Saturday musings...
Who really values the artist? And what is artistic value?
Many of you are laughing - along with me. When did value have anything to do with anything in this business? When did LOYALTY of artist have anything to do with anything?
It doesn't. Sadly.
The value of the artist and the artistic value of that artist has to begin with self.
The integrity of an artist has to begin with the artist and what they bring to their craft. NO ONE can devalue that.
Many try. Many try to devalue the artist through many means: "putting an artist in their place" - by not hiring them, by promising things and then breaking those promises, by asking for the artist's integrity to create a project and then summarily ignoring that input - all these things try to devalue what makes a project TRUE.
The irony - it simply radiates the "suit mentality" of stupidity by the company, the conductor, the director, the arranger, the composer that they really are NOT artists and have no real sense of artistic value.
We, as artists need to know our worth. We need to LIVE our worth. We need to recognize when others want to devalue that worth and WALK AWAY.
When a project chooses (and it is a choice) to devalue the worth of an artist, or to devalue the artistic value of a project to put bums in the seats, to spite someone, to use nepotism to bring in someone who truly, artistically, shouldn't be there - this ultimately shows the lack of artistic presence/value/integrity of said project.
It also amplifies the lack of artistic commitment from the organization.
If you truly are about artistic value, and artistic excellence, wouldn't you want the BEST you could achieve in a project?
To me, that is common sense. I recognize common sense is going the way of the dinosaur.
Common sense, along with artistic values just seem to not exist within many projects.
Ego, self-absorption and attitude seem to prevail too often than not.
When we put ego/false pride and self-possessiveness before the artistic value of a project - the project ultimately fails.
It fails, because it is FALSE. It reveals no artistic truth. What it reveals is the lack of understanding, commitment and lack of artistic character.
Make no mistake - some who call themselves "artists" are simply suits posing as artists. When the clothing is stripped, there stands a poser who is really neither suit nor artist. They go where the wind blows them. They have no artistic integrity nor sense of character. Spineless in fact.
As artists, we have to find the core of self and rely on that - not on the bright and shiny.
If it looks too good to be true - it probably is.
If there are promises, chances are there are not.
The lack of artistic value/loyalty/character will promise anything and say anything to get what they want in the moment, and summarily dismiss the artist when that moment is over.
It truly is a pimp mentality.
Sad indeed.
Again, as I have said before, being an artist has NOTHING to do with being an artist making a living in the business.
It is indeed IMPERATIVE to recognize what you stand for and why in order for you to make it clear what your boundaries are.
Artistic value only has weight when it is lived and breathed. The true artist does that. The true artist holds weight because he/she stands for something LARGER and in fact, shines a very bright light on those that are posing. Those posers don't like to be revealed.
We take on a larger and more dangerous position when we choose to stand for truth. We take the chance to be ignored and dismissed - not because we cannot do the job, or cannot bring artistic value to a project, but because we are just a little too real for the lack of reality that runs the project.
To those that welcome TRUTH, I salute you. To those that can put ego aside to reveal the artistic value of a project, THIS IS ART.
To those who dismiss artists due to their own ego and insecurities - you are the ones that seem to work so hard not to be seen. Ironically, we all see you for what you are and you stand for nothing real or true, and should be ashamed of yourselves. Sadly, you won't be ashamed because your egos and attitude are larger than your talent could ever be, and you will continue to try to dismiss those who really hold truth and value. You are not artists.
Artists - continue to demand value: of yourselves, and of others. Bring the authenticity of your art to the table. If you are dismissed, you just bought that dismissal due to your truth and their lack of it.
You can walk away with your head held high - because you stand for something real.
Who really values the artist? And what is artistic value?
Many of you are laughing - along with me. When did value have anything to do with anything in this business? When did LOYALTY of artist have anything to do with anything?
It doesn't. Sadly.
The value of the artist and the artistic value of that artist has to begin with self.
The integrity of an artist has to begin with the artist and what they bring to their craft. NO ONE can devalue that.
Many try. Many try to devalue the artist through many means: "putting an artist in their place" - by not hiring them, by promising things and then breaking those promises, by asking for the artist's integrity to create a project and then summarily ignoring that input - all these things try to devalue what makes a project TRUE.
The irony - it simply radiates the "suit mentality" of stupidity by the company, the conductor, the director, the arranger, the composer that they really are NOT artists and have no real sense of artistic value.
We, as artists need to know our worth. We need to LIVE our worth. We need to recognize when others want to devalue that worth and WALK AWAY.
When a project chooses (and it is a choice) to devalue the worth of an artist, or to devalue the artistic value of a project to put bums in the seats, to spite someone, to use nepotism to bring in someone who truly, artistically, shouldn't be there - this ultimately shows the lack of artistic presence/value/integrity of said project.
It also amplifies the lack of artistic commitment from the organization.
If you truly are about artistic value, and artistic excellence, wouldn't you want the BEST you could achieve in a project?
To me, that is common sense. I recognize common sense is going the way of the dinosaur.
Common sense, along with artistic values just seem to not exist within many projects.
Ego, self-absorption and attitude seem to prevail too often than not.
When we put ego/false pride and self-possessiveness before the artistic value of a project - the project ultimately fails.
It fails, because it is FALSE. It reveals no artistic truth. What it reveals is the lack of understanding, commitment and lack of artistic character.
Make no mistake - some who call themselves "artists" are simply suits posing as artists. When the clothing is stripped, there stands a poser who is really neither suit nor artist. They go where the wind blows them. They have no artistic integrity nor sense of character. Spineless in fact.
As artists, we have to find the core of self and rely on that - not on the bright and shiny.
If it looks too good to be true - it probably is.
If there are promises, chances are there are not.
The lack of artistic value/loyalty/character will promise anything and say anything to get what they want in the moment, and summarily dismiss the artist when that moment is over.
It truly is a pimp mentality.
Sad indeed.
Again, as I have said before, being an artist has NOTHING to do with being an artist making a living in the business.
It is indeed IMPERATIVE to recognize what you stand for and why in order for you to make it clear what your boundaries are.
Artistic value only has weight when it is lived and breathed. The true artist does that. The true artist holds weight because he/she stands for something LARGER and in fact, shines a very bright light on those that are posing. Those posers don't like to be revealed.
We take on a larger and more dangerous position when we choose to stand for truth. We take the chance to be ignored and dismissed - not because we cannot do the job, or cannot bring artistic value to a project, but because we are just a little too real for the lack of reality that runs the project.
To those that welcome TRUTH, I salute you. To those that can put ego aside to reveal the artistic value of a project, THIS IS ART.
To those who dismiss artists due to their own ego and insecurities - you are the ones that seem to work so hard not to be seen. Ironically, we all see you for what you are and you stand for nothing real or true, and should be ashamed of yourselves. Sadly, you won't be ashamed because your egos and attitude are larger than your talent could ever be, and you will continue to try to dismiss those who really hold truth and value. You are not artists.
Artists - continue to demand value: of yourselves, and of others. Bring the authenticity of your art to the table. If you are dismissed, you just bought that dismissal due to your truth and their lack of it.
You can walk away with your head held high - because you stand for something real.
Brava!!!
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