Art is a selective re-creation of reality according to an artist’s metaphysical value-judgments. - Ayn Rand
Recently, I got an opportunity to interact with one of my favorite writer during my adolescent age, Mr.Yandamoori Veerandranath. Off late he has stopped writing popular novel, instead concentrating on personality development workshops and social service through education. Apart from popular novel, he had written some nice serious novels. If you are brought up in south India, it is very difficult miss him. You might have read his book/translated book or might have watched movies based on his novels etc. I sent him an email urging him to return to novel writing, not flimsy or glossy or popular but meaningful and serious. To which he replied;
"Thank u very much for your kind letter. A person's greatest emotional need is to feel appreciated. Your letter boosts up the passion and gusto of a writer like me for better works. "
I was bit surprised to note such a famous writer says this!!! Even he needs appreciation to write what he believes meaningful.
Yes whenever artist creates something, he would like share his creation with others and would be keen on getting opinions of others. A good constructive opinion and appreciation would encourage him to create more and feel exalted.
What if it is otherwise?
Was there any artist, who never cared for opinions or appreciation? Yes there were many in the history. But I think they didn't come in contact with people who would think in same wave length. Or their fight was with institution or institutional beliefs.
What if artist creates something to which no one shows favorable opinion except himself? This is where artistic conviction and self belief of artist will be tested. There are many instances where people were not appreciated as they were ahead of their times. Example: Socrates drinking hemlock instead of preaching what he did not believe in. People writing novels or poems in different style or in theme than what is believe to be tradition or convention.
There are plenty of people who went against tide or popular belief. All the new things you see in this world are result of that.
Like Ayn Rand said "Every man should live for his own happiness and no one is sacrificial animal for others happiness". I strongly believe that self conviction and belief are more important than other’s appreciation in Art. Do you have them in you? Then go ahead create your own form of art or what you believe in, with out compromise or with out caring /worrying about other’s opinion!
P.S: Our own poet Dr. Shivarudrappa's line
ಎದೆ ತುಂಬಿ ಹಾಡಿದೆನು
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ಎಲ್ಲ ಕೇಳಲಿ ಎಂದು ನಾನು ಹಾಡುವುದಿಲ್ಲ
ಹಾಡುವುದು ಅನಿವಾರ್ಯ ಕರ್ಮ ನನಗೆ!
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ಹಾಡೋ ಹಕ್ಕಿಗೆ ಬೇಕೆ ಬಿರುದು ಸನ್ಮಾನ ...
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At the same there is absolutely nothing wrong for getting appreciated for your creativity or art. Treat other's appreciation as by-product not as the main objective.
