The fine arts and the martial arts
are sometimes seen as antithetical, but they stem from the same tree. They are both lifestyles that require commitment and discipline. It’s a mistake to take art too lightly. An artist is a warrior, a soldier
finding the strength to fight on behalf of the unborn, the unrealized, and the
impossible. The artist is an absurd soldier, but a soldier nonetheless.
Soldiers fight for something, but
more importantly they fight for someone. As an artist, though, it's complicated to say who is friend or foe. The war artists are
involved in is a battle against the deadening aspects of life. Artists fight against
corporatism. Artists fight against totalitarianism. Artists fight on behalf of
those who are vulnerable and unable to withstand the seasons of change.
Being an artist, to me, simply means taking on
that role. If you take up the fight against monoculture and stand up for
difference by working creatively, then you are on the side of art. It isn’t about having
some special talent or some innate natural ability. It has to do with
principles and deciding what is most important to work for in life.
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