"Remember that there are parts of what it most concerns you to know which I cannot describe to you; you must come with me and see for yourself. The vision is for him who will see it."
Plotinus said that more than 1,500 years ago. In two sentences, he has described the very core of art. Voice, vision - I have used both words interchangeably in this blog. The point is all artists must do two things...make and share. When I was a young artist (like all young artists), I tended to borrow what I wanted to share from older, greater, more mature artists. How could it be otherwise? I had skill but little experience. As I've aged, that has changed. With mastery, it's all me. Whether quoting in my work a beautifully painted passage from Piero Della Francesca (Florence 15th century) or Clifford Still (America 20th century) I make it mine. This is what Picasso was referring to when he said, in his typically pugnacious way, "Mediocre artist borrow, great artist steal!"
Does this mean that I think every artist's personal voice is ultimately somehow stolen? Is this a paradox, or worse, an irony? You can't steal what's given to you. No matter how ingeniously crafted or elusive a great work of art is, no matter how shy or evasive an artist is, what's ultimately created is meant to be shared.
"The vision is for him who will see it."
Adrian
No comments:
Post a Comment