This vs That
So I've done it! I've drawn 31 different birds from across the globe and it's some of my best work, I will be unpicking why this is difficult to write in a mo but first here's a look at the birds...
Whilst in the midst of this bird illustration frenzy, I started to increasingly be aware that I was feeling uncomfortable and I couldn't quite work out why. I loved the work I was producing, I was in the zone and felt like I was flying, (pun only mildly intended), so what was the problem? After letting it percolate for a bit I was confronted by the fact that it felt wrong to be confident in my work, that because there was a natural flow and I felt connected, there must be something wrong with it. So my brain, or should I say my baggage, got to work telling me 'oh it's too this or that, it's digital so it's not "proper" drawing' and I realised to myself that the 'this vs that' emphasis in our society was getting to work and quite frankly talking a whole heap of rubbish.
As soon as our eager young brains start venturing out into the world with bright curiosity, ready to learn, the 'this vs that' kicks in. There's a tendency for the supposed wise grown-ups of the world to start dictating the 'proper' way to do things, and yes there are some things where there is a logical approach, let's nix that term 'proper'! Like maths for instance, 1 + 1 = 2 etc, (although I'm sure there's some quantum physics something or other out there that can dispute this), a set of basic rules can act as a good framework by which we can teach and this can be true across most subjects. But, there is a truly damaging tendency to just present one way as the only 'proper' way and this couldn't be further from the truth, especially in the arts.
Here is where I shall present you with an instance from my own formal creative education, that definitely will explain some of the baggage. As an eager young arty Year 7 just starting out in my new UK secondary school, I was excited about having my first art lesson in 'big' school – I don't know if you've noticed but I love art! So there we all were eager young students and what were we taught, that all colouring in with a pencil should be done up against a piece of cardboard, I kid you not! Not only that, but this teacher clearly had other issues, the whiskey bottle on the table was a bit of a giveaway, she needed help and wasn't getting it so basically took it out on us. If our hands were not on the tables at all times she would scream at the top of her lungs, telling us all off until she was red in the face. Needless to say this was not conducive to making any art. Thankfully a wonderful new headteacher came along and made some changes and that art teacher soon no longer taught at the school, but some damage had already been done, the idea of a 'proper' way had been rather aggressively emphasised.
High art meets low art by Loadofolbobbins
Now this is indeed a bit of an extreme example, but there are so many subtle and passive aggressive triggers embedded into so much of what we do as a society, and they can, and do, just as much damage. I mean let's look at the fact that the very terms 'high and low art' exist at all... I mean it's all art. Who on their subjective high horse dictates that this is worthier than that or has more value? Tell me, is there an official barometer I don't know about, so once something passes a certain level of popularity it automatically get's downgraded to 'low art'? So much of this stratification and idea of the 'proper' way is imbued with a sense of control, particularly by archaic establishment structures, we're all so much easier to manipulate if we feel crap about ourselves! So we're encouraged in the 'this vs that' approach or the 'us vs them', it's called divide and conquer for a reason, while we're so busy picking apart why this is the best way or that is, the asshats of the world feel safe in their power bubbles.
Why does there always have to be a better or best way? Why can't it just be different?? Why is it 'this vs that', why not 'this and that', 'this or that' or maybe neither and something else entirely. In celebrating or claiming to champion one approach why do some have to denigrate or shame others? Surely the emphasis should indeed be on the championing, highlight why you believe in something, what makes it good, don't rubbish someone else's passions or technique. When it comes to digital and physical techniques meaningless automation is the issue not whether something is digital or physical. It's not the proper way that matters it's the authentic way.
So let's do something about it, start shifting our thinking and unpicking all of our baggage, breaking that worn out cycle so we don't pass on these damaging ideas. Let's start making those who arbitrarily impose a 'proper' way a little more uncomfortable from now on...