Yan Maschke 2016
We all have an established identity. Why do we need to challenge it?
John Pearson and Audra Skuodas are two of the finest contemporary artists in the country and one of the most fascinating couples I have met. The Union Club of Cleveland hosted an art appreciation event featuring John and Audra, which included a short artist talk followed by an intimate Q&A session.
Usually Audra is the more active conversation partner, speaking with her is like experiencing poetry.
I can't remember the original question, but this time, John's answer swept me off of my feet.
He was talking about the concept of challenging identities as an artist.
The artist continuously evolves and so does his/her art. John said that very often the audience gets used to the style of art a well-known artist creates, and they expect to see that specific style from this artist - and will pay for what they expect. There lies a perceived "identity" with that artist and his/her art.
As an artist, we need to continuously challenge the identify of our art, and our identify as an artist. Without it, the artist and the art experiences little growth and becomes stagnant eventually.
"I don't care about what my clients want." John continued.
What he meant was that by staying true to his artistic expression he is able to be the best artist he can be for the world and for his clients.
The room was quiet for a brief moment after John's answer. My mind sank into a deep reflection for much longer.
In the book “Identity Economics: How Our Identities Shape Our Work, Wages, and Well-Being”, Nobel Prize-winner George Akerlof and economist Rachel Kranton highlight the power of identity in people’s choices. Per the authors, people's identity -- their conception of who they are, and of who they choose to be -- may be the most important factor affecting their economic lives. I wonder how identity impacts people’s overall lives?
As successful leaders in life, how often do WE challenge our identity? How often do we pause and ask the question of Who we are, WHY we do what we do, and WHO we want to become?
How much of our life energy is spent on doing things that we think others expect of us vs. truly Following our heart's desire?
What if, once in a while, we challenged what we THINK we should do, and opened up the possibility that staying true to what we really want may actually be the best way to serve the world?
We are all artists in life. We all paint our own masterpiece.
So, what is YOUR artistic identity? what would you like it to be? How much canvas space will YOU allow for that identify to evolve and blossom?
I'd love to hear your insights.
