A problem for talent who want to become artists!
In a previous article, I explained the negative consequences of the “expert’s syndrome” on artistic innovation. Now I’ll explain an another risk for your artist’s life.
Ethnocentric communities
The problem with communities is their ethnocentrism and artists’ communities are not immune. They tend to view their community as a reference, without any critical eye on it. Look at ballet, for example. Stuck in its traditions, this community has long been closed and centered on itself. The consequence: the ballet community is not known for being innovative.
The stronger the established codes in a community, the more seductive its identity. But when you are seduced by the community you lose your creative drive! Though you may think you’re progressing, you are in fact blinded by your passion and don’t notice that you’re stuck in the community’s “bubble”. You don’t think for yourself, you don’t really open your mind, your community limits your imagination and you have certainties. This is catastrophic for the artist you hope to become!
All levels of society can be affected by this problem. Sports, professions, political groups, federations, schools, religions, etc. Ethnocentric communities are everywhere, and in the artist community too. Notice how community gatherings often revolve around self-congratulatory, self-satisfied discussions, a phenomenon called “intellectual masturbation.”
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Conclusion:
Being an creative artist requires total openness, which intellectual masturbation makes impossible! As long as talent have this problem, they’ll be unable to free themselves in order to really innovate. Most of the time, they will drift along without understanding why they book so few shows. And if there is one field in which imagination is critical to survival, it’s definitely the world of artists!
Address Book of venues, producers, agents, art directors and event managers who manage bookings: MY BUSINESS
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