Art the liberating oppressor
One of the purposes of artists is to inspire or teach the most wanted and needed values, of which some are according to ChatGPT
Value: Happiness
Opposite: Unhappiness
Value: Love and Connection
Opposite: Isolation and Loneliness
Value: Health
Opposite: Illness
Value: Peace and Security
Opposite: Conflict and Insecurity
Value: Freedom
Opposite: Oppression
Value: Respect and Dignity
Opposite: Disrespect and Humiliation
Value: Success and Achievement
Opposite: Failure and Stagnation
Value: Wisdom and Knowledge
Opposite: Ignorance
Value: Justice and Equality
Opposite: Injustice and Inequality
Value: Empathy and Compassion
Opposite: Indifference and Cruelty
Some other personal ones may come up, such as balance, growth or excitement, but let’s stick to the ones above for now.
Art & Contrast
Art in essence is an object, a mirror, an example, a relative and contrasting thing containing intelligent and emotional data and information.
So, a thought experiment with three different forms of art and potential influence.
Perfect Art
In the case that we, as an artist, project and portray the perfect example of these ‘universally wanted and needed ‘values, we in fact make the perceiver of our art feel less, happy, connected, healthy, peaceful, free, respected, successful, wise, equal and empathic etc. This means that our ‘perfect’ example makes them feel lacking instead of whole, in a certain sense rejects them instead of affirms them and in a certain sense makes them feel emotionally less fulfilled in contrast to what we share. Our perfect art thus serves as a mirror making the perceiver feel less about themselves.
Worst Possible Art
In the case that we, as an artist, project and portray the worst possible example of these values, we in fact make the perceiver of our art more, happy, connected, healthy, peaceful, free, respected, successful, wise, equal and empathic etc. This means that our ‘worst possible’ example makes them feel whole in stead of lacking, in a certain sense affirms them in stead of rejects them and in a certain sense makes them feel emotionally more fulfilled in contrast to what we share. Our ‘worst examplary’ art thus serves as a mirror making the perceiver feel more about themselves.
Grey Random Mixture
In the case that we, as an artist, project and portray ‘a grey random mixture’ example of these values, we in fact make the perceiver of our art be the judge. They themselves make up from the mirror that we serve, what would make them more, happy, connected, healthy, peaceful, free, respected, successful, wise, equal and empathic etc. Meaning that our ‘Grey Random Mix’ allows them to choose what to associate or dissociate with. They get to choose what to take away, choose or want from what we offer. It could be all of it, or nothing. The art that we serve as a mirror could be so sad, pathetic, dull and boring that it’s just humorous and self-affirming for them, or it could be so inspiring, exciting and hero-like that they choose to fully immerse and learn from our art or voice. Our grey mirror art ball thus allows them to choose. We serve in pure selflessness for the other to learn from our journey, experiences and voice. It could reject them, affirm them, make them feel wholeness, or lack, emotionally fulfilled or emotionally drained, but all we do is offer them the potential contrast for them to steal, learn or pick from. For free. We don’t force ideologies, realities, illusions or delusions upon them, as they always have the choice pay attention to what we share or not. Our ‘grey random mixture’ thus serves as a mirror allowing the perceiver to self-actualize and refine their future inner and outer landscapes, realities and dreams.
Obviously there are many other streams of art such as: Impressionism, Expressionism, Cubism, Abstract Expressionism, Pop Art, Minimalism, Post-Impressionism, Romanticism, Fauvism, Constructivism, Dadaism, Art Nouveau, Pointillism, Symbolism, Op Art, Conceptual Art, Surrealism, Idealism; Realism, Neo-Classicism, Rococo, Baroque, Folk Art, Naïve Art, Art Deco; Installation Art, Street Art, Contemporary Art, Digital Art but these extremes of ‘perfect’ and ‘worst’ art are is simply serving as an example, as the reason that I write this is because I’m really afraid at times to hurt or damage people with my art. To lead them, and mislead them.
