The Artiste and Sustainability
The Identity of an artiste develops over a period of time- a time frame that involves learning and assimilating the art, understanding the social context, recognising personal preference and setting future goals. Renowned artistes are those who have created a certain artistic trademark around themselves after much thought, experimentation, execution and reviews. This trademark style could exist within their body language perhaps, the inflections in tone maybe or even in their distinct approach to poetry (whether in song or in dance). Their art crystallizes over a time frame that is not a mere 5 or 10 years. Much longer, much longer!
So if it takes decades to see a maturation of art within you, what then are the factors that keep a young artiste motivated to pursue it for that long a time? More importantly, considering the professional context in which many artistes pursue music and dance today, what is it that makes an artiste sustain their career for decades?
Fitness: Of Body and Mind
While there are veteran octogenarians who can easily carry the weight of an entire performance on their shoulders, on the other end of the spectrum are those troubled by their own weight or constantly dealing with injury, strains and sprains. With time being available sparingly, many artistes overlook the need to complement their performance-centric lifestyle with a fitness regimen that keeps their body supple and mind sharp. Whether it is Yoga or Pilates or a workout at the Gym, it is important to understand one's body and recognise what suits it the best. When the body offers no limitations, then it becomes the best tool to execute whatever the mind creates! And in order to create this synchrony between body and mind, it is important to be in tune with the evolving needs of the body over time. What works at 20 may not work at 35. A holistic lifestyle of exercise and meditation ensures more than just endurance of the body and freshness of the mind. It guarantees an acceptance of oneself- something that is a precursor to the audience accepting you.
Attitude: Attributes to live by
In a world of cut-throat competition, having the correct attitude is imperative. While stepping over others can grant you a temporary pedestal at the top, it takes humility, courage, positivity and empathy to sustain there- qualities that are unlikely to be found in those who will trample over others at all costs in order to accomplish their own selfish goals.
What then is the correct attitude to assume? To be confident of one's skill but not arrogant, to be positive and yet practical, to be passionate and yet learn equanimity, to be honest but not naive, to persevere for perfection and yet be kind to oneself, to learn to appreciate good art and not power. It may seem like a tall order to ask, but come to think of it, all it takes are a few small changes- choices that we make with respect to our habits. And a first step would be to introspect and acknowledge our current habits and see where we stand versus where we WANT to stand.
Environment: Our natural habitat and the Artistic Space
Sustainability with respect to the environment takes on two dimensions. Firstly, as humans we inhabit a natural habitat that we are responsible and accountable for. Secondly, in our capacity as artistes, we are responsible for creating an artistic environment that is sustainable for the fraternity over time. To create systems that feed into a sustainable model of development is important- be it power generation for extravagant productions, travel costs and modes, income generation for artistes through performance are just a few points on which we must begin to act on at the earliest. And when we do begin to find ways that are both environmentally and economically sustainable, we will find that the natural habitat and the artistic space are not very different from each other.
Industry: Demand, supply and Evolving trends
To become aware of our desires, ambitions and qualities allows us to understand the nature of art we create. To become aware of the audience, society and its evolving nature allows us to understand the position our art occupies in current times. With change occurring at a fast pace, to keep ourselves engaged constantly with the larger community of people- lay audiences and connoissuers- is vital to keeping abreast with this pace. No artiste can exist, forget sustain, in silos.
While many artistes desist from calling the Arts an 'industry', it may help to call it that just for the ease of understanding the dynamics of all allied activities (logistics, support staff, marketing, maintenance, etc). If one were to objectively quantify these factors, we can begin to understand the role they play in an artiste's career. Indeed, creativity would need to be kept out of these parameters of calculations and projections.
Sustaining the art, sustaining an artiste, sustaining the environment and sustaining a career in the arts- are all intricately connected with each other. One feeds into the other. To create sustainable practices at the personal level and at the social or professional level is the need of the hour.
