In the creative community, authenticity is a big deal. Art is all about bringing the real you to the foreground, cutting through the artifice slathered on by our overarching culture. If only it were that simple.
What is this "real you" we're talking about? Certainly every action you take is very real, so why wouldn't that be who you really are? It seems to me that it's rather impossible to escape yourself. Even when you lie, that need to misrepresent yourself says quite a bit about who you are. The true you is in everything you do.
Personally, my real me feels a bit schizophrenic. I feel as though the various parts of my personality are constantly negotiating with each other to keep the ship afloat. It's hard for me to say that any one part is representative of me-- there are parts that I'm proud of and parts I'm embarrassed by, but they all seem to be the real me. Which part of me should I put forward when making art?
Personally, I think authenticity is a Will O' The Wisp. That's not what artists should strive for. Instead they should strive for inspiration, and where ever they may find it. If that involves emulating something they love, so be it. If it means creating something never before seen or heard in the world, all the better.
But if someone finds artistic inspiration, I don't see any purpose in criticizing them for lack of authenticity. If they dig it, they truly dig it, and that's a good gig, you dig?
So what do you all think about the role of authenticity in art? What is authenticity? And how do you recognize it?
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