Art.
Its subjectivity allows it to ebb and flow in a million different ways. Art is a form of expression. An emotion. A beautiful catastrophe. A fleeting moment. A preserved eternity. Art is whatever the artist wishes it to be. It serves as a powerful commanding voice for those who cannot be heard. It brings warmth to those who need comfort. It gives purpose to those who are lost. Art is therapeutic, until it isn't.
Art has stood the test of time by molding and conforming itself to society. From time immemorial it has served as a form of recreation and expression. Painting, pottery, weaving,jewelry making, dance, developed into more niche and diverse crafts that we know today such as filmmaking, photography, music production, writing and digital art. It has flowed with ease and grace, managing to stay relevant by forming different streams of profession. Allowing one to profit off of their talents and joys.
While this may seem like a blessing, at most times it is quite the opposite. The competitive and destructive atmosphere of the vicious entertainment and media industry has caused the downfall of many trying artists, while simultaneously crafting the ideology of unimaginable perfection and brilliance. Which seems quite inhumanly possible.
Enter the artistic prodigy. That being who from the ripe age during childhood had early on discovered their hidden talents. That child who was told that they were gifted with a talent and from that moment on, instilled in their brain that they had something to prove to society, to their parents, their coaches, their peers. But maybe it was never something they enjoyed for themselves? If it was, maybe it got lost, maybe it fell behind in the dust on the long, tiresome road to success.
The Aspiring Artist. Who was once fueled with a desire to perform and a passion to create. Who strived for the ultimate success. Whose ambitions caused them to leap at the sun but whose perfectionism only caused them burns. Their ravenous hunger to always be better and their constant dissatisfaction with their current state, it created the mirage that their practice was their source of negativity, and made them lose sight of the fact that it was their initial source of joy.
Sources of information:
https://www.quora.com/What-makes-an-artist-obsessive
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24724524/
Two examples of obsessive artists portrayed in the media. Black Swan (left) and Whiplash (right)
Very well written bachche. Keep writing
Keneisha, your indepth study of art & it's artist/s from varied walks of life, speaks volumes of your mature approach to the inherent skill in mankind that heralds awe & much joy for both it's creator & those who witness it.
Such is the beauty of the subject of your blog~> 'art'.
It makes me wonder if art is a divine intervention or inspiration that knocks on one's door or the result of ebb & flow of life?