Art and Life

Afrobeat originator Fela Kuti. image from Atlanticblackstar “There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” so said writer Ernest Hemingway. The quote suggests sacrifice, suffering and a sense of self torture. Many artistic people have long claimed that to create awe inspiring and truly original work, one has to suffer. I can’t help but think that it also helps the artist feel more like what they are doing is somewhat noble. History certainly is not short of troubled artists in all walks who walked the path to destruction and also left us with some great work and perhaps without fulfilling the full promise of their talents. We can cite people like writer Sylvia Plath, musician Fela Kuti, actor and filmmaker Orson Welles, composer Beethoven and painter Jean Michel Basquiat; these are some creative people who led troubled lives and indeed did create incredible work. Back in our humble Uganda we also have local greats such as musicians Philly Bongol...

 The daunting empty page and the luring phone. Procrastination ; simply put, the act of avoiding and postponing a task that needs to be done. Delaying to submit that application, write that report/essay, learn that instrument; postponing a practice routine, exercise, diet plan, visit a relative, finish that painting, put on that exhibition or concert, write that book, face that challenge, confront a fear etc... Usually these are put on a bench and in their place we insert whatsapp, facebook, video games, movies, TV, the bar, beach, candycrash... Basically more important life saving deeds, the crucial fun stuff. Artists haven't got a monopoly on this postpone-for-no-reason-whatsoever foolishness, it can affect anyone. But artists have truly perfected the art of delaying stuff. This is a disease for many creative people and I am not immune. It sure is something that I battle with from time to time. I was thinking a lot about why on occasion, it takes me so long to do cert...