I was recently reading about creativity, and I was captivated by a chapter titled, “THOUGHTS ON CREATIVITY” from the book “The Art of Photography: An Approach to Personal Expression” First Edition 1994, by Bruce Barnbaum p. 141. He touches on things I have seen but have never really understood.
Barnbaum says that in Western art creativity is all about originality, where Eastern, or as he calls it “primitive art” is more about traditional methods of the original masters. He talks of how the primitive artist works toward the quality and style of the ancient masters, and how any departure is not acceptable in their culture.
Barnbaum goes on to talk about how the primitive art mindset is not in fashion, nor acceptable in Western art. How working in the style of past masters is seen as, “redundant, hollow, and meaningless.” He talks of how even using past known techniques is looked upon as mere “copies” and are deeply frowned upon. He further says that working in the style of past masters is “a good learning experience” yet is not accepted as anything of worth by Western civilization.
I see this a lot in our Western culture. Someone takes a hand full of cow dung and throws it at a canvas and it immediately becomes a fresh new art form. Personally, all I see is BS. I have to admit that there are a lot of things I do not understand. Jazz is another thing I can’t comprehend. . . several people all playing something different at the same time is not music to me. But, that is my personal take and mine alone.
I love the work of the past masters of photography and I fully intend to continue to produce my work in that style. It is what I like, and if you don’t please yourself, you are not going to be convincing to anyone else. Guess I will kick back and put on some Pink Floyd and contemplate making some more primitive photographs. . . maybe some more of those redundant, hollow, and meaningless copies.
So, you can call me PRIMITIVE. . .
JB