I received an early Christmas present yesterday: my year marks for my studies!! And [happy dance] I passed everything and pretty well!!! I received 2 distinctions, a 71%, 3 upper 60’s and a 61% (7 subjects in all) and perhaps although I may be bragging just a little I’m really just putting it out there so it becomes real to me!! Second year done, and pretty successfully considering I also work a plus 60 hour week in a factory and on the road.
But isn’t it just human nature to focus on the one negative?; my 61%. I received it for my graphic processes module and although, after 2 years in the system I have toughened up, it still irks that you are at the whim of your crit’s personal preferences’ and understanding of your work. My tut lecturer, who attends the evaluation of the Durban students, warned me that this particular lecturer just did not get what I was trying to convey with my pieces, and although the other lecturers did not agree with her, gave me 61: her personal take on my work. Yes’ I am aware that another lecturer gave me a distinction for one of my other practical modules, also a subjective mark, and I’m not bitching about that!!
My point is that art is subjective and I wouldn’t want to change that, and to pretend that it is not is ludicrous! You need to get involved in art, to consume it and allow yourself to be consumed by it!! Passion!! Be passionate about it and don’t be afraid to have an opinion, a bias! There is nothing at all wrong with that. In other words be subjective, making art your own means you are involved! However!!!: do not close yourself off to others’ opinions and likes, to other artists and styles and movements. You don’t have to like them but take the time to at least take note of what they are saying, how they are saying it and why. You will a better artist for it and more importantly, a better person.