A short contemplation about art and critique from my blog this maladie of mor(t)ality [link] I promise that my writings are better than my drawings.

One of my favourite pastimes is getting "What the heck?!" over self-proclaimed "artiste"s.

In my opinion one needs three things to be considered an artist: skill, will and talent.

Most of these... people lack basic skills, have just a handful of talent (if they have any at all), and they have traded will for enthusiasm, which is the reason for my headaches. It's hard to ignore them if they use any occasion to push their rubbish into the faces of everyone around them.

Actually there are people, who encourage them out of sheer politeness (or ignorance? or lack of taste?), just to avoid any possible confrontation. They see that everything, that these tormentors of innocent brushes, keyboards and strings produce, is in best case mediocre, yet they fail to point out any weaknesses.

Critique is, after all, sooooo last summer. Someone could take it on themselves! Someone could get hurt!

But I say, let them bleed, if they fail to understand their own mistakes! Let them pull the great "nobody understands me" show, if they will really shut up in the end!

Do they really dare to think, that they deserve the same title as Michelangelo, de Prés, Turner, Rodin or Chaplin, if they can't even take advice to better themselves?

They do, and that makes my blood boil.

Because they are sooo innovative, modern or (please insert other lame excuse).

They lack something very important: piety towards art. They really think, that by inventing the square wheel they have exceeded their predecessors.

If confronted, they turn to the methods of those, who mistake thoughtful critique for personal attacks. Getting personal, "Do better, if you can!", the "I will go away and never come back" show, or hands over ears, repeating the mantra "I am the best! I am the best!" at the top of their voice, are just a few of them.

Thus they don't only lack humbleness, but also the ability for self-examination, and, most importantly, dignity.

I have to admit, I am glad, that I'm not really good at acrobatics.