How Innovative or Original Can a Successful Artist Be? Essay

Art – How innovative or original can a successful artist be? Art is considered to vary across culture and also through time. Art considered as a masterpiece by this group of people might not even be appreciated by another group of people. Art changes through time and the value of a certain artistic piece might increase or decrease through time. Art is what defines a culture, thus it is regarded by many as the main (not sure we could say this, I think you wanted to say something else)aspect in a culture’s construction. Art function as an emotional gratification for an individual. It also contributes to social integration and it serves as a social control tool. It also preserves or challenges the status quo. Artist will usually have their image or idea embedded into paintings, dances, songs or even poems. These artists are trying to make a symbolic statement through their artwork and sometimes their arts document and convey a vast array of their own experience of life. Very good point However, art changes through time and the symbolic statement made by artists back in their days might not be understood by the modern generation and these arts will start to lose value. Music is the perfect example. The music trend changes through time. Bee Gees used to be a very popular musical group and everyone in the 60’s and 70’s knew them. As time passes, the group faces stiff competition from new and younger artists. It cannot be denied that Bee Gees is one of the most successful groups of all time, but no one can stay popular forever as art changes through time. To the older generation of 60’s and 70’s, the playing of Bee Gees music on radio recalls good old memories but the younger generation would seem to think that Bee Gees can no longer be the voice of their generation and prefer other genre of music. Being innovative or original at a certain era would bring an artist success, but these successes do not last long. good obeservation Music transfers feelings and ideas of the artists. Everyone is able to relate to a certain type of music. One of Michael Jackson’s songs, ‘Heal the World’ was a big hit when it was first released. Jackson said this is the song he was most proud to have created. The music video features children living in countries suffering from unrest, especially in Burundi. This song was used by Jackson as a communication tool to tell the world of the actual reality going on in countries that were still suffering from unrest. ‘Heal the World’ was used as a satire, to ridicule nations who were still in war so that they will change or stop what they are doing. Through this song, Jackson was able to produce an emotional impact and transmitted the knowledge to the public that humans should be the one healing the world and make it a better place for everyone to live in, instead of destroying it. Michael Jackson, being able to adapt to different themes and various genres, this allow him to be original and innovative and has led to him being successful. Even though Jackson has passed away, his music is still being appreciated worldwide. Anthropologists generally agreed that value of an art is based on the role and status of the artists in the community and this is further proven when Jackson’s death did raised the value of his music as he was regarded as the ‘King of Pop’ and his contribution to music, dance and fashion proved to something that will never be forgotten. Today, Van Gogh’s work sells for unprecedented prices and is some of the most treasured and highly sought after in the world. His  Portrait of Dr. Gachet  sold for $82. 5 million in 1990, making it one of the most expensive paintings ever sold. In his time, however, Van Gogh was an unsuccessful, starving artist. He produced more than 2,000 works of art, but sold only two during his lifetime. Van Gogh, suffering from mental illness and further depressed by his lack of success, committed suicide at the age of 37. His post-Impressionist style, filled with emotion, movement and vibrancy, was not popular during his life but would go on to influence decades of artists that followed, and his works remain some of the most highly regarded paintings in modern art. Van Gogh’s art was not appreciated by the people of his time because his artwork wasn’t able to communicate to the public in a way they can related to or learn to relate to. They thought he was just another want-to-be artist who wasn’t going anywhere with his artwork. This also proved that the value of someone’s art is related to the role and status of the artists in the community. Van Gogh didn’t belong to an artist organization or famous art school and his family was neither rich nor famous so he was constantly looked down and no one took him seriously. Jason Mecier creates portraits of famous celebraties using junk, sweets and pills. The San Francisco artist builds collages from unusual materials that he feels suit the personality or life of the subject. The above is a portrait of Amy Winehouse constructed from 5,000 multicolored tablets. Mecier created this portrait to honor the singer’s short life. He captured the tragic star in a poignant pose depicted by colorful medications as part of a series of mosaics inspired by celebrities who battled drug abuse. Jason Mecier used his arts to make a symbolic statement and his symbolic meanings were encoded in the materials and techniques used. He is indirectly transmitting the knowledge that drugs and alcohol abuse are deadly as Amy Winehouse died from alcohol abuse. Mecier, being an innovative and original artist, his portraits were able to gain international attention and have featured for many years in national consumer magazines and prestigious galleries. To say art provides enrichment to humankind is not exaggerating. People have been inspired by thought provoking creations, from Van Gogh’s to Mecier’s art, from Bee Gees to Michael Jackson’s music. However, being innovative and original doesn’t mean you will enjoy instant success. In fact, I think it’s that confluence of commercial success and artistic greatness that makes recent artists so successful. In previous periods, great artists were rejected in their time, but nowadays some great artists are revered in their day, rewarded with wealth and fame, without sacrificing their art.