Thursday, July 5, 2012

Thursday Thoughts...

“All ideas are second-hand, consciously and unconsciously drawn from a million outside sources.” 


Mark Twain on the myth of originality in a letter to his friend Helen Keller, who had been accused of plagiarism.


I think this topic is that one that could be explored over and over, inside out and upside down and all the ways about.  (I also apologise in advance for the weird spacing - html gone mad and I have no idea how to resolve it).

I am not so sure I agree with the notion that ALL idea are second-hand; I truly believe there are moments of inspiration and originality that have never been before.  I do think however, that it's probably true that a lot of our ideas are exactly what he says - consciously and unconsciously drawn from a million outside sources.



Sometimes we are aware of a direct link to something we've seen or talked about and we openly wonder "how can I apply that in my work?" Or we recognise that "I was thinking about snow; or I love that feeling when; or I saw the kettle in that light; or it's just like the dots on the guinea fowl feather" and off we went.


It doesn't happen a lot - but I sometimes come across something that is so directly linked to something I have done I can't believe it.  I made what I thought was quite an original little book several years ago - I cut circles, and folded them in half and stitched some fabric pieces into the middle and then sewed them all so they look like a ball and suspended it so that it turned on a bar. And then a few months later on the front of an exhibition brochure was a circle book, just like that (without the fabric or the suspension), and worst of all, by somebody I had taken lessons from. I died of mortification and pulled the book to pieces. Even tho I had not been taught that book by that person; I imagine I must have seen it in their studio when I was there, and the idea embedded itself in my brain, despite me having no recollection of it all. 


I'm working on the theory that's the unconscious bit Twain speaks of.


Sometimes the unconscious connections are far more subtle and it can take years to realise where the inspiration came from. It's a bit like dreams - waking up in the morning and recalling them, and then wondering 'where on earth did that come from?' and rolling back thru the previous day for anything that might have sparked the weird adventure from your sleep.


There is so much to be in awe of in terms of creativity and where ideas come from - I think Twain got it pretty well right all those years ago. 


There are however,  many other posts that could be written on the whole 'stealing ideas' and plagiarism aspect of this...



I look at this image now and wonder if it had anything to do with Wire Music?  

15 comments:

  1. As you say it is a topic that can be spoken about for hours and I often wonder whether other artists idea rub off on me even though I have no recall of seeing it before. This really worries me! Like you I also like to think that we have original ideas. I can understand using something as a spring board to a new direction but blatant copying makes my blood boil.

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    1. There are so many fine lines in this topic aren't there Robyn? The copying thing is just totally wrong, but the influencing things is so much harder to deal with. I know I am influenced by things and I try really hard to then make sure I make my own work with whatever it was that caught my eye - never a direct link.

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  2. I'm sure they are related. I like the spin round from horizontals to verticals. Melodies and chords.......Very exciting to imagine how they might play. When I next have the fiddle out, I'll play both of these and let you know how they sound.

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    1. Hi Annie - I think they possibly are as well. Took me a while (musical vacuum) to work out where you were headed - but I love it! Fabulous that the images are seen as actual music this way or that...

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  3. you have some very thought provoking comments here about influences.. whether conscious or unconscious.. there is a fine line sometimes.. being influenced and copying.. taking an idea or technique and changing it to become your own.

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    1. So many fine lines Donna- and sometimes quite broad ones that people stomp all over in a horrible way. I think the truth has to lie in the middle somewhere and that we must all seek to create our own work in our own way, not stealing or copying, but reflecting differently perhaps.

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  4. I am rather inclined to agree with MT - who is to say that an idea I have has not been thought of before - whether or not it has been acted upon, written down or created in some other way...
    I don't commend copying - other than as a way to learn a technique or style. But exactly where does the fine line of 'making it your own' begin...
    as you say, this is a topic that can be explored over and over.

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    1. Hi Stegata - I think he was quite wise! Once more we touch on fine lines and that is truly at the heart of it all isn't it? Shades of grey and subtle interpretations make it oh so difficult at times. I know I find myself going over this topic time and time again. Go well

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  5. Fiona...quite a thought provoking Thursday Pondering....I think of us as individuals kind of like links in a chain that connects past, present and future....so in a sense, we are all interlocking circles, bound to be influenced by each other in subtle and not-so-subtle ways. I think that the history of civilization moves forward in these ways....the things we see and experience are embedded and make themselves known in new ways as we make our work. I am in no way in favor of copying either....it's a lazy and easy way out and while one may be inspired by someone's work, we each need to move beyond and speak with our own voice. Thanks for this thoughtful post!

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    1. Hi Patti - a thought-provoking response! I think we are all connected across time and disciplines and experiences. So yes we must be influenced. I sometimes think of it like a venn diagram - when the overlap in a piece of work or a style say is so large that they are almost one and the same; then clearly there is copying. If the overlap is a little bit it's much more about influence isn't it? One for me to ponder for a long time yet I expect.

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  6. I think for me perhaps the key distinction between copying and simply making use of influences is in the intention as much as the subtle differences introduced by the individual artist. Every once in a while I see an old black and white photograph that not only closely resembles my style but looks exactly like something I've done and I wonder - did I at some point see and internalize and then unconsciously seek to reproduce this image, or is this just a case of a kind of strange artistic simultaneity of inspiration and aesthetics between two kindred creative imaginations? And then I realize it does not matter, because when I did it I was not intending to steal someone's work. Just because you "re-created" your teacher's idea doesn't mean it was not your idea and your work at the moment you conceived and executed it. Or so it seems to me. Ten artists could be set the task of a circle book and they would all be original creations, however alike they might seem. Ah, once again your post provokes limitless pondering!

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    1. Hi G/TT - that's another way of seeing it isn't it? If the intent is to re-create or make something like that, then yes that's not good. If we make or create something that is similar but with no knowledge of a previous piece, than that should be fine as well. I think for me with the circle book it was that having been a student; the perception would shave been that I had copied even tho I don't think I did; and I felt the would not be good for my reputation. I do think there are lots of folk with similar aesthetics, likes and approaches, so there will always be some stuff that is close to anothers - there has to be!

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  7. If people didn't have the same idea at the same time then how come so much in the way of medical research, and techno stuff, happens simultaneaously on opposite sides of the world? Perhaps we are connected on some incomprehensible plane.

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    1. So true Jo! One of the big issues for us in this time I think is that we have access to so many images and artists we would never have seen before; that the influence thing gets a bit trickier. I am sure there are also incomprehensible connections...Gow ell.

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  8. aside from the matter of influence, what jo just mentioned, a profound transcendent synchronicity really does seem to exist. a mystery that hints at truths beyond our understanding, truths that connect us like patti mentioned.

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I appreciate your thoughts and comments; thanks for taking the time.