November 30, 2006
why make stuff?
Mark Boyd, a working artist, sent me this rather heartening manifesto:
WHY MAKE STUFF?
You can change the world with a pencil, a piece of paper, a chunk of
charcoal and piece of cardboard, a paintbrush, a crayon, a d-cam, a
blog, a cell phone, a recorder; a projector, some clay and a kiln, some
wood and a few tools, some sticks, stones, and grasses, a stove and
some vegetables, found glass, paper, metal, plastic, a torch, a welder,
a stick and some sand, a knife to carve with, an idea, some mud and
hay, a computer, some seeds, a needle and thread and scrap of fabric,
the list goes on. You can change yourself by using any of this stuff or
any thing else that might come to mind and hand.
Why we make stuff matters. How we make stuff is secondary. Any method,
material or vehicle that allows you to get to what you’re trying to
see/feel/say/suggest is equally valid. What we make is not the point.
That we make, that we DO, is.
Making stuff develops the ability to see, hear, taste, smell and feel.
Making stuff is about problem solving, the openness to possibilities,
development of skills, internal and external navigation and resolution,
a sense of exploration and adventure. Making stuff transforms one from
a consumer to a contributor. Making stuff is not passive. Making stuff
involves making choices. Realizing you have choices and making them is
empowering. Empowerment leads to confidence, and the courage to
question and challenge the status quo. Making stuff and sharing it is a
social and political act, which opens avenues for communication. That
can help prevent us from becoming mindless drones subservient to the
mass media, politicians, advertisers and commercial interests that have
constructed the consumer culture for the purposes of distracting and
desensitizing us from reality.
Make it up, make do, make it real, make it personal, make it public.
Make it work, make it accessible, make it cheap, make it fun, make it
serious. Make it loud or soft, make it bright or dim, make it big or
small. Make it obvious, make it subtle, make it to be touched, tasted,
smelled, heard. Make it open to interpretation, open for discussion,
open to criticism. Make it open. Make it from found stuff, made stuff,
recycled, reused and repaired stuff. Make it from scratch, from a kit,
a mix, a box. Make it new or make it old. Make it specific, make it
general, make it purposeful, make it pointless. Make it a question,
make it an answer, make it clear, make it vague. Make it high tech,
make it lo-fi, make it inclusive.
Just make it. When you’re done, make more and make different. No need
to explain, justify, apologize, or validate. Make it, and let it go.
Dare to fail big, and attempt to change the world. Resist conformity,
think for yourself and go make some stuff of your very own.
[gapingvoid manifesto submission guidelines are here.][Manifesto archive is here.]
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A working artist is similar to a working mom? Or what does that mean?
Hallelujah brother! NOT making stuff has been making me sick, honestly. And the urge to make is spilling out like … a what? volcano? barf the morning after the whiskey? wave on a beach? take your pick. Thanks Mark. Short Manifesto idea’s a cracker Hugh. Also cheers for the alternative ten commandments among others.
Making/creating stuff is my whole reason for existing in this world. There’s something deeply satisfying about creating something real, be it art, writing, furniture, whatever.
I’m guessing “working artist” is supposed to be the opposite of the ‘starving artist’ although not not likely associated with the ‘famous and/or wealthy artist who makes a living off his artwork’ …
I got. Thank you for the explanation. I like creating, too.
Do we still have people like Van Gogh in this world, who just create in a crazy void? I think we do. What group should we put people like him in? Starving? But is it the food or money these people lack? Sanity? Or the love, dare I ask, mark?
I really like this manifesto.
If there would be one thing I would add to it, it would be addresing the part about changing the world.
Dare to change the world in a good way– because you can. You can change someones life with something you’ve created, and by changing their life, you’ve changed their world. You can change the world with something you make, whether it be by failing or succeeding. With every sentence you craft, or every perception you slightly alter, with every person you interact with, and every face you express– you’ve changed someones world. Don’t dare to just change the world– you change someones world every day. Dare to change somesones world in a big way, giving them the gift of a passion to do the same.
I love this.
I get depressed when I’m not making things. It’s not that important what it is, but it must give a feeling of having accomplished something. It’s a rewarding process to talk yourself into starting an almost impossible project, work hard, and maybe long. Surprisingly often, the impossible project turns out to be well within reach, and you manage to produce something really nice. It’s only about daring to start.
And then move on. That’s the part I have to get better at.
I had to go through chemotherapy last year. I was really scared of what it was going to do to me. So I got overexcited about a ‘little’ project I had brainstormed months before.
It turned into a 4 month engineering nightmare. Everyday I was running out to buy electronics, reading reference manuals (because I don’t know anything about electronics) and getting pricing from major companies. Once I had it finished and working, I casually asked around to see if anybody was interested in it.
Nobody was.… lol.
So I just posted the majority of my projects documentation on my web site.
The truth is, it would have been excellent if someone took my project and ran with it ; but I knew that probably wouldn’t happen and still I needed to complete it for my own sanity. To keep my mind off of other things.
Necessity is the mother of invention.