dead or alive

I've maid the experiance that people tend to tell me how my poems and stories should be instead of thinking about what they are... and I sometimes think that if I was dead and they could not tell me and could not ask for reasons that they would think about what there is... I heard some artist (for it doesn't matter whether it is about writing or painting or music or anything) say that (concerning his work) an artist was better off dead because what I described can't happen when one is dead... have you as writers made simmilar experiances or heard of other artists complaining about the same?
concering his work
what should an artist be
dead or alive?

Personally, as a visual artist, I prefer being alive. Criticism is something every artist must face... and he or she needs to be willing to listen to good criticism and learn from yet... yet recognize that ultimately it is his or her own work of art and he or she must do what makes the most sense to them with regard to their artistic goals. One thing that you may do well to learn early is that the artist and the art work are not one and the same. The work of art exists beyond you and is more than mere "self-expression". As such you must be willing to acknowledge that changing a work for the better based upon the suggestions of others is not somehow betraying your own vision. T.S. Eliot's Wasteland owes much to the critical input of Ezra Pound, among others. Shakespeare's plays quite likely include elements owed to suggestions of various actors and audience response.

You have to remember that a piece of art you create, no matter the medium, is not all that defines you. A lot of people seem to take the attitude that when something they create is criticized, it is a criticism of the artist and not the work, which is rarely the case (exceptions usually being "shock" art). You have to be willing to understand that you can take criticism and better your work for it.

Plus, I agree with StLukes. It is, ultimately, your work. If you get a million suggestions to change something, and you don't want to because you don't want your piece of art to be that way, then don't change it. I believe art is essentially personal. when I create something, be it visual or written, I create it for me more than anyone else. If I change it based on people's suggestions so much that I no longer find meaning in it, what's the point?

Why don't you fake your death - change your name move away, etc - and see how it will change the way that your writing will be considered. After a few years you can report back.

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Originally Posted by inbetween

I've maid the experiance that people tend to tell me how my poems and stories should be instead of thinking about what they are...

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A fine oxymoron. Nobody could give you an opinion without thinking about what the poem is/was.

oh.. I'm being told to change a word rather than people think about why I choose this word... if it was pure critics I'd be glad... I want critics, I mean that's why I posted my things... so if someone told me something was wrong with the melody or with some rime... if someone would make a suggestion concerning a better word for a nicer sound I'd be glad to read so and would considder it but I don't want to be told what my poem means and how I'd better put this meaning...(did that never happen to you? perhaps it's only me who can't communikate ... dunno :))
and I heard more than one artist say how awfull it was to be asked about a work's meaning.... and that concerning THIS they'd rather be dead so noone could ask them

Personally I would rather be alive. Lets face it, art is rather pointless once you are dead; dare I say everything is pointless once one is dead - or rather once one is dead, one is pointless.

and CONCERNING YOR WORK?
not in general
dead or alive?

I responded concerning my work. Once I am dead I will be too busy to care about what I left behind, you know being nothing is rather occupying, some would say its eternally exhausting.

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Originally Posted by Alexander III

..., you know being nothing is rather occupying, some would say its eternally exhausting.

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Fantastic!... :smilielol5:

For the artist's fame being dead could become very useful but not for the art itself.

Here are two quotes from The Picture of Dorian Gray I would like to mention:

“It is the spectator, and not life, that art really mirrors.”

“When critics disagree the artist is in accord with himself.”

Best regards

all art is quite useless ... yeah I like oscar wild too...
I remembered an autor who agrees
Umberto Eco said when an author produced something great he should die directly after having written the last word so noone could ask him anything.
I got Umberto on my side hahahahahahaha (I'm in a funny mood...:rofl:)

How is art useless.

How work is the curse of the cucumber classes.

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Originally Posted by AlfredtheGreat

How is art useless.

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Art is entirely useless much in the same way life is entirely useless. Utterly useless, yet necessary.

So there is no point to life. What is this new philosophy you have discovered?