You read the title and thought I was talking smack. But in fact, I’m trying to give advice.
The history of the world is one of shared spaces, shared food, shared water, shared DNA, shared lives. The history of art is the same. It is a history of an evolution of ideas, of appropriation and application. Therefore, if you’re looking for inspiration, look no further than 1. inside you; and then 2. to other art work that fuels your soul. Apply your own story to what you see. Make it relevant, make it yours. Remix it all and you’re underway. Filmmaker Jim Jarmusch says it best:
“Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadows. Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic. Authenticity is invaluable; originality is nonexistent.”
The above image plus the reminder that all of life is a collage, via the uber talented Austin Kleon.
“Even in literature and art, no man who bothers about originality will ever be original: whereas if you simply try to tell the truth (without caring twopence how often it has been told before) you will, nine times out of ten, become original without ever having noticed it.
~ C.S. Lewis
While lounging with my 4 year old, I discovered an amazing example of this premise last weekend. These two movies, filmed over 15 years apart, are remarkably similar in plot, characters, themes, etc.
Avatar (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0499549/) and Ferngully (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104254/). However, they are world’s apart (pun intended) in vision and execution!
Imitatio et Aemulatio!
Great advice Chase! There is nothing wrong in being inspired by other photographs. The world has been photographed all over, in all ways. We just have to find what we love, distill it through our vision and make it our own and unique.
We are on the same page. And if we were to flip to the next, what would be there?