I Am a Sum of Those Before Me

Jun 19, 2017
2 min read

Am I an individual or a sum of millions before me?

Am I to be proud in my uniqueness or grateful to those who marked the path?

On the artistic, social, and political level one may encounter two interesting ideas: the separate self and the group.

As an artist do you think you are a lone spark of genius or do you humbly think you came from a common effort? Actually, I think about it quite a lot. I have a tendency to get preoccupied by such questions because it is far more interesting to “what’s for dinner?” and because, churning these concepts, I feel “I am on to something”.

As I am changing, my perspective on life changes also. When I was younger, it was rather romantic to fall into category of a misunderstood artist. The older artist may come to realization that his best friend is dead for almost a 500 years but it still does not stand in a way of a marvelous relationship, and no, it is not early signs of schizophrenia. It is simply reverence for those before us who, with less resources, could exercise genius, courage, or integrity and unknowingly become mentors to many.

How can anyone feel isolated when in such company? There is no excuse for an artist to suffer alone when what it really takes is to read a passage directed to him.

Did Filippo Brunelleschi ever thought that a woman in a distant land of Des Plaines, Il would take courage from his experience?

Yes Filippo, you are I.