Gotta Agree with Hockney

"All works here were made by the artist himself, personally" states a new poster for David Hockney's new exhibit, a sly crack at artist Damien Hirst who is famous for having up to 100 people create his artwork in his "factory." Hockney says, quoting a chinese saying, that "art requires the eye, the hand and the heart. The two won't do." and I have to say I agree.

While i understand the use of assistants in helping complete some small parts of work, especially for highly in-demand artists, I have always frowned upon the "art director" artist. Sitting in a chair, shelling out ideas, and leaving it up to assistants to bring it into fruition. If that's what makes an artist...I am one of the most prolific artists on the planet with boundless ideas and aspirations, now all I need is a factory of workers... If all it takes to be an artist is the idea and the ability to pay someone to do it, being an artist isn't all that impressive...or difficult.

Half of being an artist is the development of an idea...and if all you do is come up with the basic concept, then you are really only artist of that idea. Any extension, any development, any improvement is not yours. The finished piece is not yours. There are so many times that my art takes such a drastic change...such a dramatic shift, that it is unrecognizable from the original concept and phenomenally better. Without that chance, so much gets wasted by the overall arrogance of "I have an idea, and that's how it should end up."

I've really been a bit depressed by so much coming out of the art world and community recently that this is just a wholly needed jolt to the system. It's not just shmoozing and what dollar amount you can get from your art. It's an investigation. It's not just a claim, it's the act of creation. It's not writing a statement and calling it fact, it's coming up with an idea and experimenting with that, finding a solution, and really working through what you thought you were trying to say....

David Hockney, you've earned a new spot in my heart and a promise to learn more about you. Damien Hirst...you make some cool stuff, but "I sit in a chair and watch, while they do the work" is not the definition of artist...at least to me.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-16389446