Behind the piece
I have read a lot about inspiration lately. In
artist interviews, in blog posts, people asking each other. Where does it come
from, how do you use it, are you inspired by one sort of thing only or several
… for me it's hard to say.
I think I'm inspired by everything around me.
But often as soon as I finish something, I don't necessarily remember what was
behind it. I know that once I made pumpkin soup and I remember that I had to
create something right after lunch. I had stared into the soup and … and … kick
me if you want, but I don't know anymore what it did to me. It didn't matter,
you know.
I guess I used it all up to get my head empty
again for the next spark. And it's not because I have a bad memory. I store a
lot of useless and useful stuff in my head, but not the pumpkin soup item. One
thing is for sure, I have never made a pumpkin (although I do have something
popping up in my mind right now!) and there's no soup necklace, ring or
bracelet in my inventory ;-)
The inspiration behind a piece. The story
behind a piece. The thought behind a piece. And maybe sometimes the secret
behind a piece?
In art class and in German class we had to do
picture descriptions. I failed miserably at that. Once my teacher asked me what
color the shelf in a painting was. I stuttered and as she thought I hadn't paid
attention, she asked me what the question had been. Much to her surprise I told
her and she repeated her question. I answered „Brown.“ Ah, her face. What she
had looked for was „golden brown“. Ehm? Sorry, not to me.
Had she asked me, though, to write a story
about those two people in the picture, I could have done it. My fantasy always
took me places, just not necessarily the ones other wanted or expected me to
go.
And why did I have to describe what the artist
had intended to show with his or her painting, poem or story? I could have told
them what influence it had on me, what it made me want to do or make or say.
It's the same with my pieces. Let me take one
example – the glove. The story behind the glove has been a long one. What
others see in the glove, might not be what I've seen or what I see. Sometimes
perspective changes while making something. A challenge at first, without
deeper meaning, but in the end a sculpture, cool to some, creepy to others.
If you were an artist whose pieces are in a
museum, wouldn't you like to be a mouse hiding nearby? To hear what people
think of your work, how they interpret it, if they wrap their own story around
it? It could hurt, but you might learn a lot.
By now you might wonder what is the thought
behind this piece. Is it pure rambling or am I trying to say something?
What do YOU think? ;-)
Loved that! It is so true! Great story! ;)
ReplyDelete