I asked a cross section of artistes- young, old, amateurs, veterans, musicians and dancers-what they felt was that one attribute that an artiste must have in order to sustain. Diligent at practice, positive thinker, undeterred go-getter, calm, yearning to constantly learn, passionate, honest, perseverent, humble even when success embraces you, understanding oneself and the audience,... Which attribute do you chose for yourself?
So if it takes decades to see a maturation of art within you, what then are the factors that keep a young artiste motivated to pursue it for that long a time? More importantly, considering the professional context in which many artistes pursue music and dance today, what is it that makes an artiste sustain their career for decades?
Fitness: Of Body and Mind
While there are veteran octogenarians who can easily carry the weight of an entire performance on their shoulders, on the other end of the spectrum are those troubled by their own weight or constantly dealing with injury, strains and sprains. With time being available sparingly, many artistes overlook the need to complement their performance-centric lifestyle with a fitness regimen that keeps their body supple and mind sharp. Whether it is Yoga or Pilates or a workout at the Gym, it is important to understand one's body and recognise what suits it the best. When the body offers no limitations, then it becomes the best tool to execute whatever the mind creates! And in order to create this synchrony between body and mind, it is important to be in tune with the evolving needs of the body over time. What works at 20 may not work at 35. A holistic lifestyle of exercise and meditation ensures more than just endurance of the body and freshness of the mind. It guarantees an acceptance of oneself- something that is a precursor to the audience accepting you.
Attitude: Attributes to live by
In a world of cut-throat competition, having the correct attitude is imperative. While stepping over others can grant you a temporary pedestal at the top, it takes humility, courage, positivity and empathy to sustain there- qualities that are unlikely to be found in those who will trample over others at all costs in order to accomplish their own selfish goals.
What then is the correct attitude to assume? To be confident of one's skill but not arrogant, to be positive and yet practical, to be passionate and yet learn equanimity, to be honest but not naive, to persevere for perfection and yet be kind to oneself, to learn to appreciate good art and not power. It may seem like a tall order to ask, but come to think of it, all it takes are a few small changes- choices that we make with respect to our habits. And a first step would be to introspect and acknowledge our current habits and see where we stand versus where we WANT to stand.
Environment: Our natural habitat and the Artistic Space
Sustainability with respect to the environment takes on two dimensions. Firstly, as humans we inhabit a natural habitat that we are responsible and accountable for. Secondly, in our capacity as artistes, we are responsible for creating an artistic environment that is sustainable for the fraternity over time. To create systems that feed into a sustainable model of development is important- be it power generation for extravagant productions, travel costs and modes, income generation for artistes through performance are just a few points on which we must begin to act on at the earliest. And when we do begin to find ways that are both environmentally and economically sustainable, we will find that the natural habitat and the artistic space are not very different from each other.
Industry: Demand, supply and Evolving trends
To become aware of our desires, ambitions and qualities allows us to understand the nature of art we create. To become aware of the audience, society and its evolving nature allows us to understand the position our art occupies in current times. With change occurring at a fast pace, to keep ourselves engaged constantly with the larger community of people- lay audiences and connoissuers- is vital to keeping abreast with this pace. No artiste can exist, forget sustain, in silos.
While many artistes desist from calling the Arts an 'industry', it may help to call it that just for the ease of understanding the dynamics of all allied activities (logistics, support staff, marketing, maintenance, etc). If one were to objectively quantify these factors, we can begin to understand the role they play in an artiste's career. Indeed, creativity would need to be kept out of these parameters of calculations and projections.
Sustaining the art, sustaining an artiste, sustaining the environment and sustaining a career in the arts- are all intricately connected with each other. One feeds into the other. To create sustainable practices at the personal level and at the social or professional level is the need of the hour.
I asked a cross section of artistes- young, old, amateurs, veterans, musicians and dancers-what they felt was that one attribute that an artiste must have in order to sustain. Diligent at practice, positive thinker, undeterred go-getter, calm, yearning to constantly learn, passionate, honest, perseverent, humble even when success embraces you, understanding oneself and the audience,... Which attribute do you chose for yourself?
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