(And how to ensure your masterpieces matter)
What does artistic mastery mean? 🤔
Ask 10 people and you’ll get different 10 answers.
💪 For some, it means creating in accord with tradition.
💪 For others, it means achieving new heights of virtuosity.
💪 For yet others, it means skillfully poking holes in the value of the first two.
Which definition is the “right” one?
You’ll find an endless stream of people arguing endlessly over that question.
So, let’s ask a better question:
👉 “Which definition of artistic mastery does the world need right now?”
After all, we’re living in a unique period in history. Shouldn’t we have a definition that reflects that uniqueness?
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It turns out that the many definitions of artistic mastery you’ll encounter aren’t random.
They fall into several buckets that actually reveal a historical progression. ↗
This progression tells us where we came from, where we are now, and where we may go.
Importantly, each era has its own definition of artistic mastery based on the most important values of the day.
This is why certain art, artistry, and artists seem to belong to their unique era and not others.
Society evolves.
Artists reflect and — potentially — aid that evolution.
Understanding this progression and evolution is like gaining a super-power.
⚜ Because you know which definitions of mastery to keep and which to discard, you’ll understand how to most effectively resolve your artistic challenges.
⚜ Because you know which steps in that evolution are likely to come next, you’ll be able find a definition of artistic mastery that matters to today’s complex and turbulent world.
Here’s the progression.
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Premodern Era (50,000–500 years ago):
Core Values: Survival, safety, appeasing spirits, physical power, order, purpose.Premodern definitions of artistic mastery include surviving as an artist, demonstrating raw emotional power, and following traditions exactly.
Modern Era (500–50 years ago):
Core Values: Achievement, justice, objectivity, scientific, business, money, freedom, universal rights.Modern definitions of artistic mastery include technical mastery, commercial success, and innovation
Postmodern Era (50 years ago — Present):
Core Values: Care, sensitivity, questioning tradition, achievement, and beauty, absurdity, deconstructionism.Postmodern definitions of artistic mastery includes that which helps people question historical values, as well care more for the needs of others
Can you see the progression from one to the next?
Which ones do you identify with the most? The least? Just notice what comes up for you.
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What’s vital to realize is that none of these are better or worse than the others.
Each of these stages have their pros and cons, and each represented the cutting edge of human culture at the time.
That being said, clinging to outdated definitions of artistic mastery is probably the root cause of your artistic challenges.
🚫 Performance anxiety? You may be, at some level, regarding successful performances as necessary to your survival.
🚫 Burnout? You may have striven too hard in your progression towards technical mastery.
🚫 Fear that your art doesn’t matter in today’s world? You may have gone too far deconstructing the value of beauty.
So, what’s the next step in this progression?
Can it provide a definition of mastery that addresses these issues and helps you help humanity through your art?
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✅ Post-Postmodern/Integral (Presently emerging).
Core Values: Visionary, holistic, systems thinking, head and heart together, care and competency togetherDefinitions of mastery include self-actualization, integration of technique, effortlessness, and soul, visionary art with global positive impact, art with Soulforce
“Integral artists” create art that matters to our current world.
We’re able to see past the blind spots of previous eras and create art that helps people evolve and grow into the coming era.
We do this by growing and evolving ourselves — into the integral worldview.
We understand that artistic mastery cannot be defined solely in terms of tradition, achievement, or deconstructionism.
We understand an artistic master to be one who helps humanity evolve and grow into what’s needed to successfully navigate our complex and turbulent world.
Thus, artistic mastery now requires stepping into the integral worldview and creating from there.
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Here’s how to become an integral artist:
Study developmental models like Spiral Dynamics and integral theory. Apply their lessons to every area of your life.Get my book! 😎 My book, “Soulforce,” is meant to help you do just this. In fact, I have two whole chapters on this subject in my book.
Get your copy here >> https://a.co/d/2Ia0ZEq
