Visual art is a form of intellectual labor, achieved through physical effort. This labor is essentially a creative act, also known as creation.
Creation, in its literal sense, involves undertaking endeavors never attempted before, yielding results that are unique, without duplication, imitation, or plagiarism.
This type of creation is accomplished through the physical actions of the creator. The resulting work is a manifestation of the creator’s spirit (emotions, perceptions, ideas), serving as a “statement” of their inner world, a condensation of their mental state, and an external expression of their spirit.
Indeed, some individuals believe they are engaged in artistic creation, yet their works largely consist of imitating predecessors, repeating others, or copying creations from various cultures and eras. Such works primarily reflect a labor of skills or techniques rather than a true expression of spirit or the articulation of ideas, which are the essence of artistic creation and innovation. While these pieces may possess unique aesthetic, artistic, decorative, and collectible values, and some may even reach the pinnacle of craftsmanship, gaining immense popularity and value, they lack the infusion of the creator’s thoughts, soul, and spirit. Therefore, fundamentally, they remain merely artworks or paintings. Even if their creators are highly respected and considered masters, this does not alter the inherent nature of their works.
Philosophers and social commentators articulate their thoughts through speeches, writing articles, publishing works, and expressing their views; composers and lyricists express their inner feelings and vent their emotions through creating songs and music. Painters, on the other hand, should express their heartfelt emotions and personal opinions directly through their artwork.
This form of artistic creation not only requires the author’s external skills (physical movements and gestures), but is also heavily reliant on the author’s internal mastery.
What does internal mastery mean?
Internal mastery primarily concerns an individual’s breadth of experience and life journey, which includes two aspects:
1. The length of experience, where longer experiences contribute to stronger internal mastery, and shorter ones to weaker.
2. The complexity and challenges faced during these experiences, including life’s twists, hardships, ups and downs, successes, and failures. Those who have endured more and greater challenges generally possess stronger internal mastery; conversely, those with fewer hardships have weaker internal mastery.
The second aspect of internal mastery relates to the level of education; individuals with higher educational attainment tend to possess stronger internal mastery, whereas those with lower educational levels exhibit weaker internal mastery.
The third element of internal mastery pertains to one’s perceptiveness, intelligence, scholarly spirit, and perseverance. Individuals who excel in these traits demonstrate stronger internal mastery, while those who perform mediocrely in these areas possess weaker internal mastery.
The fourth aspect of internal mastery concerns a sense of justice, moral values, and courage. Those who excel in these qualities possess significantly stronger internal mastery, while those who are lacking in these areas exhibit weaker internal mastery.
While the four aforementioned aspects typically determine the strength of internal mastery, they are not absolute. For instance, some individuals, despite having limited experience or lower educational levels, can exhibit strong internal mastery due to their high perceptiveness and strong sense of justice. Naturally, if a person excels in all four areas, their internal mastery is undoubtedly much stronger, and this is indisputable.
