by Madhusree and Jason Wu.
Oftentimes, we perceive art to be purely instinctual –a writer slaving over his desk while the inspiration strikes its bells, leaving his nights bereft of dreams and flesh devoid of sustenance. We love imagining a poet transcending her body and soul, becoming one with Goddess Saraswati (Hindu goddess of knowledge, music, flowing water, abundance, wealth, art, speech, wisdom, and learning), as she pens down the verses from heart.
In essence, the romantic notion of artistic creation is shrouded in purple prose –the darker the hue, the better to encapsulate the artist. The romanticized image of the tormented artist before the canvas, deep in the cups and fuelled by divine inspiration is a narrative deeply ingrained in our cultural perception of art. And while this sentiment is certainly a very romantic one, it often belies the messy affair, that is art.
Makers of Works
Artists –be it authors, painters or musicians– are often portrayed as lonely figures in the dark, engaged in an intense ritual with their muses and demons. Even in real life, such artists do often engage in intense rituals, of pleading with their landlords for rent pardon. While the affluent can afford to be 'true' to their voice and embrace a "daring" approach in their pursuit of greatness, the majority are more likely to be in a pursuit for actual sustenance, than for perfection. When survival becomes more pressing than being a part of some transcendental revelation, the common folks are often required to turn towards more “commercial” forms of art, i.e. art that is guaranteed to sell moderately well, and not cause much trouble or upheaval with the general public. Necessity is not necessarily the mother of invention, especially when said necessity is leading to unfed mouths and unpaid debts.
Creativity Of The Works
Creativity is not a divine gift bestowed upon a chosen few.
When we turn our noses down at an artist because their art is lacking originality, being “lazy” or not being “serious” enough, we forget that art is not fast fashion.
Even paintings clearly made to be hung in living rooms instead of galleries, or stories which faithfully follow an age-old formula, demand considerable acumen and artistry than we realize. “Constructing” art is no easy feat - it often involves being in a staring match with a blank page, grappling with the absence of even inspiration, and wrestling with the challenge of translating thoughts into words. It is a veritable feat in technique to be able to express yourself when you don’t feel the need. Constructing art sometimes involves the generation of entirely new concepts unknown to the world, which in itself, is an incredible feat on its own. The flowy, purple prose that often accompanies panel discussions of great art may satiate the panelist’s imagination, but it is this gritty, unglamorous reality of the creative process that truly defines many of the phases in an artist's journey.
Finale
The processes that occur behind the works that creators make have many hardships and challenges. It’s often ignored when viewers see the work as they only get the final version. They don’t see the many drafts and mistakes overshadowed by the glamorous finale of the complete work. But as spectators of the works, we need to take in the work as a whole, including its past. The slow process of constructing art is truly what makes it precious.
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