"Success is dangerous. One begins to copy oneself, and to copy oneself is more dangerous than to copy others".
Pablo Picasso
As if artists don't have enough to worry about: whether our work is good or not; whether people like it or not; whether we are worthy or not; now Picasso tells us success is dangerous!
The second part of the quote is the part that got me thinking and turning my brain this way and that.
Why is it more dangerous to copy yourself? And what does copying yourself even look like?!?
I can imagine what copying others appears to be - most definitely not a good idea and not at all helpful to yourself.
But copying yourself.
I imagine he may mean that its a trap and a way of getting stuck doing the same things. It may mean you stop exploring, trying new things or heading off down unexpected paths. If he had said don't repeat yourself I would have got that in a flash.
Perhaps it is simply that he was trying to make the point that if you are successful, you are more likely to do more of the same thing because you have some measure that says this is what works, and that that can limit your actual creativity.
Point taken.
Pablo Picasso
As if artists don't have enough to worry about: whether our work is good or not; whether people like it or not; whether we are worthy or not; now Picasso tells us success is dangerous!
The second part of the quote is the part that got me thinking and turning my brain this way and that.
Why is it more dangerous to copy yourself? And what does copying yourself even look like?!?
I can imagine what copying others appears to be - most definitely not a good idea and not at all helpful to yourself.
But copying yourself.
I imagine he may mean that its a trap and a way of getting stuck doing the same things. It may mean you stop exploring, trying new things or heading off down unexpected paths. If he had said don't repeat yourself I would have got that in a flash.
Perhaps it is simply that he was trying to make the point that if you are successful, you are more likely to do more of the same thing because you have some measure that says this is what works, and that that can limit your actual creativity.
Point taken.
Some serviettes I made...
ah this can be a trap indeed when the galleries and collectors expect more of the same...
ReplyDeleteI think that is truly the essence of it Mo - when we stop bringing forth what's within and look around and about us for what someone thinks works!
DeleteThis is very thought-provoking...success can induce an artist to repeat both to satisfy the expectations of others and to maintain the glow of accomplishment for herself. Unfortunately most real art is made in a certain amount of discomfort.
ReplyDeleteWhat are your serviettes made of? Could you show them whole? They look so interesting.
My fourth attempt at replying Dana - blogger and my phone have not been friends! It is an interesting thought isn't it? The serviettes are made from scraps dressmaking linen, and I can pop some more photos up - they are not particularly tidy at the points where they join tho... go well.
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