“Letters to a Young Poet”
Over Spring Break I had the privilege of reading “Letters to a Young Poet,” by Rainer Maria Rilke with the intention of relating it directly to art. My goal was easily gained from the start of the book. Some parts of the book seemed as if they were speaking directly to me or setting new light upon my previous methods and habits.
Rilke says, “Go inside yourself. Discover the motive that bids you [art], examine whether it sends its roots down to the deepest placed of your heart, confess to yourself whether you would have to die if [art] were denied to you.” I don’t want to think about dying if art were denied to me, but it would leave apart of me empty. Art is one of my loves and without it I would have an undeniable broken heart. This quote also made me wonder what does motivate me? It used to be largely the fact that I needed an A but now in the Spore Collective I think the class, atmosphere and my new passion for art motivates me. I’ve always loved art but now I have a deeper understanding and appreciation for it.
This next passage I am still working on in my own art, but I do believe I am making some progress: “…you will not think to ask anyone whether they are good [art pieces]…you will see in them your own dear genuine possession, a portion and a voice of your life.” I used to check my artwork step by step with someone to make sure I was on the right track and doing a great job. This semester has loosened me up and allowed me to trust my own judgment and be able to make the calls for myself.
This ties directly into the next portion that touched me; it said, “Let your judgments have their own quiet, undisturbed development, which must, like all progress, come from deep within, and cannot in any way be pressed or hurried.” I am working on developing this skill of creating my own judgment and then trusting it. According to this, I just need time.
One of my bad traits in the art world is my doubt, but according to Rilke, “…your doubt can become a good quality if you train it. It must become aware, it must become criticism. Ask it, whenever it wants to spoil something for you, why something is ugly, demand proofs from it, test it, and you will perhaps find it helpless and nonplussed, perhaps also aggressive. But do not give it away…” Last semester I called everything I made ugly so this semester I am working on training my doubt so it can turn into useful criticism.
And at the end of the day all you need to remember is …
“Believe me: life is right, at all events.”
