Should a creative explain or defend their work?
That’s a question I asked myself, recently, as I was explaining a piece to a friend. And, here’s how I’ve been thinking about it lately — If I make perfect interpretation my main objective, I’m going to end up needlessly disappointed, and too often, it ends up being a selfish pursuit.
I can explain something just so, and convey an understandable message, but personal meaning is relative. Explanations have limitations and putting up our defenses create even more.
Explaining has its place, but the more a creative defends their work and viewpoint, the more they rob viewers of their own meaning. If everyone experiences the same meaning as you, then what’s the point? You might as well keep your art hung on your own walls. You might as well write your poems in a private journal.
Creating goes beyond self-expression and it serves a greater purpose than self-validation. The greater accomplishment is connecting with something beyond ourselves. That’s hard to accurately predict.
I don’t get to decide what matters to you.
I don’t get to give you personal meaning.
I struggle with this sometimes. I find myself over-explaining and wanting others to know exactly why something is meaningful (to me). I, then, realize later that I should have let it go and welcome different perspectives.
And therein lies the gift between Artist and viewer — allowing space for people to be affected in a way that best serves them.
Creatives are like parents and letting go can be hard, but it’s necessary.
I like how Steven Pressfield likens a work-in-progress to an unborn fetus and warns against talking about your work prematurely while it’s still being developed. I can relate to how that can sabotage work before it’s at least close to completion. But, when it’s done, it’s done.
At some point, you gotta let your baby go.
You can’t protect her forever.
If you’re a parent or in any other kind of close relationship, then you probably know that letting go is an act of love. Your child, spouse, partner, or best friend will be of best service to the world if you let them go — not try to control all of their interactions and the way other people relate to them. I think our Art and creations are a lot like that. They need to be fully offered up to the world.
There’s a strong connection between love and creating.
Putting care, skill, and thought into our work, letting it go, and starting again. It all comes from that same source. Maybe seeing that connection can make it easier to put more of our work out there and better appreciate a diversity of feedback.
Your thoughts?
When and why do you find yourself explaining or defending your work? When is it helpful to do so? When is it better to just let it go?
[photo credit: 18percentgrey]
