BETWEEN HEAVEN & HELL
April 6, 2024
ON ART, RESPONSIBILITY AND MEANING
Listen to audio recording.
1/12
Is there a philosophy to art, one eternally valid, one eternally powerful, one enriched with meaning and purpose, one that holds even unto death?
Philosophy beyond senseless wandering, beyond empty words devoid of meaning, a philosophy and not a god, but quite on the contrary, something very close to the heart of a struggling artist who at the bottom is asking ‘why’.
So, ‘why art’ ladies and gentlemen?
2/12
Indeed, I should have asked myself such questions seriously a long time ago, long before dark clouds of pessimism took over the mind.
Where does one find the answer?—and the light of a new day.
At last, the eyes attune to darkness and what was invisible becomes visible. Behold, an anti-nihilistic view, one that is world affirming, most highly spirited and alive.
This is the remaking of creative life, the enigma that has consumed the very essence of my thought.
3/12
To answer the questions, or at least make an attempt to do so, we shall first deal with the problems of pessimism and nothingness.
One may find the problem of pessimism fade with acceptance and love of one’s own fate. I do not mean it as a mere intellectual understanding, blind optimism or passive resignation, but instead a change of heart.
With love of one’s own fate, beyond gratitude, one comes to terms with what was and what is. This is acceptance and affirmation of life in its totality—even in the face of suffering and destruction.
In essence, this approach calls for finding the good in every circumstance—a habit that one can develop. Artwork is trash? Great, gained insight. Lost client? Opportunity to build new connection. AI is taking over? Time to find more of myself.
4/12
The problem of nothingness—a lack of meaning—may on the other hand find resolve through hardening of the will. When highest values devalue themselves, values need changing. This requires cultivation of strength. If you create art for entertainment industry in order to make a living, find success, and all the good and bad that comes with it and you experience a loss of meaning, then your value system needs changing. In order to find meaning, unless you are content, you have to find more of yourself—more of what you value. What do you value? You may find yourself lost in the maze of possibilities and until you are able to make a choice and stand by it, you will find yourself searching with no end in sight.
5/12
Art is an extension of your life, your core beliefs, your values. What are you trying to communicate? And why? Is there a need for a change? Perhaps there’s more of you locked inside. New ways are always hard, be hard. How? Through unyielding will and love of fate.
6/11
Artists, creators, poetic souls! Your art holds significant influence over human emotion and psyche, and is a profound catalyst for cognitive and emotional responses. Stories we tell ourselves and others shape who we are and what we become. Art is part of the becoming, sometimes sole driver of growth and transformation. It partakes in ordering of values, and as such emerges as a commanding force shaping the very essence of the human soul. The world is in constant change, virtue is relative, and the soul needs guidance accordingly.
7/12
Immature art lacks meaning and holds no responsibility. It lures you unto false paths and devalues what is valuable, ‘I will’ has no say. Artists consequentially hold responsibility for the over-all development of men.
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Behold, freedom has been bestowed upon you to create as free spirits, but for thousand times over you denied it and you continue to deny it; gates have opened, but you shut yourselves in, enslaved by some base desire or weakness of the will. Where is the unlocking of potential? Continual overcoming? Strengthening of the will?—the greatest adventure of one’s life. Entertainment industry is not everything, find more of yourself.
9/12
Art is inherently an abstraction of reality—a spectrum with two extremes on each side and a golden mean. Too much abstraction and art feels disassociated, making it difficult for viewers to engage with or understand. Conversely, an absence of abstraction can result in art that feels overly imitative, lacking authenticity and vitality. This can be perhaps most vividly recognized in Apollonian art—in words, paintings, sculptures. What is too much and what is too little? Where is the golden mean? Something to be discovered by each individual, nevertheless, an important part in creation.
10/12
In Aristotle’s metaphysics everything moves towards a Final Cause (Thelos), everything has potential, you and your art included. Process of change is the very essence of becoming. All natural processes have their natural ends—they move towards order, everything has a purpose. Acorn grows into a sprout that grows into an oak tree—natural processes with their potency. Art creation can also be seen as an ordered, purposeful change, with inherent natural potency, there is natural potential in art.
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What an artist does is discover natural potentials in the physical elements of the world. Digital artist discovers possibilities of pixels on screen, sculptor possibilities of form in a piece of marble, musicians in physics of sound and so on. Art becomes a matter of discovery, and an artist's creativity is found in the discovery of the potential and possibilities.
12/12
In the light of a new day, beyond darkness, with clear sight and an eye for the development of men, creators are free to actualize those potentials. I call to you: actualize with strength and unyielding will. Challenge yourself and do the things that you don’t want to do, but you know are good for you. Through discipline each day his power grows, in growing he takes a step, in growing the world shakes—echoing awesomeness!