The True Artist Must Love Social Justice


Can you be a true artist and not love social justice?

No, it’s impossible.

For at the bottom of your soul, in the very echo of every hearts cry is a passion for others, for life, for equality and for justice.

Success is the enemy of artistry when it raises the artist above the people; when it separates the artist from the ordinary man, who spends his life fighting for his little piece of land.

Perhaps this is why many artists produce their greatest work when they are unknown and unsuccessful?

Self indulgence is a wicked foe, and our “celebrity culture” is a carnivorous beast that attempts to devour the dignity and the humanity of every soul that it touches.

Remember in everything that you do, that good fruit can only produced when you sink into the realization that your life is not meant to be about you.

 

2012 Copyright Seven Sentences – True Artist Social Justice
  • Phil Rood

    You’ve touched on an interesting point here Geoff–We like artists for a number of reasons, but a lot of the ones we think the highest of are the ones who don’t think of themselves on a higher plane… I’ve talked to number of visual artists on twitter, all of whom are at a more advanced place in their careers than me, and found most of them to be very approachable, and willing to talk to me as a peer, or offer some advice to someone who’s at a point in their career that they remember being.

    • http://sevensentences.com/ Geoff Talbot

      Well it is often the animal that is the quietest that is the most in pain AND it is often the greatest person/artist/highest achiever who feels no need to talk about themselves and is happy to engage with others…

      Right?

  • http://twitter.com/MrProffit Maurice Proffit

    THANK YOU FOR THIS!

    • http://sevensentences.com/ Geoff Talbot

      Cheers Maurice!!!

  • http://twitter.com/christopherburd Christopher Burd

    I’m afraid this isn’t so. Several excellent 20c artists & writers were reactionaries or even fascists: Celine, Ezra Pound, Marinetti. We like to think that all good things go together, but they don’t.

    What a true artist must love is art.

    • Guest

      hmmm… I think everything goes together whether we like it or not. The secret to great art, great dancing, great acting is that everything except art, dancing or acting…

      • TheExplorist

        I’m with you. Art does not come from loving art. Art (real art) isn’t even about art. Art is just imitating humanity.