Speak Out: Art ~To Express or To Impress
By Trishna Patnaik
ART TIMES April 2015 online
What is Art? Is it a platform to express or a platform to impress? Is it a tool to attain inner peace or a tool to make an impact? Is it a creation made to express feelings or a creation made to analyze feelings?
We all should understand Art at a deeper level. I am here to put forth my point of view only and leave a thought with you. Is the way we look at art the ideal way?
I have put forth a Do’s and Don’ts list and made it a point not to sound preachy!
DO’s
1) Don’t Play Safe- Let me make an artwork which is safe!
2) Don’t consider what ‘OTHERS’ will feel- What will they think about my artwork?
3) Be Honest
4) Don’t compare- Only God is original
5) Be Raw- This will lead to experiments both successful and unsuccessful
6) Shed Inhibitions
7) Do what you feel nobody would consider normal- Because there is nothing like ‘NORMAL’
8) Create Magic
9) Gain only confidence through work- Praise and Money will follow
10) Do analyse only NOTHING
DON’TS
1) Be Calculative- How much should I price it, even before creating it
2) Be Perfect- I need the artwork to look perfect to the eye
3) Be Scared- If I put this up it will be judged
4) Be anxious- Is anyone going to look at my artwork?
5) Look for praise- Do you like it? Say it out loud!
6) Search for recognition- It will come to you
7) Search for Success- It will come to you too
8) Be scared of comparisons with others- Is this cubism? Is this expressionism? Don’t defend it, say YES!
9) Be arrogant- Well, I know it all
10)Be commercial- I have charged so much for this artwork as I have used this paint, this brush, this technique etc. I have charged so much for the artwork because I feel it’s a worth that much if not more.
This list may not make us better artists because that we already are. But it will definitely make us better creators! As the whole point of been an artist is to express and not to impress.
(Trishna Patnaik is a Fine Artist and lives in Mumbai, India.)