Here’s a fun fact about me: I romanticize history for no apparent reason. In my mind, being born in an era where crafts were THE thing just sounds better than growing up in an era where iPads and screens are everywhere. If this means anything, it means that my take on what you can learn from history as an artist is probably biased. But let’s explore the different sides of this topic together.
What is the issue with today’s society? Is it technology?
Certainly not! But also yes, in a way or two. The overall quality of life nowadays is just 100 times better than in the past. We have access to travel all around the world, which changes the concept of space and time. There is the ability to see our loved ones constantly, so we can feel at home anywhere in the world. We are able to drive around and buy whatever. More importantly, we are able to work from the comfort of our homes and have wide audiences interested in our talents and creations with a click.
But, like, what is life? What is our collective purpose? I feel like it’s to make life easier and lazier, which also robs life of its glory and glamour. Another downside is the obsession with negative news. We live in a time of clickbait and “do anything for the views”, and that is making us miserable. Normal things are no longer stimulating enough for an audience with a poor attention span. Not even actual drama and bad news affect us that much anymore.
Is romanticizing the past as an artist harmful?
“I was born at the wrong time” is what a fair share of artists and creatives are saying, including myself. And what we are doing here is focusing on one aspect of the era we refer to. It’s not necessarily harmful. However, a better question is: can I take that little thing from the past that I deeply relate to and make it part of my current life? It’s a question of choice.
Here is a little example: As an artist, I see beauty in older aesthetics. Such as Baroque and Rococo. I am also very into myths and fantasy, which made me want to implement these elements into my own work as a way to connect with the beauty and warmth of these past aesthetics even when I am living in modern society.
History repeats itself
In an interview with Michael Bess, he says: “Every moment is unique, so history never repeats itself. But it sure does rhyme“. There’s a pattern that leads to a certain outcome, and if we follow the same pattern from 50 years ago, we will most likely find ourselves with the same outcome. Some things do not change as much, including human nature. If you read sacred books from 2000 or 3000 years ago, humans seem to have acted and reacted the exact same way they do now. So, as an artist, you can somehow predict the relationship that the public is going to have with your work. You can also predict your possibilities as an artist. And I’m sorry to say, you can even predict the irony of choosing to do art in the creative integrity way of living.
Feeling stuck between the present and the past
Being born into the present, you feel a kind of pressure to fit in. Or, better said, you should be involved in the things that make sense to the world, aka, being an internet celebrity, being an entrepreneur, being an influencer, working from home, etc. While deep down, all you want to do is have a normal private life where you can go to work and come back home to make art, I am not saying that’s necessarily what everyone wants to do. All I am saying is that for centuries, we have been fighting for liberty and for everyone to have the right to do what their heart desires while still implementing a “standard”, just a different one from that of the past.
Conclusion
As an artist, it is so important to learn about history or at least have an overall view of different movements and the artistic schools they led to. It could serve as inspiration as well as give you a bit of a road map to better advance in your career.
