It’s no wonder that myths have always been an inspiration to anyone open for a little more research. Despite the fact that in most cases truth is being affected by outsiders, that kind of stories are by themselves highly intriguing. The people behind them are each one alone unique with different backgrounds, all sharing a mystery around them. But as time moved on and as some facts behind those myths came to surface, even though the extravaganza partly disappears, the respect for most of those people stays the same. Because what they did was to make their stand, choosing a side no matter the cost.
Due to the online-offline duality that exists everywhere today, one may say that there isn’t enough room for obscurity as people are being constantly ‘watched’ by social media sites. It is true that most of us wouldn’t manage to do without them for a few weeks, as they have now become part of our daily routine. But despite their great value in terms of communication and information, they have also created a new kind of detachment in people’s lives. The connection that one should have with his inner self tends to constantly lose ground, so he gradually turns into a passive observer of things.
In terms of art, what one tries to achieve by creating it is nothing else but communication and expression. Art acts as a messenger, not only liberating the creator from his feelings, exposing himself to the world, but communicating with other people what he wouldn’t be able to express in words otherwise. If we were to combine all these roles and end up with a single definition of what this is that people are taking and talking so seriously about, that would be the term ‘vision’. Whenever we get into the world of a painting, a photograph or that of a musical piece, what actually happens is that the artist’s vision is being shared with us, either consciously or subconsciously.
Sometimes artists need silence to the same extent they need constant passion, a form of silence that one can’t find online. There is obscurity to be expressed but there aren’t many chances for an artist to stay obscure when at the same time he has to handle his own management. Personally I do believe that the whole process of art making lies in the moment of creation and that what comes next has less meaning, but I also think that one’s work needs to be shared. Whether he makes a living out of it or not, one needs to stay devoted to his work if he’s willing to take it seriously.
Some confuse art with the act of having a fun time. I’m not saying that art shouldn’t be used for entertainment too, amusement is also important. But from my point of view, this is not art’s primary role. Even since ancient times, art was a strong weapon and should still be used as such. It is the gateway for the artistic vision that one may be possessed with, a way for ideas to be shared not in a sense of propaganda, but in a way of involving individual thinking as well. One needs to make his stand today, to speak clearly straight from the inside. Art should once again regain its true strength and be used for the greater good, not just for business.
Photography by James Chororos