I’ve taken many psychedelics in my life, which are legal where I’m from in the heart of Europe, and I want to share some of the most beautiful and extreme psychedelic intimate experiences I’ve had on my own and with women in music. My fear is that my far-reaching philosophical and metaphysical visions or statements might confuse, delude or frighten listeners or perceivers.
Perceiving a very strange, intimate and blissful experience may make a listener feel very alienated, alone and emotionally dead. It’s like Alex Turner says in his song ‘Dream Synopsis"‘:
‘It must be torture when I talk about my dreams.’
So, for my and possibly your own conscience, well-being and sense of relief, I want to set myself some extreme examples in regard to the things I fear the most in regard to how my art may impact people.
I feared that my art was, is and will be overly:
Bad & Wrong
Allow the person to learn or feel about good & right. Besides, some psychological crime movies, war movies or horror stories like Hitler etc. are far worse examples of human behavior & being.
Angry/Oppressive
Allow the person to learn or feel about gentleness and liberation. Besides, documentaries, movies or texts about slavery, ethnic cleansing, war, religious persecution and abuse are far more oppressive and angry examples of human behavior & being.
Disrespectful or Aphatic
Allow the person to learn or feel about respect and empathy. Besides, some movies, TV shows or media such as 12 Years a Slave, Django, crime & horror movies or psychological thrillers are far more cruel examples of human behavior & being.
Ignorant, Disinformed or Stupid
Allow the person to learn or feel about wisdom, understanding and knowledge. Besides, some people, authors, TV shows or text books are far more ignorant examples of human behavior & being.
Strange
Allow the person to learn or feel about strangeness & the norm. Besides, movies such as Dali, Chriss Burden or Maria Abramovis, movies and documentaries about space, aliens and history and other forms of mass media are far more fake examples of human behavior & being.
Beautiful
Allow the person to learn or feel about beauty & ugliness. Besides, a lot of other art are much more beautiful examples of human behavior & being.
Fake
Allow the person to learn or feel about real & fake. Besides, movies such as Her, Barbie & certain TV Shows and aspects of mass media are far more fake examples of human behavior & being.
Deluded, Farfetched & Misinforming
Allow the person to learn or feel about truth, concepts & meaning. Besides, movies & philosophies such as the Matrix, Man From Earth, Dr. Strange are far more strange, farfetched & disinformed examples of human behavior & being.
Sexual & Lustful
Allow the person to learn or feel around themes such as asexuality, sexuality, lust & dissociation from sex. Besides, porn is a far more sexual and lustful example of human behavior & being.
Conclusion & Final Contemplations
There are no wrong ideas. Art serves as a contrasting human mirrorball that allows oneself and others to learn from. Learn what they want or need and what they don’t want or need. To learn what is worthy (wanting) and/or not.
Is leading away from the norm, serving as a mirrorball example to learn from, worthy, wanted and needed? Is it so in any direction? If so not, what is the most worthy and needed artistic direction?
beauty ugly
norm strange
beautiful norm
ugly strangeness
ugly norm
beautiful strangeness
Is my example worthy, wanted, needed? Do I believe?
Do I believe my example is worthy, needed, wanted?
Is my direction worth learning from?
Aren’t we all the norm?
Is the norm beautiful?
What might it be lacking?
Or is everything perfectly abundant and fine the way it is, just the way we are?
Is it a paradox as an artist, that the moment we protest or revolt against what is and what reality is, that we automatically also choose too see reality and/or ourselves as lacking.
Is creating from personal unconditional love, wholeness and abundance thus truly possible?
Or is it when art is pooring out of our abundance that it becomes truly inspiring, examplary and worth listening to; an ‘example of abundance & wholeness’
Is leading away from the norm, serving as a mirrorball example to learn from, worthy, wanted and needed? Is it loving and/or lovable? Is it so in any direction? If not so, what is the most worthy, powerful, enlightening and needed artistic direction? Is it a fact that the bigger the pool of data and information to learn from, the greater the chance for a higher unity as a society and a whole?