The article written by William Deresiewicz called “The Death of the Artist and the Birth of the Creative Entrepreneur” (link attached below), gives historical context around the evolution of the artist:
– the artisan, the maker of “crafts” continuing in tradition – to the artist as the enlightened and glorified one (a solitary genius)
– to the artist who breaks away from tradition and suffers him/herself to bring forth “truth”; he/she is the enlightened one, inspired, a genius
– to the professional artist who prompts the need for institutions to support him/her (graduate programs, arts councils, governing bodies, museums)
– and more recently the multi-faceted artist, one who has greater breadth than depth in one discipline.
W.D. refers to this modern artist as the Creative Entrepreneur (CE) paralleling their multi disciplinary “artsy-ness” to diversifying one’s investment portfolio. The Creative Entrepreneur has to walk the line of being customer driven or creativity driven, creating art an audience will pay for or creating art for arts sake. I disagree with the theory that we’re seeing “the death of the artist” but I do agree with the fact that the evolution of the creative person from that of “artiiiist” to that of entrepreneur, has been happening for years. For years we have been working for others and ourselves, freelancing and starting our own businesses but have not been thinking and managing our creative endeavors with a business mind.
Do you think you’re ill equipped to think like this? Are you afraid you’re giving up your artists status? OR Are you just realizing that you may be or have been a Creative Entrepreneur (running a creative business) all along and, if you want it to be successful, there might be some business skills worth adopting?
These are just my 5 cents but I want to know yours! Do you think the artist is dead? Is the Creative Entrepreneur the artist reincarnate? What can one learn from the other?
JOIN THE CONVERSATION. SHARE YOUR OPINION. (http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2015/01/the-death-of-the-artist-and-the-birth-of-the-creative-entrepreneur/383497/)