I said yesterday that art and narcissism go hand-in-hand, and I'm here today to explain this probably controversial theory.
Controversial, that is, to anyone who is not a serious artist, or that invested in the art community.
Art takes many forms: the various types of painting, sculpting, drawing, writing, poetry, game design, theatre, film, television, etc.. It is all art. What drives all artists, no matter the genre, is the burning belief that they have something to share with the world. They believe that there are people out in the wide world that are interested in what they are creating, and will invest their precious time, and even more precious money, into consuming those creations.
Hell, I'll be extra honest: I know that people will experience emotional revelations from my work. Because I experience emotional revelations from my work. And if I can experience something like that from the art that I myself have created, I know that other people will. People always experience emotions from something new.
To be successful in these fields, and I am no where near a success (I will be), you need that undying belief to be able to put yourself in the line of fire. You need to believe that what you are creating is important. Without that belief, whatever you have created will sit on a shelf gathering dust until one of your descendants finds it long after you are dead.
This insane belief that people want what you're creating helps to deal the stress too, because being an artist, especially at the start of a career, is one of the most stressful things you can do. You know that what you're creating is important and groundbreaking, but is the rest of the world intelligent enough to realize it? Is the rest of humanity advanced enough to realize what is happening? These things are impossible to know until you finally take that leap of faith.
Devoting your life to your art is a daunting prospect. One that I am facing right now. I know that authors face rejection on a daily basis, I know that many authors struggle for years before they get their first break. Do I have the mental fortitude to do this?
I'm not a confidant person. I have very low self-esteem. Except when it comes to my work. To my art. I don't give a fuck about what you say about me, but as soon as you mock my art, I will end you. My art is my child. It is what I am proud of in this life. It is what brings me joy. It is what truly allows me to be myself. To be free and escape from the capitalist hellhole that is modern life.
I know that my art is important to the world. I know that the stories I'm going to tell are going to make a difference in people's lives. I know that what I create will be important.
These beliefs, coupled with the confidence in one's art, is a type of narcissism. A very necessary type. I never argue with people when they call me a narcissist, I simply agree.
Controversial, that is, to anyone who is not a serious artist, or that invested in the art community.
Art takes many forms: the various types of painting, sculpting, drawing, writing, poetry, game design, theatre, film, television, etc.. It is all art. What drives all artists, no matter the genre, is the burning belief that they have something to share with the world. They believe that there are people out in the wide world that are interested in what they are creating, and will invest their precious time, and even more precious money, into consuming those creations.
The average person doesn't think that way. The average person doesn't behave so selfishly to make people spend money on something that could boil down to ink and pulp. But artists do.
I'm an artist. I believe that there are people who want to read what I write, who want to watch what I film and perform, and I believe that there are people who will experience profound emotions upon experiencing my various works.Hell, I'll be extra honest: I know that people will experience emotional revelations from my work. Because I experience emotional revelations from my work. And if I can experience something like that from the art that I myself have created, I know that other people will. People always experience emotions from something new.
To be successful in these fields, and I am no where near a success (I will be), you need that undying belief to be able to put yourself in the line of fire. You need to believe that what you are creating is important. Without that belief, whatever you have created will sit on a shelf gathering dust until one of your descendants finds it long after you are dead.
This insane belief that people want what you're creating helps to deal the stress too, because being an artist, especially at the start of a career, is one of the most stressful things you can do. You know that what you're creating is important and groundbreaking, but is the rest of the world intelligent enough to realize it? Is the rest of humanity advanced enough to realize what is happening? These things are impossible to know until you finally take that leap of faith.
Devoting your life to your art is a daunting prospect. One that I am facing right now. I know that authors face rejection on a daily basis, I know that many authors struggle for years before they get their first break. Do I have the mental fortitude to do this?
I'm not a confidant person. I have very low self-esteem. Except when it comes to my work. To my art. I don't give a fuck about what you say about me, but as soon as you mock my art, I will end you. My art is my child. It is what I am proud of in this life. It is what brings me joy. It is what truly allows me to be myself. To be free and escape from the capitalist hellhole that is modern life.
I know that my art is important to the world. I know that the stories I'm going to tell are going to make a difference in people's lives. I know that what I create will be important.
These beliefs, coupled with the confidence in one's art, is a type of narcissism. A very necessary type. I never argue with people when they call me a narcissist, I simply agree.
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