"All bad poetry springs from genuine feeling. To be natural is to be obvious, and to be obvious is to be inartistic" Oscar Wilde1
I find myself in a world where to be different is to be respected, however the goal for all my peers is shared; the shared goal to differentiate. I do not wish conform to how we fight for our names to be pinned one day to an overpriced piece of art that does not represent ourselves, but as a farce to be successful; unrepresentative of true emotion or thought. My art comes from the conflict I have with my ambition. However, I find myself in a spiral of confusion as to where to draw the line in representing myself, and being original. Chances are somebody has thought like me before, and to think as I think would leave me as a follower of someone who purely had the luck to have been born before me, or had my thoughts at a younger age. My thought process which leads to my art finds a home as the self exploration gives birth to a new form of art; an art which truly represents my thoughts and vision. 2
There is another conflict between the school taught technical skills and the true art which lies in people. Would Michelangelo have painted the ceiling of the Sistine chapel if he hadn’t the technical skill to draw a circle freehand for Pope Sixtus IV? The images would have never left Michelangelo's mind had he the hands of a butcher. Which begs the question, how much more art had died within people who hadn’t the skills to share it with the world. Where does the artist end and the engineer begin? Or the wordsmith take heed over the illiterate, but brilliant philosopher? Perhaps the artist had the potential but not the ambition, and the greatest artistic minds have died without discovery.3
My problem is this: whilst true originality does exist, it is not as important as the artists work, or perhaps even the journey the artist took to reach that point. Whilst the potential geniuses who did not have the ambition, therefore did not have the need to fake, are truer to their art than anybody, but nobody will ever know. So as an artist, I may be writing about things that have been thought before by others, and perhaps with more clarity and vision, but it is not as important as the words which I put forward as mine, that are a true representation of me. That is my art.4
Author notes
This may appear to literary diarrhea, and for the most part it is.
For no part does the 'essay' represent anything i beleive in, rather than an exercise to improve my wordplay. As it needs alot of work.
A contest entry
- Imagination by MidniteRockers.
370 points, ended December 17, 2008, 107 entries
• next story in this contest, remove from contest
Comments
1 - 12 of 12
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kind of agree with your author notes
Remember that Oscar was only playing with words. Nothing that he ever said, or wrote was meant to be taken seriously. He liked to mess around, then laugh at people trying to analyse it. Sort of a Kurt Cobain figure really.
The only thing that you need to know is that art is hard work. Nothing is easy in this life and most people fail. When you embrace failure then you are happy. Vincent Van Gogh knew that he was good, we all know that now. But he couldn't deal with his failure. His failure was a success and the only true critic of a piece of art (yes my own writing is included) is the author/painter him/her self.
One last thing.
I know only one thing, and that is that i know nothing.
. Rewarded 8
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Yeah you cant take Oscar seriousely, he wrote (and lived) for comedic purposes which makes referencing him like referencing Monty Pythons parrot sketch in a legal paper on returning faulty items.
For no part does the 'essay' represent anything i beleive in, rather than an exercise to improve my wordplay. As it needs alot of work.
(actually ill put that in my auther notes.)
Thanks for the feedback and good use of the Socrates quote.
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Wow, that was amazing. You're right about Michelangelo, if he hadn't been born with the right hands, even with his originality would he have become famous?
Art is expressing, not just shallow pictures. Even in the most simple of objects there is depth, feeling. This is sort of inspirational, it makes you think.
Philosophy interests me greatly, even if most of the time it runs through one ear and out the other. You really did a great job on this.
Great Job.
P.S Take out 'End' at the bottom, it's really random. Lol, sorry.
. Rewarded 8
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wow your totally right! I know exactly what you were tyring to say through this... well done!
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That is actually so nonsensical I completely understand it.
Sad.
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Needs a bit of editing, but the idea and questions you pose are something I often ask myself? What exactly is an original thought or story line for that matter? I read somewhere once, I can't remember where at the moment, that there are only 7 basic story lines ... and if you think about it, it really is so.
Regards
Bernice. Rewarded 6
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Curious. I like it - philosophy is one of my many, many hobbies. The depiction of the inner conflict is perfect, not to mention beautifully portrayed. You have a certain knack for making obvious what seems to intangible.
I've considered the same ideas, myself. And, in a way, it's made me paranoid (
). But, I believe that, in the end, we are whoever we decided we are. And our art is whatever we do with our hearts.
Great piece. Good work.
. Rewarded 8
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lo
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You gave me permission to do an in-depth review, so here goes the grammar tips. Take them or leave them as you pleae, but I do hope that these points will make this easier to read and understand. I just used elipses (...) to show where your text continues.
do not define my self as a painter, my--s/b do not define myself as a painter. My...
takes form long before the before the brush--s/b takes form long before the brush...
So I do not wish conform to the way---s/b I do not wish to conform...
However I find myself in a spiral ---s/b However, I find myself in a spiral...
representing myself, and being original, chances are---s/b representing myself, and being original. Chances...
Para 2 is a bit awkward. You may want to break the long sentence up. I lost its meaning by the time I finished reading it.
never left Michelangelo mind---s/b Michelangelo's mind
Which begs the question how much---s/b Which begs the question, how much...
My problem is this whilst true---s/b My problem is this: whilst true...
truer to their art than anybody. But nobody---s/b truer to their art than anybody, but nobody...
I wish you well in the contest. Can you tell I used to be a newspaper editor, once upon a time?
Write On!
Beth -
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Many thanks!
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This sounds like the thoughts that go through my mind sometimes. Well, except I don't paint or draw very well. I always joke with my friends and coworkers, "Give me a picture and I can spin a story, but don't ask me to draw the picture."
Thanks for sharing this. I like it when someone can scope out their deep thoughts and them into words.
God's speed to you in the contest.
If you want more in-depth editing, let me know. I saw a few things that could be fixed.
Write On!
Beth
. Rewarded 8
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thanks.
i would like some editing, i have a hard time editing my own writings.
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