Are you an artist?<\/p>\n
There are too many self-proclaimed artists on this planet. Everybody wants to be one \u2013 sound artist, cooking artist, master of arts, life style artist…<\/p>\n
But many artists aren\u2019t really artists. Artist as life style is not enough, when you seek only fame without the high personal prize that has to be paid for creating true art.<\/p>\n
So are you, dear readers, true artists? Or not? Do you really want to know?<\/p>\n
If yes, answer the following 13 questions and read \u2013 after each question \u2013 the magic invisotext below each entry by marking it with the mouse. Make a note of your score, adding and subtracting the numbers as given. At the end you will know if you are a true artist or not.<\/p>\n
1. \u201eArt is nice, but creates a lot of work\u201c (Karl Valentin) \u2013 true\/false\/don\u2019t know?<\/strong><\/p>\n True: Have you realized that Valentin is making fun of not only the people who see art mainly as some kind of craftsmanship, but also of the people who don\u2019t? -1 Points<\/span> 2. \u201eI want to reach as many people as possible with my art\u201c \u2013 true\/false\/neither\/nor?<\/strong> 10. \u201eSuccess can be planned\u201c true\/false?<\/strong> Moritz Eggert<\/p>\n
\n Wrong: Of course art creates a lot of work, doh! And if you\u2019re lazy you should forget about it anyway. -2 Points.<\/span>
\n Don\u2019t know?: Not pretending to know something has the greatest artistic potential. +1 Point<\/span><\/p>\n
\nTrue: Is that really all you want? You are satisfied so easily? You should be ashamed! -2 Points<\/span>
\n Wrong: You are not honest. Of course all of us want tob e heard. But if you are not honest, your art won\u2019t be as well. -1 Point<\/span>
\n Neither\/nor: To realize this dichotomy and to confront your own vanity is most certainly a step towards wisdom, chapeau! +1 Point<\/span>
\n3. \u201eGood reviews make me happy, I ignore the bad ones\u201c \u2013 true\/\u201cI find it most important that somebody actually writes about me\/ \u201eI don\u2019t read reviews at all\u201c?<\/strong>
\nTrue: You should fear nothing more than good reviews. Wrong praise is dangerous, good criticism not. -1 Point<\/span>
\n \u201eI find it most important that somebody actually writes about me\u201c: This is a quite realistic view of things. And we want more realism in art! +1 Point<\/span>
\n \u201eI don\u2019t read reviews\u201c: You are lying. And lying is shit. -2 Points<\/span>
\n4. \u201eI mainly want to develop my personal style\u201c \u2013 true\/huh?<\/strong>
\nTrue: Good luck, you will never find it when you chase this superficial ideal. Your own style will come, when you don\u2019t look for it, when you are yourself. Sounds simple, but is difficult. -2 Points.<\/span>
\n Huh?: \u201eNot pretending to know something\u2026.\u201c (and so on). +1 Point<\/span>
\n5. \u201eAuthenticity is the highest goal in art\u201c \u2013 true\/false\/don\u2019t know<\/strong>
\n True: Authenticity is not to be found where it is proclaimed. In its worst form it has become a cheap tool to sell bad casting shows. You don\u2019t doubt enough! -1 Point<\/span>
\n False: You support the falseness of the world. Therefore you deserve the worst grade. -2 Points<\/span>
\n Don\u2019t know: \u201eNot pretending to know something\u2026.\u201c (and so on). +1 Point<\/span>
\n6. \u201eGreat success will grant me freedom\u201c \u2013 true\/false?<\/strong>
\nTrue: Success can give you freedom, but not if it is too big. I am not envying your success, but it can be Trojan horse to wish for it. -1 Point<\/span>
\n False: Exactly! You have understood the danger! +1Point<\/span>
\n7. \u201eRestraint everywhere \u2013 but not in art\u201c \u2013true\/false<\/strong>
\n True: If there is one realm in which we \u2013 without hurting anybody \u2013 can live and realize excess in every form, explore extremes and the utmost intensity\u2026.isn\u2019t it in art? Right on! +1 Point<\/span>
\n False: Only cowards seek mediocrity. And cowardice is the worst in art -1 Points<\/span>
\n8. \u201eIn my art I want to portray the world, not myself\u201c \u2013 true\/false\/don\u2019t know?<\/strong>
\n True: That\u2019s a really noble intention, but when YOU are caring about the world it is also about YOU, isn\u2019t it? Otherwise you wouldn\u2019t have to talk about it. So there is a dash of falseness in your statement. -1 POINT<\/span>
\n Wrong: It\u2019s only about you, you, you? To ascertain one\u2019s own vanity is good on one hand, but you can also overdo it. Perhaps you are nothing but a vain moron who wants to overcome some kind of minority complex? -2 Points<\/span>
\n Don\u2019t know: \u201eNot pretending to know something\u2026.\u201c (and so on). +1 Point<\/span>
\n9. \u201eI am scared to be an outsider\u201c \u2013 true\/false\/don\u2019t care about it<\/strong>
\nTrue: It\u2019s good that you acknowledge the fear in us all at least. -1 Point<\/span>
\n Wrong: That\u2019s shameful boasting! -2 Points<\/span>
\n Don\u2019t care: Exactly \u2013 you should not care about possibly being an outsider. Everything is possible while making your way \u2013 some have it easier, some have it more difficult. But if you follow your own intuition you will always risk being shunned for it. Shuck it away and stop whining. +1 Point<\/span><\/p>\n
