Really enjoyed this piece. Instinctively, I’ve always had an affinity to create and experience art, but it came with a struggle of trying to rationalise it to my parents and eventually to myself. The hierarchy of engineering/science is a thing in Indian society as well, and art gets framed as a really twisted binary of either frivolous (cute and decorative) or really lofty (you’re blessed/you’re born talented). One core requirement of being as artist today, is that you have to at least believe that your perspective is worthy of the time and effort it takes to shape and share it — which starts to read as ‘arrogant’ and ‘self centred’ to a culture that places a really high value on past collective heritage. Only when I was able to create a space for myself, both physically and mentally, was I truly able to start dismantling some of these assumptions, and engage with art beyond something to be 'studied', but as a practice that is tied to how the world (inner/outer) is perceived and experienced.
"Only when I was able to create a space for myself, both physically and mentally, was I truly able to start dismantling some of these assumptions, and engage with art beyond something to be 'studied', but as a practice that is tied to how the world (inner/outer) is perceived and experienced."
Legend. Thank you for this.
My first hurdle as a writer was whether or not writing was worth my "free" time. And not based on another's take, but based on my internal barometer of "valuable time spent." After all, if I were to chose writing as an activity to do, I was choosing to do it over hiking or reading or some other activity that already proved itself valuable in my mentalscape.
As you note, I too only looked at writing as the result of the effort and whether that result was worthy of what one might call art. That was how I judged the value of the time spent. I did not yet understand the art is simply what comes from creativity. Now, I think I better understand it is the act of creating the art that actually delivers the value.
Creativity to the soul is oxygen to the lungs.
Gratitude is due to you and, of course, Visakan as your words scratched a pesky "middle of the back" subconscious itch. I'll rest easier now.
RE: Content v. Art and "writing being the lowest of arts."
I'm keen to hear more of your thoughts on the difference between content and art.
I took a copy (marketing copy) workshop. They coached us to put the audience first. I had a lot of trouble with this as I wanted to deliver my "art" (i.e. my beautifully arranged words) to the audience, and how could I do that if I had to think about them first. The instructor then asked what the copy was selling --- my writing or the product/service? To me, content is for a specific purpose to a specific audience. Art is for the artist...and hopefully an audience connects with it.
I'd counter and say: Writing is the highest of arts because everyone writes yet so few can write lines of eternity: "To be, or not to be, that is the question."
Loved getting a glimpse at the vibrantly online SG art scene! Really glad that the Tumblr blog is still up too so that the monotype formatting of the poem remains preserved; well worth rereading and reads kinda like corpo e.e. cummings: https://pls-revert.tumblr.com/post/11891449240 (also the comments on the SG reddit post felt rly wholesome to read)
The last paragraph has me sitting with my culture's digitally and physically artistic footprints and how that informs my relationship to art, might write up a note to investigate further we'll see
Lee Kuan Yew's "poetry is a luxury we cannot afford" oozes irony with how he suppressed art from the top through art itself. A garbage art used to worship science set the concrete through which wallflowers blossomed. Enough wallflowers can make for a wall of flowers more seen and sentimental than if they had no struggle nor scaffolding to start with. Enduring that process of feeling and failing no matter the circumstances seems priceless. When done masterfully, it could even render material goods like concrete and money largely inconsequential. With how us human beings know each other best, reciprocating art at any or all registers appears so crucial to keeping us not only alive, but thriving.
Really enjoyed this piece. Instinctively, I’ve always had an affinity to create and experience art, but it came with a struggle of trying to rationalise it to my parents and eventually to myself. The hierarchy of engineering/science is a thing in Indian society as well, and art gets framed as a really twisted binary of either frivolous (cute and decorative) or really lofty (you’re blessed/you’re born talented). One core requirement of being as artist today, is that you have to at least believe that your perspective is worthy of the time and effort it takes to shape and share it — which starts to read as ‘arrogant’ and ‘self centred’ to a culture that places a really high value on past collective heritage. Only when I was able to create a space for myself, both physically and mentally, was I truly able to start dismantling some of these assumptions, and engage with art beyond something to be 'studied', but as a practice that is tied to how the world (inner/outer) is perceived and experienced.
"Only when I was able to create a space for myself, both physically and mentally, was I truly able to start dismantling some of these assumptions, and engage with art beyond something to be 'studied', but as a practice that is tied to how the world (inner/outer) is perceived and experienced."
Legend. Thank you for this.
My first hurdle as a writer was whether or not writing was worth my "free" time. And not based on another's take, but based on my internal barometer of "valuable time spent." After all, if I were to chose writing as an activity to do, I was choosing to do it over hiking or reading or some other activity that already proved itself valuable in my mentalscape.
As you note, I too only looked at writing as the result of the effort and whether that result was worthy of what one might call art. That was how I judged the value of the time spent. I did not yet understand the art is simply what comes from creativity. Now, I think I better understand it is the act of creating the art that actually delivers the value.
Creativity to the soul is oxygen to the lungs.
Gratitude is due to you and, of course, Visakan as your words scratched a pesky "middle of the back" subconscious itch. I'll rest easier now.
🎩
Big fan of this piece. Thank you!
RE: Content v. Art and "writing being the lowest of arts."
I'm keen to hear more of your thoughts on the difference between content and art.
I took a copy (marketing copy) workshop. They coached us to put the audience first. I had a lot of trouble with this as I wanted to deliver my "art" (i.e. my beautifully arranged words) to the audience, and how could I do that if I had to think about them first. The instructor then asked what the copy was selling --- my writing or the product/service? To me, content is for a specific purpose to a specific audience. Art is for the artist...and hopefully an audience connects with it.
I'd counter and say: Writing is the highest of arts because everyone writes yet so few can write lines of eternity: "To be, or not to be, that is the question."
Loved getting a glimpse at the vibrantly online SG art scene! Really glad that the Tumblr blog is still up too so that the monotype formatting of the poem remains preserved; well worth rereading and reads kinda like corpo e.e. cummings: https://pls-revert.tumblr.com/post/11891449240 (also the comments on the SG reddit post felt rly wholesome to read)
The last paragraph has me sitting with my culture's digitally and physically artistic footprints and how that informs my relationship to art, might write up a note to investigate further we'll see
Lee Kuan Yew's "poetry is a luxury we cannot afford" oozes irony with how he suppressed art from the top through art itself. A garbage art used to worship science set the concrete through which wallflowers blossomed. Enough wallflowers can make for a wall of flowers more seen and sentimental than if they had no struggle nor scaffolding to start with. Enduring that process of feeling and failing no matter the circumstances seems priceless. When done masterfully, it could even render material goods like concrete and money largely inconsequential. With how us human beings know each other best, reciprocating art at any or all registers appears so crucial to keeping us not only alive, but thriving.