ARTISTS AND CRITICISM
 |
| Image from www.shanaschutte.com |
Most creative people I know don't like to hear any criticism. Even after showering someone with praise; the minute you say, "it was very good, but...” you will have put a banana peel on the steps. If you weren't friends to start with, the criticism will be explained away as enmity or sour grapes. No matter how well meaning, in Kampala, criticism is generally termed as "nugu" (jealously) regardless of the intent behind it.
An Artist and Their Work Are One
It is understandable why it is hard for an artist to stomach a negative reaction to their work. They have probably toiled over it for weeks or months. In some cases even years. Then there is the emotional investment in their work for which one may have sacrificed life choices, a more rewarding job, a relationship, family etc. Add to it years of toiling to learn the craft, often amidst societal objections. With all this baggage, usually an artist has invested too much sweat, emotion, personality and possibly their life savings, even loans in a piece of work. So they really believe in this work and it's merits. Now you come along and say "its good BUT...". That "but" could possibly be lighting a fuse in an already volatile space. When you say "the work stinks"; the artist hears "you and your entire life stinks"!
I recall years back when I wanted to release a double CD of no less than 32 songs! People who knew better warned me of its weaknesses as only about half the material was actually worth releasing. Add to it the difficulty of marketing such a product and the sheer extravagance; but I was adamant (Ugandans call it "mputu") my "masterpiece" should be released as I conceived it. I duly dismissed all criticism and advice as nugu, and people not understanding me as an artist or my work. I even had a ghastly name for the project, "Blue Magma” and a blue melting hand as the cover picture! I had worked 4 years on this project and I was dammed if anyone was going to change a tiny hair of it.
Anyone who criticised it was taking a knife to my very inner core. To me all the critical voices were blind and/or didn't wish me well; I saw it as sabotage to my work and me as an artist. Actually, their criticism meant well and they were trying to save me from myself. Alas, Blue Magma never saw the light of day. Had I listened to some of the advice perhaps it would have been saved. Years later I realised many of the songs were self indulgent showy rubbish and I ditched them; I salvaged the few decent songs from it and released them as "Naked and Blue".
Fortunately, not all artists are like this. I am also glad to say I am no longer that petulant kid from years back. It takes a mature and experienced artist with confidence in their abilities to be able to take criticism. It requires artistic and professional maturity to shoulder criticism, dissect it, use what's relevant and dismiss what isn't and carry on. Unfortunately, these are few. An artist can live to the ripe old age of 100 and still be that petulant kid bickering at their 100th birthday, "they don't understand me" every time there is some criticism!
How Seriously Should One Take Criticism
In a lot of media in Uganda I often see glowing reviews of artworks, events, concerts and films that are rather mediocre or downright awful! Some critics believe that mentioning anything negative is defamation of sorts. So they feed the artist's ego with glittering sappy articles. So many artists have been declared geniuses in Uganda you would think we are the cradle of excellence in the universe. Other times criticism has been scathingly negative and when this happens the paper or journalist concerned is attacked for "bad reporting". We are forgetting that criticism even when objective is still opinion based. Even when its a nasty review, there could be some truths in the opinion. Simply reacting emotionally to such a review is useless.
One doesn't have to take every criticism seriously because indeed some critics do it to tear you down or to simply exalt themselves and find relevance or fame. Others criticise because they are quite simply bullies. Then there are those who criticise so they may get an upper hand especially if they are competitors. And of course there's the nugu camp as well in their green corner warming up to knock you out. I was recently a best-man at my friend's wedding and a lady in her late 40s came to me and without cause bitterly sneered "worst man!" I was caught totally off guard but I figured she was a jealous witch and moved on. I was probably too smart and cool she thought to come and knock me down a peg or two; sorry witch lady, I am still cool. One doesn't have to take every opinion seriously because some opinions are loaded with agendas.
With all this unprovoked negative and destructive criticism and on the other hand glowing worshipful fan letters its hard to work out when good constructive criticism comes in. The good stuff can easily be buried in the noise. What is for sure is that there's always going to be some criticism no matter how good the work because one can't please everyone yet opinions are ripe from every corner, plus people have social media now so everyone can pitch in whilst hiding behind the cyber curtain. Behind the veil of social networks your critics can say what they would never dare say to your face. In this new opinionated age, an artist needs to learn to shoulder criticism not hide from it because that is impossible now. One needs to develop an artistic confidence in what they do and a thick skin. In this way, perhaps learn how to sieve through opinions and digest criticism, separating the wheat from the chaff. Easier said than done but doable.
The Limitation of Emotions
What might prove a little hard to control is the emotional aspect. Many artists are too sensitive and overly precious about their art. This very often impairs judgement and blurs reason. It blocks an artist from learning and improving. One artist whose song I was arranging was adamant that I don't remove a phrase from his song after I criticised the phrase as "useless to the song". Apparently I wasn't qualified to critique his symphony of words. We actually fell out on the basis of this epic poetry; "baby uhuu just tonight.” I am sure dead poets the world over are writhing in their graves for having missed such a line of refined prose. Needless to say, that little line was contentious enough for me to politely ask him to finish the work elsewhere.
From that example, it is clear that as artists we can sometimes be very sensitive, too sensitive that every tiny "but" that questions the work is considered to question one's very purpose and existence! However, such an emotional approach should be resisted because a lot of good advice can be dismissed on the account of feelings. Most times criticism even from a layman can be quite insightful since its an alternative view and also often objective in a way the artist can't be. The artist has been immersed in the work so closely at the center to see the crooked perimeter. But for an outsider these jagged edges are as clear as day.
The spectator's experience of a 100m race is of great value to the athletes who run it even when the spectator can't run 10m to save their lives.
So I am sure this article was good but you probably have some reservations, opinions and criticisms and I am cool with that because I am confident about what I wanted to say.
Feel free to subsfribe at the top, comment below and please share. Note that any abusive language will be removed from the comments not to stifle debate but to keep my blog neat and troll free.
Feel free to subsfribe at the top, comment below and please share. Note that any abusive language will be removed from the comments not to stifle debate but to keep my blog neat and troll free.
Comments