The Integrity of An Artist

OR

Why you are wrong

I'd like to sincerely thank all of the artists in the world. I'd like to thank all of the writers, painters, sculptors, musicians, chefs, and yes, we magicians. I want to thank all of you for bringing something into the world, that can be seen as beautiful, or looked upon with interest.

And I'd like to offer my deepest condolences for your loss. It's a loss that can rarely be recognized as such, but it is a loss nonetheless. It's a simple thing, and while it can be observed to some degree it is an intangible thing. It's something that can be seen as trivial, or even more regrettably small to the final product of an artist's work. But ones who's absence is both sad and unforgivable. It is the lose of the integrity and vision of an artist, for the profit and pleasure of a spectator.

The very nature and purpose of us, as artists, is to create art. We put out an image, a concept, a piece, and our on lookers are left to perceive it to the best of their ability and interpret it as they see fit.

As artists whose art's nature is to deceive for enjoyment, we are often faced with the challenges of perception. For us, how our effect looks, is often irrelevant to how it is perceived and remembered. So many of us have done our part as artists, created our piece, executed our effect, only for the spectator to see it much differently than it actually happened.

And because of that, the fundamental human flaws in perception and interpretation, we can only hold ourselves accountable for the pieces we create. We can not, allow a spectator whose perception so limited and interpretation so inexact, determine what we, as artists, see in the piece we create. We cannot let a spectator compromise the vision that we see in our piece, or the joy that we take in the creation of something.

We must only create our art, to satisfy ourselves and our own interests. To do anything less turns you from an artist into something less, less of an artist and more of a salesman of art, a pimp of art. By saying that we can only create art to best satisfy our selves is not to say that we can not profit materially from our art. All to many artists have made great livings and large fortunes off of their art and the enjoyment of the patrons who paid for it. And they did so with out compromising their vision.

But yes there have been many artists who prostituted their abilities for profit. Arguably some of the most famous artists, arguably Andy Warhol and even Leonardo Di Vinci. And if they did use their art purely for the sake of martial gain, it matters not who they are to me, I pity them gravely.

To create a piece of art as you see fit, to make or perform an effect to your complete satisfaction, is nothing less than to materialize your view of the universe into a tangible and appreciable form. And that is profound indeed, to create something from your point of view, from your place in the world, so that others may enjoy it.

However, I do not condone creating art for others enjoyment in the least. You create art so that on lookers may enjoy it not so that they can enjoy it. Only when you are truly and honestly satisfied with your art do you enjoy people enjoying your art, and at the same time turn your back to them as they comment on your art.

Once you are satisfied with your art and can take enjoyment at the very fact that you created it, do all other opinions cease to exist. Of course people will comment on your art unless it is so aw inspiring that their mouth ceases to function, but it is a fruitless effort for them. You have done your job as an artist, you have released your art and enjoyed being the one who created it, everything else is irrelevant.

I suppose for me, when I write, or draw, or preform magic, it is because I am dissatisfied with the reality that was given to me, and want to loose myself in a small world of my own creation where that is the only thing that matters. And in doing so whether it be incidental or intentional I create art by the mere practice of it. Because I am satisfied with the final product.

And if you, all of you, all the artists of the world the painters and the writers, the graphic designers and the the chefs, the taxidermists and all of the magicians reading this, to compromise your work to suit the views of others, is the greatest folly to you the artist and your art.

You the artist, are compromised because your vision is lessened. No longer is your vision, the one that you created, the one that you brought into life. It is now the vision of what could be considered a collective, a piece of art to satisfy a demand.

And your art is compromised. Your art is compromised because the very purpose of art is to fulfill your own desires, and in meeting a demand, giving into the comments and criticisms of others, you have compromised the very principles of art itself. Indeed the very "quality" of the art may not be compromised and may even be improved, but a subjective thing such as "quality" can not be speculated or compared. Only the fundamental purposes of art can be used to judge the true quality of a piece and even then, only truly form the create themselves.

Once you are satisfied and show your art to other people it is for your pleasure not theirs. Create your art for your own sake and show it for your own sake. If you are satisfied with your art and think of it as being something that represents the idea that is suppose to embody that art than you have nothing to fear.

If that art is to your satisfaction, than no comment, criticism, advice, or suggestion, is relevant or even useful. Because if you love your art, and think of it as your materialization of a concept, no man's opinion holds any weight, because you like it. And to put it bluntly, to put it in the angsty selfish teenagery tone that I have so often been accused of, screw what they think.

And so I'd like to thank every artist who has ever put out a piece of art that was never compromised or altered to suit another persons tastes or ideas. I'd like to thank you all, not for my sake but for your sake, you've done your job, pat yourself on the back. And to anyone who has read this, found it interesting, you have 3 options.

1. Post a comment
2. Go do something besides options 1 and 3.
3. Go create art.

I'd choose the third option. I've done my job, I'm wholly satisfied with this essay. This is art. And that is joy.

Sincerely, unsympathetically, and angstily,

Keegan

Very ideological and we can take much from it. With that said I have one adjustment for myself, that I'd like to share to the magic community.

This is from the above essay, " . . .to compromise your work to suit the views of others, is the greatest folly to you the artist and your art. "

Perhaps in other arts this may be true. However as a performer I strongly believe we exist to bring enjoyment to others. To lock ourselves in our own world causes us to lose so much to be learned from the audience. When I perform an effect that I think will get a strong reaction and it does not, I've learned to adjust my approach, because without an audience there is no magic.

This can be considered learning and not compromising I suppose. However when I think about not compromising our art I'm immediately reminded of those who audition for American Idol who misguidedly think they have a gift, yet the rest of the world knows they are crazy .

So we must find our style and learn how to share it. Its easy to perform what we think is good. The real growth happens when we share it with others and they are entertained.

Keep thinking

Totally agree. Also, I have spend hours practising something that I thought was great... being a magician... But when performing it for someone it didn't get what I thought would be the proper response. Once you become a magician, you are no longer able to see magic from a layman's perspective. When I buy/study/practise magic today, I always get a layman's second opinion. And NOT my girlfriend cause I find, showing her so much magic by now she is no longer a layman.