Darren Daz Cox, now in Pekin Illinois!
Your art matters, it makes a difference.
One of the sci-fi books I read as a kid and have re-read many times since is called ‘the city and the stars’ by A.C.Clarke. The hero finds out his (carefully chosen) dna allows him to be (the only one alive) curious about what is outside of the ancient huge domed city, the last city left on Earth. He wonders why his friends aren’t even curious as to what is outside, let alone to actually find a way out of the city and explore the unknown. He is feared and threatened and eventually reunites the city with the other remaining humans who had waited generations for the city to grow an egg tooth.
The idea is that in order for a culture to be healthy there must be aberration, extremes, weirdness in the mix. It’s the concept good old Jim Morrison was talking about when he talked of shamanism. The shaman isn’t there to entertain you or even speak the truth he’s there to be different and by that very difference he strengthens the bonds of a society.
Society needs artists, not to just increase the value of public spaces or provide alternative investment potential. Society needs artists to be artists, to be involved in doing strange things, saying strange things and generating strange vibrations.
When artists interact with society there are bonds that grow and minds that are opened. I know I felt my mind open the first time I stood by a Rothko painting, as up until then I thought non-objective art was a scam like the Emporers New Clothes, but I was wrong and a huge weight was lifted off me when I allowed myself to accept that Rothko really was a great artist. It seems that some art just doesn’t translate well to print or digital, you really have to actually look at the real thing to get it.
Art is also a personal thing, imagine your brain as it’s own society, it’s own domed city, and your art is the hero exploring outside…
There often seems to be pressure against society to support the arts, art is currently treated like an expendable luxury in public schools here in the USA and historically hoarded by the elite. The elite want to control art because art has the power to enlighten and create bonds, it can be unpredictable, it is a threat to artificial authority so that authority uses what it can to control art so it can control the society.
You assign the value. How much is freedom worth? How much is your soul worth?
Ths Soviet Union and Hitler went out of their way to control the arts and fundementalist religons are always shunning or destroying art, but how is art being controlled in this free and open democracy? The main way is by assigning a monetary value to everything. People seem to think that by saying "you could sell that" that they are giving me a complement, ha! and It’s always a major news story when a famous piece of art fetches a record price isn’t it?
I’m not preaching about selling out, as making a living by selling your art is probably more enjoyable than just about anything else, but try not to think of success in terms of monetary value or you run the risk of thinking that you aren’t as good as you are and that your art isn’t as important as it is.
Your art matters, it makes a difference.
"inspire, be inspired and appreciate, that is the meaning of life" – Dannion Brinkley
pencil and digital paint Illustration by Darren Daz Cox
Originally posted 2008-03-05 22:42:44. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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March 6th, 2008 at 4:49 am
What a fascinating post, Daz! First off, I’m going to have to get my hands on that Clarke story; it sounds incredible and so inspirational.
Secondly, as I was reading about your experience with the Rothko piece, I was reminded of my trip to Montreal. I spent 2 full days in the contemporary art museum there, in a constant state of wonder. I sat and looked at pieces and time stood still. I wrote pages and pages in my notebook, frantically, futilely, trying to capture my thoughts before they escaped me. When I arrived back at the backpackers, where I was staying, I raved about it to the other travelers there. The next day a group of them went on my recommendation, and they hated it. They just didn’t get it. I can now see that they were just not ready for it (maybe they’ll never be?), but at the time, I thought there was maybe something not quite right with me!
Lastly, my thesis, that I’m currently working, on is looking at ideas of high and low culture. It’s involved looking at ideas of economic and cultural capital, and the sacralisation of ‘serious’ art. Anyway, what you say here about thinking of success in art in non-economic terms, I think, is spot on. Like you say, making your living by your art must be great, but it can’t be the determining factor.
Anyway, this has ended up a ridiculously long comment, so I’ll finish up now. A great post which really got my synapses firing! Thanks
Amy
xx
March 9th, 2008 at 10:04 am
[...] and who extend our expectations. Our world is enhanced by their presence and their perspective. As Daz Cox recently wrote on his [...]