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| "Birds on a Wire" 2009, acrylic paint |
This is a tricky article to write without getting very ironic, and not in a good way. So I'm just going to share a short story about this old painting I made.
It originally started out as a commentary about how teenagers in my age group spent more time on their electronic devices instead of interacting with each other and the world around them. It was supposed to be satirical, comparing that group to birds on a wire, sitting still and not saying anything to one another.
Not getting that vibe from this painting? Neither did I.
Truth is, this was the first (and last) time I set out to make a point with my artwork. In part because the point completely flopped. By the time I had finished, I thought it looked slightly comical and, well... fun. I wanted to join this group of friends listening to music on a bridge. So in a strange twist of irony, I was schooled by the piece I tried to school others with.
And I vowed to never be so pretentious again.
So many times, art can be a powerful tool to make a statement. It speaks to people on a level that perhaps plain words cannot, be it music, art, or a story. So the temptation exists to abuse that power. However, most people don't like to be told things. If they catch even a whiff that you're trying to scold them about something they'll put up their defenses.
Additionally, forcing a point tends to feel... forced.
It's far better to make art that means something to you and then let any statements that people take away from it be incidental. If what you make is authentic, is honest, what you believe will bleed through it in an honest way, and people will not feel like you are ramming your point of view down their throat.
So make art! Be creative! But bear in mind that a soapbox is a slippery place to stand.