In the past few years of our meme-creating, viral video-addicted society validation has grown amok. The time has come to steer away from it. This message is for the artist today. Not their target audiences or engaged fans. This need for someone to pat you on the back to confirm your place as an artist, a creative–professional or not–has to go. From award shows, panel discussions, round-table talks, networking events, and the endless digital trails of followers and likes on social media–validation seems to be a needed precursor for art to be completed and artistry endeavored. Us, young artists, firmly identified in the often-maligned category of Millennials seem to aim first and foremost for that pat on the back, the group acknowledgement of self-love, and a safe space from critics to allow one to establish and deliver. Just to create and just to make a mark in a specific industry, validation now has become the benchmark to propel art forward rather than the merit of creating it or the great expression that art may leave behind.
The term ‘validation’ is in a different context than ‘inspiration’ and ‘motivation’. Inspiration and motivation both combine as a self-willing attribute that allows an artist to dream and the moxie to pursue. It can be found in all waking endeavors–in business, sports, and–even, politics. Validation is entirely on a different plane of existence. It is outer; outside the self. It’s a mix and combination of critics and audience. It is primarily third-party. Somewhere along the way in this advent digital age where opinions travel faster than the speed of light (and sound)–validation has trumped inspiration and motivation. It’s like receiving the applause before the art is delivered. The artist thinks of herself and himself as a representative to speak for others thus soliciting the support of a constituency or base. Along the way the artist creates their medium of creative expression as catering to a group, class, or demographic rather than the self-propelled avenue art is meant for. Artists needs to speak less or rather in the words of the tired cliche, “Let the art speak for itself.”
“…if you first have to read it to your wife
or your girlfriend or your boyfriend
or your parents or to anybody at all,
you’re not ready.
don’t be like so many writers,
don’t be like so many thousands of
people who call themselves writers,
don’t be dull and boring and
pretentious, don’t be consumed with self-
love.
the libraries of the world have
yawned themselves to
sleep
over your kind.
don’t add to that…” -Charles Bukowski “so you want to be a writer?”
You see validation in the film festival circuit often during Q&A sessions when the mic is drawn to guest panelists of producers, directors and actors. You see validation at the endless annual cycles of award shows that is often propped up as a participation medal ceremony. There you can hear artists speak on issues that often surpass what the art portrayed. You see validation at networking events of industry executives shaking hands with future creative leaders but needing the congratulatory support of needing to get their foot in the door. You even see validation at art galleries where more conversations become about the need to represent a peoples and their situation rather than the talent and great allure of the showcased paintings and photographs. You even see validation in titles and labels people given themselves like an “activist” doing protest art, for example.
Validation is especially pushed harder on the minority artist. He or she often feels far too often the doors to bigger platforms of expression are closed more rigidly to them than for others. Validation makes sense for that Native American painter, or the Hispanic singer, or the woman sculptor to progress on as contemporary artist. The talented Ava DuVernay gets a lot of credit with her social movement pushing the need to acknowledge the black woman filmmaker. What resonates greatly to her cause is the quality of her film and TV projects and the theme it expresses. However as an activist/thought leader she leans more on validating new, young artists more than the work they created and, thus, presented. While this can lead to unknown, talented artists getting their fair share of expression and recognition it can also be a slippery slope. Validating the artist more so than validating the art itself may lead to a forced acknowledgment of mediocrity and inexperience.
Millennials are often toted as the “participation trophy” generation. Parents and teachers to counselors and coaches often used the word “special” to describe and encourage young Millennials as they were growing up. Off they went to their university campuses after graduating in the top of their high school classes with even more support from professors and advisers instilling in them with the world-is-yours mentality–the feeling of “you can accomplish anything you put your mind to”. Simply, just show up. Then for the first time as newly adults entering the ever-changing world reality seeped in and often came with a cold, slap in the face. Suddenly, success is not guaranteed, hard work doesn’t always pay off, and things and institutions aren’t always fair–most don’t play by the rules. But the adults influencing Millennials in their impressionistic growth didn’t outline for Millennials that reality–even as they were living it themselves. Any critique, negative acknowledgement was frowned upon–afraid of hurting self-esteem thus stunting confidence in growth. Such predilections seeped into the ubiquitous world of art. Kids that showed a burgeoning gift of art early on were pushed into specialized schools or art electives with that same promise of success and accomplishment. The artistic Millennial went off to grossly over-priced colleges and universities bent on careers as the next generation of new artists. There they began little to big projects setting themselves up for the real world just before getting their feet wet. Then they entered the real world of social connections, electronic money systems, and huge lines of older artists also trying to get their foot in the ironclad industry doors. Failure was inevitable and the concrete jungle produced not only the survival of the fittest but the most talented (and charismatic–as a combo) among this growing pool of soon-to-be artists. Validation then came into being as a top initiative for artist feeling victimized and marginalized to the forces of the world where success goes to a small few. Artists in this light then aimed for awards over good, followers over the journey, and ‘likes’ over passion.
In the end, art is really more about pushing boundaries and breaking institutional norms. It’s about the celebration of the auteur and opening up expressions for niche and mainstream audiences to feel, think, imbibe, and acknowledge in different ways. Art is about journeying and expanding. Its about chartering one’s own path. It;s about freedom. Art is not about being liked or lauded in showers of honors. Validation should be an extra, ancillary, superfluous. Artistry should live like dream states of conscious that props people into a different world–perhaps, a different space and time. There’s no utility nor purpose to art. It is entirely existentialist. Therefore representation should apply more readily to industry personnel than to actresses, writers, and comedians. Art only moves forward in the creator. And, the talent that drives it is not based on superficial, human-induced concepts of group-think and identity–race, culture, gender, creed, etc. So, go! Shut up and create. Let’s see who’s really listening, reading, watching, liking way beyond the validation.