‘L’art pour l’art’ or ‘art for art’s sake’ started out as justifying art being just as valuable without having a deeper meaning to it. But in the age of social media, where we carefully curate our Instagram feeds and Pinterest boards, have we lost whatever sense of respect and admiration we had left for all the hard work that artists put into their work?
We lazily scroll through our feeds, double-tapping random images, and maybe taking the time to share it with our friends. But do those tiny moments of engaging with the content really justify the long hours behind taking the photo and editing it? A very valid question here would be ‘Why do artists share their work on social media if that is the case?’, but the right question is ‘Why do artists continue to share their work even if they don’t get the validation they deserve?’
The answer: they do it for the sake of art. They keep creating and curating all forms of art because art inspires them. Every artwork is a snapshot of the artist’s imagination at the time of its creation. And no, this does not mean that everybody today wants to be a blogger, or start a podcast, or a photographer. It’s actually beautiful when you start to think of it as multiple windows to look at the world from so many different perspectives. Doesn’t that sound wonderful?
The art that we see today doesn’t necessarily have to inspire us. It is out there because something inspired the artist to paint, or write, or shoot their subject and share their work on public platforms. The very least that we, as consumers, can do is to encourage them and share their work for the world to see.
Granted, there are more artists in the world than we can individually acknowledge, but every little bit of validation from our side gives them the love and support that they deserve for constantly investing all their time in creating and improving their art.
Personally, I try to interact with as many artists who inspire me as I can. I like to surround myself with the amount of creative energy that they exude for one very simple reason: it is infectious. It gives me the courage to keep doing what I do, a little better every time. It keeps me on my toes.
If you’re ever scared of putting your artwork out there, just remember that you’re not doing this for the millions of people in the world, you’re doing it for yourself. You’re doing it because it’s what makes you the happiest. Every work of art that you choose to publish is something that can inspire people and make this world a more beautiful place to live in. Neither you nor your works are insignificant in any way, and you never know when one of your works really sparks somebody else’s imagination.
Do what you love because you love it, sans expectations. Don’t give up just yet because your art doesn’t get the recognition it deserves. Give it time, be patient. Not everybody blooms at the same pace. Keep creating with love.
So how about we actually start thinking about the amount of hard work that goes on behind the scenes and actually give credit where it’s due? Just something for you to chew on!
Cheerio! Xx
Hey, everyone! I’ve noticed that a lot of well-deserving artists do not get the recognition they should. This is how you can help them: By leaving kind comments, by sharing their work with those who might appreciate it and by showing them the appreciation they deserve for making this world a little bit more beautiful. Spread the love. Always!
You can always reach out to me on my socials if you want me to follow your art or discuss art in general. I’m always up for it.
Yours truly,
The Shubhster.
The Shubhster Diaries 