The Dangers of Conforming

I have been thinking of the types of pressures an artist is under to conform and how that can lead to loss of independence and creativity. I have broken it down into 3 types of artistic conforming.

1) Gallery Pressure:

I have talked of this type of pressure before. It basically is a situation where the gallery because of it's power to give shows to the artist ends up compromising his work. The artist will conform to what the gallery needs and wants instead of doing what he/she as an artist needs and wants. The conforming is done for the purpose to get a show. You might group your work into a certain theme or create work that fits a certain type of censorship or work that is designed for a certain type of viewer, all of these are ways galleries get artists to conform their work. Instead of doing what they want the artist does what the gallery wants, just to get a show.

2) Sales Pressure:

Many times I hear how people get into different types of art because it will sell. I guess from a business point of view this is the way to go but really how many more sunsets do we need? How many more pretty landscapes? If you truly believe in your heart that this is the art you want to create then go for it, if your doing it because you have a better chance to sell it to Joe consumer then your a hack putting out rubbish and not a artist creating new, exciting and original work.

3) Peer Pressure:

Lately peer pressure has been brought to me directly in two ways. I was a threatened with a lawsuit by someone I at one time considered a friend, the other was some friendly advice from a real friend who was worried about me.

Peers can have a very powerful influence on people, especially when your young. I think that as you age and become more independent thou you gain confidence in your choices and are able to stand alone if you think your on the right path. Your peers need to understand that to be a independent artist that creates work in a way that differs from others you need to BE DIFFERENT! You need to follow your heart, right or wrong! down the path it takes you.

If you conform because of peer pressure then you lose something as an individual and a artist.