Who are your favorite artists?

Who is an Artist? A performer, a craftsman or a person with a tag of celebrity actor? Let us delve into it.

A scene from a famous Bollywood film of the late sixties was about a successful film director who enjoys celebrity status to the extent that a sense of arrogance creeps in. After a flop film that he directed, everyone started rejecting him. Ultimately, he died unknown and unsung as a pauper in the studio where he used to be a powerful personality, sitting on the director’s chair. The iconic film “Kaagaz Ke Phool” (Paper Flowers), was ahead of its time. The underlying message was that “Stardom” is a temporary phase that wanes as fast as it waxes. So, it needs deliberation to conclude about a favourite artist.

The Artist and Art

First thing first. It has to be reckoned with that an artist is a person who performs an art. Art is a form of expression performed subtly and carefully to produce a creation. A craft also comes along with art. Art and craft are interdependent. They are the two aspects of the same coin. Sometimes both are used interchangeably but art and artist are considered a bit elevated compared to craft and craftsman. Art is an abstract concept that involves using imagination to create tangible objects or effects, while craft refers to the skilled creation process employed by artisans.

Medium of art

Art, be it abstract or representational is of various types. Each type manifests differently and pleases the human mind. A musician producing a melodious musical piece, a poet creating emotive lines or a sculptor chiselling a sculpt, all doing the same thing of creation, but, while one is taking a band of musicians to create a musical piece, a sculpture needs material like stone or metal, tools and appliances. A poet needs minimal things to create. He needs only a piece of paper and a writing instrument to create merely by using words. A poet is a minimalist who creates impactful creations using words.

Purpose of discussion

The object of telling in a rather detailed way about art, craft, artist and craftsman is to distinguish the mode and amount of skill and labour among various art forms and their performers. A dancer does more physical and mental labour than a photographer, who uses a high-tech camera and advanced lenses to take pictures. A photographer does mental labour and less physical labour. Similar is the case with an actor. An actor works under the guidance of a director. He does not apply his brain, nor is he bothered about dialogues. An actor has a script and a piece of dialogue. S/he has to memorize dialogues and reproduce them in front of a camera in the way and tone the director wants them to. An actor does not work independently, but his work is chiselled out by a collective work of many people like a cameraman, sound recorder, scriptwriter, dialogue writer, songwriter, music director, music arranger and many more.

Ruthless world of Art

The art world is tricky and behaves rudely and ruthlessly. It respects and prefers only popular actors who shine on the big screen. The simple reason is that people, who love to call themselves fans, chase them frantically. The insanity makes an actor become a star analogous to a star shining in the sky. Those who work hard to make a place for themselves and shine like a person referred to as an artist are pushed to the back seat. The real art lies elsewhere, not solely in those who do on the direction.

Failures and frustrations

It needs toiling, continuous rehearsal and practice to gain perfection in any field of art. A writer, for example, passes through an onerous phase and struggles hard to push through to make an audience base. It takes not only volumes of time, but it is the test of nerves as well. The persistent rejection develops a sense of shaking confidence and frustration.

Another Bollywood film of the early sixties, “Pyasa” (Thirsty One), has effectively depicted the frustration and struggle of a budding poet. Considering these factors, a pertinent question arises. Is it not an injustice to brand an artist or two as a favourite when others, despite hard work, do not get recognition? This instantly gives birth to another counter-question. Will it be just not to recognize the hard work of an actor or artist?

Questions and counter-questions are endless. Everyone in the art field is wading through and working hard to excel and produce quality work. To be a celebrity artist, one has to give an extraordinary performance and excellent skill. People prefer those whose works of art appeal to them. They be of any field, performing, visual or any other.

Branding makes an artist popular and sought after. This gives them name, fame and wealth. These are the things which have become most sought after. People try to emote and follow them, though the popularity is momentary.

Artist of Artists

While discussing art and artists, the Universe must also be considered. Our home planet earth holds and sustains many life and lifeless forms. Who is the creator of the cosmic world and how it is being run flawlessly are but a few questions that have churned the minds of human beings since ancient times. Philosophers, anchorites and thinkers have tried hard to solve this riddle but have not reached a definite conclusion. The Supreme Creator is a great artist. Barring Him, all others are petty performers. Will it not be proper to call this unseen but omnipresent and omnipotent body as a supreme artist or Artist of artists?

At the End

After deliberating at length on the topic, it can be said that the Supreme artist, called and worshipped variedly by different names, is Almighty. He who produces, nourishes and destroys to continue this endless cycle, is the Artist of artists. In ancient Indian tradition and culture, He is “Trimurti” (the Trio). He is the one whose work of art amuses and amazes. With due regard to the temporal artists of current, past and future, it can be said that He is truly a Divine Artist. 

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