I am going to post my 11th image and have a little rant before I fall asleep as I am so very tired this evening.
I listened to part of an interview with Irish musician Luka Bloom on RRR today. I did not tune in specifically to hear the interview, it just happened to come on the car radio as I pulled up in the supermarket car park. I don't follow Luka's music but I did go and see him play live a number of years ago - perhaps 8 or 9 years ago. I was made aware of him as a musician through his cover, (and very different take), of what was originally a rap song titled 'I need love'.
I remember enjoying his performance but never bought an album. I think you can still appreciate certain musicians/artists work without having to purchase it. The internet seems to make it easier for the world to do this these days, everything is becoming more and more accessible through the world wide web. He, (Luka), touched on this point when talking about his latest album - stating that he still believes music fans should go to a record store to buy music not download it from the internet. I guess a similar thing applies when talking about art - (though sometimes buying artwork through a gallery is not the most financially beneficial way of selling for an artist) - but the internet does make art or images sometimes feel a lot less 'exclusive'.
It's a fantastic marketing tool but like everything in life it has its good points and bad points. Either way I do think it is important to support those who make the music or art in a way that sees the creator truly benefit as a result of their hard work... and it is 'work'. Another point Mr. Bloom mentioned about making 'art' or in his case music and songwriting - that it IS work... sometimes hard work. I think a lot of people do not understand that about any sort of 'artist'. His words rang so near and dear when he said that it is fantastic when the inspiration is there and everything is flowing but when it's not, it's hard work... he sees making his 'art' as his job, and like any other job you have your good and bad days but you must still 'go to work'. For most people I know, with any sort of job, at times comes some sort of stress - making art is no exception. Sometimes a day of staring at blank canvases and asking yourself questions to which there are no answers can be just as 'stressful' as working a 9.5 hour shift on a frantically busy restaurant with the most demanding and thankless customers.
When the inspiration IS there however, it is the BEST job in the world! Stress or no stress - there is nothing else I would rather be.
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Artist/creative inspiration aside, I agree wholeheartedly that music should be purchased (in it's intended form, in a cover, with the sleeve - is that what it's still called? - and paid for). I don't like downloading, I never feel that it's really mine. I feel like a fake fan. I think JB Hi Fi has really good prices, and I certainly don't mind spending $20 - $30 on music/CD. Even if it turns out that I only like 10% of the CD.
Art; visual, paintings, pictures. Well that's another story. To be in a position to purchase, own, admire, encourage the artist with funding, is a dream I realise now I may never realise. So often I have fallen in love with an image on a gallery wall, but love doesn't pay the bills, and it certainly doesn't pay for art!
I recall, as a teenager, learning that state/public galleries often don't exhibit all the works that they own. I was SHOCKED and DISGUSTED. "What part of that idea is normal?!!!", I thought. That was when I first decided that if I could do anything I'd be an ART THIEF...dressed in black (like catwoman --- even though the image of me as a teenager in slinky black was quite alarming due to the impending famine --- not that there was a famine approaching, but my body was ready for it if it ever did come! Need I say more?). I wouldn't steal art works for financial gain, but for love. I'd hang my ill-gotten gains on my wall and tell everyone who saw it all about the artist, the work, the sad story of the dusty crevice it had been subjected to. I'd love it. And being loved and looked after and noticed is what we all want...I believe art contains life, like a phoenix, a canvas phoenix. To stash a painting away, never to be seen is like silencing a story that needs to be told.
Well, I've never fulfilled my ambitions of stealthly gaining access to the Albert Tuckers and other untold stories hiding behind each other in neat, catalogued rows, gathering dust. But, maybe oneday after shopping for my theme song (Jail Break ACDC maybe) at JB I'll figure out a way to free those beautiful stories. And I will.
Hey Simone
I am the one who did that Luka Bloom interview on RRR - and just read your post. You've made some interesting points and good comparisons between music and art. And Luka is a great bloke, an excellent musician/artist with an interesting perspective.
Cheers, Glen
hi glen
thanks for stopping by. curious to know how you stumbled upon this entry, or my blog for that matter but glad you did. thanks for the comment and thanks for the great interview you did with luka - it was inspirational.
simone
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