During my journey I have met many artists and I have noticed how the ego manifests itself through the clichés with which many artists identify.
These clichés often derive from the lives of past artists, but every life is unique and everyone should lead their own life without identifying with that of others. Following the life of others in other spheres is what has also caused the birth of religions.
In the case of artists, many of these clichés are sexist as they come from a past where art was barred to women and women artists were considered insane or even burned at the stake. Today the consciousness of the planet has fortunately evolved, women just need to get rid of the traumas of the past inherent in their DNA and continue to express their uniqueness.
The most prevalent cliché is artist ego, which often manifests itself when an artist receives some appreciation and starts to feel superior. However, the most authentic work of art comes from inspiration, not from the ego. When the artist puts the ego aside, things flow better and the creation becomes more authentic.
Another common cliché is that of the starving artist, such as Van Gogh and Rembrandt and others, who did not sell paintings during their lifetime but were recognized only many years after their deaths. However, it’s not fair to think that the artist is only good when he’s dead, another cliché.
Other clichés concern the commercial part, when I frequented Brera I heard many artists say that when they sold a painting they would feel they had arrived. I have sold hundreds of paintings over the years but I never felt like I arrived, also because the sale of paintings is unpredictable and does not guarantee economic security, however I am talking about hundreds of paintings sold diluted over many years, and the prices of my paintings are however low to give everyone the opportunity to buy them.
Still on the sales side, another cliché is that many artists think that whoever sells paintings is making commercial art. For me, commercial is whoever makes paintings with a view to selling them, but spontaneously done “work” that is subsequently put up for sale is not commercial.
The sale of paintings should not dictate the artistic creation. Art should be free and spontaneous, not limited by commercial goals.
I see many artists who sell beautiful works at prices between €10,000 and €20,000, but if I go deeper I see that their works are all the same.
Here lies the difference between artist and craftsman, the ability to express one’s uniqueness and creativity under the dictates of inspiration which is always unpredictable, rather than creating repetitive works for sale.
Art is free and authentic expression, not limited by clichés or the judgments of others.
Sylvester
The abstract ink painting presented here is a work that was inspired by the face of Sylvester Stallone, but later took on a life of its own.
The deep black of the ink is interspersed with shades of light and dark gray, giving the painting a feeling of depth and three-dimensionality.
Although the first tracks were inspired by Stallone’s face, the final work presents itself as an explosion of emotions and sensations that go beyond the simple representation of a human face.
The fusion of shapes and lines gives life to an abstract composition that suggests, rather than describes, an emotional and intuitive reality. The painting therefore presents itself as a sort of challenge to the observer, who is invited to explore the shapes and lines of the painting in search of personal meanings and sensations.
Available on Saatchi Art.