\nTrue: Sadly this is very, very true. And you can sell you soul for free along with it. Good thinking! +1 Point<\/span>
\n False: So everything is determined by fate, all the others are simply more lucky than you? Talk about making it easy for yourself, baby\u2026. -1 Point<\/span>
\n11. \u201eI am never jealous of others\u201c \u2013 true\/false\/sometimes?<\/strong>
\n True: You lie. If there is a God, he is probably jealous of some other, even higher God. -2 Points<\/span>
\n False: Envy might give you some motivation, but it will also eat you from the inside. Wish for others what you wish unto yourself. -1 Points<\/span>
\n Sometimes: It\u2019s not a nice feeling, isn\u2019t it? But you are honest, and that\u2019s a start. +1 Point<\/span>
\n12. \u201eThe existence of beauty gives me consolation\u201c \u2013 true\/false\/\u201dI don\u2019t know what beauty is\u201d?<\/strong>
\nTrue: Ok, but what kind of beauty do you speak about? Do you actually know what beauty is? Are you not scared of its destruction? Are you not fighting for it with every fibre of your being? True art is never superficial, because it knows about the fragility of beauty. -1 Points<\/span>
\n Wrong: You don\u2019t care if something is truly beautiful? You are happy with producing a product without soul? You should do anything…but art. -2 Points<\/span>
\n \u201cI don\u2019t know what beauty is\u201d: Exactly, because if you truly knew it and could endlessly repeat it you would be nothing but an artisan. +1 Point<\/span>
\n13. \u201cI hate the many lies of our time, I hate muzak that wants to lull me into security, I hate second-hand emotions, I hate branding, hype and conformity, I hate the mental void of casting shows, I hate terms like \u201echilling\u201c, I hate to do what all others do, I hate the secret domination behind my mouseclicks. Easy listening and nice lala are worse to me than Guantanamo, I yearn for the days without cell\/mobile phones and internet, I yearn for touches and meaningful conversations. I am concerned about the increasing numbness of our generation. I despise academic thinking as well as hip lounge music. Sometimes I don\u2019t know how to continue. Sometimes I despair about myself, about others. I don\u2019t want to ever receive an award anymore, but I know that I will be happy about one, and that is a deeply embarassing thought for me. I feel ashamed a lot. Sometimes I\u2019m a jerk, sometimes I\u2019m the most giving person. One day I say one thing, the other day another. I don\u2019t know who I am, what I can, what I do on this planet, but I have the vague hope that there is a deeper meaning to it. With every work I start anew, like an amateur, a dilettante. I doubt my abilities constantly, I doubt others, myself, everything. Sometimes I experience this inner rage that I can barely describe. I yearn for beauty, but not that kind of fucked up, uncomplicated and easily available beauty but the individual and fragile moment that doesn\u2019t confirm me but tears me apart, scares me or overwhelms me. This kind of beauty is so rare, it is hard fought, one has to suffer for it. I am ready to suffer for it, but it also brings me the biggest despair. And sometimes, very rarely, this beauty enters the room, and it is the most wonderful thing on this world. In this moment, when I experience the elation of this intimate moment I feel I can be nothing except an artist, simply because I would fail in any other profession, because I can do naught but seek this beauty and communicate it to others.\u201d True\/False\/Don\u2019t know?<\/strong>
\nTrue: it could actually be that you are an artist. There is hope: +4 Points<\/span>
\n False: I don\u2019t think you have grasped anything of what this is all about. -4 Points<\/span>
\n Don\u2019t know: What? You have never even remotely experienced any of the above? All or nothing, Baby. -2 Points<\/span><\/p>\n
\nResult:
\n-23 Points: You are either a soulless machine or an agent of provocation. If the latter is the case you have at least understood one important aspect of art \u2013 that provocation can uncover a wound that needs to be stitched.
\n-22 to – 1 Points: You are an artisan, but not an artist. That\u2019s no shame. It could be that you bring a little beauty into the world. But it could also be that you damn it to hell with soulless and calculated crap art, at least for the ones who still own a tiny spark of true emotion. Whatever: Don\u2019t ever think that you are a real artist, even if you would like to be one. It\u2019s not enough wanting to be one, you have to BE one.
\n0 Points: Go out, live, and repeat the test someday. Perhaps you will know then. And if you haven\u2019t really lived until now, what do you want to tell us?
\n1-7 Points: I cannot promise you success, I cannot promise you an easy life. But perhaps, very perhaps you can call yourself an artist. But only if you a really, really not well-behaved.
\n8-15 Points: You could be an artist. But are you also good? Good luck with it\u2026\u2026
\n16 Points: You are doing the right thing. All the bloody time. You have an answer for every question. This is so incredibly boring and self-assured that it can\u2019t be great art. But at least you have tried. Better luck next time, sucker!<\/p>\n