, it didn’t feel like it’s upon me to decide whether I’m an artist or not. Also, it never motivated me as a status, or goal. Contrarily, I perceived something dangerous, or unhealthy about being an artist. Along the line of giving up self-direction.

As if—by acquiring the artists’ status—I’d invite the gravity of external forces to interfere with decision-making processes. Something instable, something unhealthy, something unsustainable, something beyond my control.

Yet, for some reason: I perceived these resentments as vitally important. They felt genuinely protective. But: protective from what?

Creativity as a function of personal growth

My creative itch is strong. It’s something I must scratch—regularly. At any cost. On its own terms.

The cute kitten analogy

Imagine having a cute, little kitten wreaking havoc if left unattended for too long. That wakes you up at night, biting and scratching—yelling: “PLAY WITH ME—NOW. OR I’M GOING TO SHIT AND PEE IN YOUR BED! And in your fucking head, too”.

Playing on the kitten’s terms means:

• To explore the creative space…
  • Without the constraints,
  • And/or the fear of:
    • Judgement
    • Consequences
• …for the sake of it.

Which, more than often, flows into:

• Novel insights
• Changes of perspective
• Creative works of any kind
• Last, but not least: Personal growth

To me, the consequences of refusing to play include:

• Insomnia
• Increased blood pressure
• Ultimately: Depression
  • …didn’t see that coming…

For the record

This very writing results from 'playing on the kittens's terms'. It exists, because I wrote "I refuse the concept of art" on the home. And wanted to explore that. Shiver me timbers: I'm surprised by where this is going.

This be the contradiction

If I deemed myself to be an artist, how should I manage creating for creativities’ sake vs fulfilling, or conforming to the expectations of others? Especially once I gained traction as artist in the collective consciousness?

It’d mean I delivered some kind of value proposition, others start associating with me as individual. Ultimately expecting me to deliver more works of the same, or higher arbitrary value. A value that I did not even get to have any say about.

Smells like a great way of trying to tame the kitten to play according to my, or the rules of public interest. Whilst compromising the very integrity of creativity itself. Therefor:

I refuse art as a concept

Because I understand it as the market it is. A market rooted in manipulating the Zeitgeist, or our collective consciousness.

The mere the act of trading, and owning a ‘work of art’, are both acts of upselling and marketing the market in themselves. With the goal of maximizing the financial revenue of itself, and its owners. Acts that very well feed back into the Zeitgeist.

If anything, Art is a self-serving economy. And as history has it, more than often to the artists’ disadvantage.

“What is art?” is a paradoxical question

Van Gogh anyone? Who sold almost nothing during his lifetime. And whose works were brought into the collective consciousness by the wife of his brother. Herself an arts’ trader, introducing Van Gogh’s works by publishing books about them.

Banksy’s “Exit through the gift shop” is a brilliant meta-study, and -critique. Powerfully demonstrating how the market, and the Zeitgeist can be manipulated.

Just because our collective consciousness is constantly longing for ‘the next novel/big thing’.

By mere happenstance, ‘art’ defies the gravity of being defined. Because it’s a meta-construct. it’s an artificial, man-made word in itself. For ‘man-made’ things. And thus, our collective projection screen of wishful thinking for making something of cultural significance. So we can feel significant as individuals.

If we collectively agreed that ‘art’ is just that, we might have to face the fact that creativity serves more than ‘making nice things’. And that our own mental health is our own responsibility.

If you want to answer the question “What is art?” yourself:

Ask “When is art?” instead

re: Van Gogh—

I wondered “What was it like to be Vincent?” a while ago. Wearing my UX-designer-hat, I synthesized his vita from various sources. Resulting in the lovely mess that’s Being-Vincent. Maybe, it makes sense to wrap your head around it first.

Before you ponder this:

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How I think about this instead

I make music and sounds, DJ, do photography, design and write. In doing so, I serve my innate human need to create. For the genuine sake of it. And I can’t help but notice that these things foster my growth as a person.

I see my creative output for what is: works of creativity. Things I manifested from exploring the creative space.

Once I release a piece of creative work into the wild, I’m fully aware that it’ll develop a life of its own. Beyond the means of my control. I have no way of predicting how others will interact with it. Or which expectations it’ll create.

In refusing the concept of art, I refuse the burden of being responsible for others’ interpretations of my creative works. I also refuse the idea of putting my creativity on rails. For the purpose of sustaining me financially.

To me, the intention of creating art already restricts my access to the creative space. As well as the creative process in itself. I want and need the process to be self-directed. Self-direction enables the creative flow.

It’s my personal responsibility to maintain enough space in time for being creative. On its own terms. To enable myself for being a reliable creative partner for others in the context of professional projects.

---

A bit of word-digging

“Now this is how it started…” - I might extend this at a later point.

What does the word ‘art’ even mean?

• In itself, “art” is an artificial word
  • Etymology of ‘artificial’: “not natural or spontaneous”, “man-made”
• Therefor being a wildcard-term for anything
  • That’s man-made

What is art at its core?

• A man-made market for man-made things
• Driven by Zeitgeist
  • A temporary cultural phenomenon of collective interest
  • Based on collective awareness
    • That’s highly manipulatable by marketing

Who does art serve?

• The traders of works of art
• The owners of works of art