In relation to the optimistic title of this post I wish it was so. Unfortunately, in the art world talent and application often run a distant second to celebrity and the machinations of dealers and their clients. It is a Pollyanna belief that the quality of artistic output determines an artist’s fame.
“Fame is but a fruit tree.
So very unsound.
It can never flourish,
‘til its stock is in the ground.
So men of fame.
Can never find a way,
‘til time has flown.
Far from their dying day.”
These words from the lips and soul of Nick Drake are so very true and sad. Fame did not find Nick until after he was dead from an overdose of antidepressants at 26 years in November 1974.
Is Fame All That It Is Cracked Up To Be?
Is fame all that it is cracked up to be? We the uncelebrated look on from afar and imagine it to be better than our own lot. Fame sells more records and works of art. Fame offers respect in many situations, but it comes with a price of course – your privacy. The statement, an artist’s portfolio is the key to their fame, may be wide of the mark but it may be true as a means to their ultimate contentment. The passing of the years may offer a modicum of sage wisdom when it comes to the quality of the work. Nick if you could have only waited. Vincent if only you could have survived. Some great artists flame like a bright candle before burning out. Growing old and fat is not their destiny.
Fame is But a Fruit Tree
Some say that equally a web designer’s portfolio should showcase their most artistic works. The digital realm is alive with artistic talent, as these micro-designers build homes for ideas to flourish. Nick Drake would have wanted a website for his sad songs to lament the shadows passing by. I suppose an artist should have all their images on Instagram for folks to flick them over on a whim to kill a little time. Therefore, it could be that an artist’s portfolio is the key to their fame in this throwaway world. Fame is but a fruit tree. Folk are always reaching for the ripest banana. Eat it before it rots at your feet. Taste the sweetness and breathe the pungent aroma. Tap your feet to the beat and hum.
