ON RISK AND CREATION

I AM SKEPTICAL OF IMAGES THAT COMMUNICATE PERFECTION. I AM SKEPTICAL OF MINIMALISM. THE INTERNET HAS DEVALUED KNOWING. MONEY CAN SUBSTITUTE FOR CONVICTION. STILL, SO MANY HAVE NOTHING TO SAY. CONVENTIONAL WISDOM IS A MASK. A COMPUTER CAN MAKE ALL THE RIGHT CHOICES ABOUT FASHION, MUSIC, DESIGN, THEORY AND CULTURE. THE MOST CORRECT POINT OF VIEW WILL SOON BE WORTHLESS.

ONE OF MY MOST FORMATIVE PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES WAS WORKING IN WILLY CHAVARRIA’S SHOP ON SULLIVAN (PTC) FOR A FEW YEARS AND DOING SOUND DESIGN FOR HIS SHOWS FROM 2017-2022. WILLY’S APPROACH TO BEAUTY WAS (AND IS) PERSONAL AND DEEPLY INTERESTED THE QUALITIES THAT MAKE US HUMAN. HE TAUGHT ME THAT THE PARTS OF MYSELF I HELD THE MOST SHAME AROUND WERE ALSO POTENTIALLY SOURCES OF GREAT BEAUTY. THE BODY IS IMPERFECT AND THE BODY IS BEAUTIFUL.

MAKING THINGS IS MESSY. PRODUCTS, SONGS, CLOTHES, PLATFORMS, SOFTWARE, HARDWARE - IT’S ALL HARD TO DO AND HARDER STILL TO DO WELL. ON TOP OF THE OPERATIONAL CHALLENGES INVOLVED IN PRODUCING ANYTHING, THERE IS A KIND OF SELF DISCLOSURE IMPLICIT IN THE ACT OF CREATION. THIS IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE IMAGE AND THE PRODUCT - A POINT OF VIEW. IT IS POSSIBLE TO COBBLE TOGETHER THE SEXIEST SOURCE MATERIAL, ABSORB ITS LESSONS AND PRESENT BEAUTIFUL IMAGES. IT IS ANOTHER TASK ENTIRELY TO TAKE THE RISK OF ARTICULATING A PART OF YOURSELF OUTSIDE OF YOURSELF IN AN ACT OF CREATION.

LOVE IS A BLACK SWAN LURKING BEYOND THE PLATONIC FOLD. YOU MEET HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE AND THEN ONE DAY YOU MEET SOMEONE WHO HAS A DRAMATICALLY OUTSIZED IMPACT ON THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. BECOMING A PARENT IS EVEN MORE EXTREME; YOU ASPIRE TO DEDICATE THE REST OF YOUR LIFE TO SUPPORTING A HUMAN YOU HAVE NEVER EVEN MET. YOUR ARE UPENDED BY BOTH IN THE BEST POSSIBLE WAYS. THESE PROCESSES REQUIRE THAT YOU GIVE UP CONTROL AND BECOME OF SERVICE TO AN ENTITY OUTSIDE OF YOURSELF.

ART REQUIRES THIS TYPE OF INTERDEPENDENCY. YOU MUST SEE THE UGLY ALONG WITH THE BEAUTIFUL IF YOU WANT TO TELL THE TRUTH. AESTHETIC VIRTUE IS A MASK FOR THOSE UNREADY TO SHARE THEIR POINT OF VIEW - THE TRUE POINT OF VIEW THAT COMES FROM WITHIN INSTEAD OF WITHOUT. WE EACH HOLD SOME MESSY BEAUTIFUL TRUTH INSIDE OF OURSELVES. SHARING IT OPENLY PRODUCES THE FREEDOM REQUIRED TO MAKE GREAT THINGS.