Power and Submission

Featured image: Your Path

Freedom Part IV

Freedom; is it submission? I believe that submission is choosing not to think and letting another think for you. I believe it is also choosing not to think about creating and allowing another to create for you. I believe it is what many called bliss or utopia. However, in reality, because it is unmindful it has no uniqueness and no power.

Power is not rebellion against cultural, social norms as some would say. Rather, power is the choice of the each unique individual artist. It is the artist who chooses their unique self and protects their unique power. It is the artist that respects the choices of others as long as they are not harmful to them or to others. There is no choice with submission, except to submit.

There are many examples in art of artists who choose power. My favorite is the abstract expressionists. The abstract expressionists tested the choices linked to style, technique, subject matter, and the media used. The abstract expressionists did not move in circles of the popular. In fact, they critiqued those who conformed to menus, recipes and “how to” directions.

Choices. An artist needs to always ask themselves where they are in the work. If indeed they are the ones in the work or is it someone or some group that is within the work. If the artist is missing in the work, it is difficult for me to call the work art, for it is not unique and one-of-a -ind like the artist.