December 21 14 / day 354

Confession

OK – so i’d like to confess something which may offend you… I like other peoples art. I know… it’s shocking, but it’s true.

As an artist, I don’t believe that anyone has ‘rights’ over a style (‘technique’)… I believe that style is something you adapt, if you have the skill to do so, to your own natural requirements, and if not, you end up stranded on your own personal Hell, reproducing art that is not only unsatisfying, but utter shite.

In by-gone days, artists were trained as apprentices. They were encouraged to copy the work of their Masters… to learn from the generation before. It’s only now, in the American generation that people are so concerned with ‘copyright’ and ownership of ’style’. It makes me sick.

Style is not a right, it’s a privilege, something you have learnt from the people that came before you. If you think you’re original… I hate to break it to you, you’re not. Look within yourself… are you influenced by others? Do you like art? Do you like movies? Do you like music? I bet you can’t answer ‘No’ to any of those questions…

If a person paints a copy of a piece of work and passed it off as their own, sure, you have a right to complain. But you don’t have a right to style… If you’re arrogant enough to think that you’re the origin of a ’style’ then you’re nothing more than a delusional prick. Style is something that is developed over decades, is subtle, it’s influence is minimal… it’s use is what’s important. How you interpret that style is what makes your art important, once you realise this, style at this point is immaterial.

This entry was posted in Art, Daily, Thoughts. Bookmark the permalink.