TRUTH
Uh oh... ya better run and hide.
I want to talk about the TRUTH. Ya know TRUTH with a capital ‘T’ (and every other letter when it is invoked by artists [particularly actors and directors in film and theater] when discussing ‘THE WORK’).
TRUTH is bullshit. I know. Shocker, right? But when it comes to this topic nothing sets my teeth more on edge than an edgy actor[1]/critic/artists bespeaking forth on the “TRUTH” of a performance or film or piece of art[2]. For some reason people allow for this kind of mealy-mouthed undefined art-holery when discussing art. TRUTH is the last bastion of the fully self-absorbed, selfish, and sycophantic among most artists and uninspired educators.
The why here is simple:
TRUTH is not a fact. TRUTH is not a critique[3]. TRUTH is not a note. TRUTH is not objective. TRUTH is not about the present. TRUTH is not powerful. TRUTH holds no meaning. TRUTH is unobtainable. TRUTH is always a misnomer for indulgence. TRUTH lacks context. TRUTH never stands on its own. TRUTH is a paper tiger at best and a psychotic’s wet dream at worst. TRUTH is no yardstick. TRUTH is an empty gesture. TRUTH is not, in the end, terribly real to begin with.
Also, please be wary of TRUTH’s siblings and cousins… they come dressed as:
Authenticity/Lack thereof
Tone
I didn’t/don’t believe you/it/that
Feel
Likeability
Edge
It factor
Genius
The family of the above are shills, empty critiques and/or platitudes to prevent any real discussion of any piece of art/process/artist. Or they are the fall back of the critic or teacher who has nothing of substance to say. They are truly air. Unactionable, indefensible, uncontestable smoke disguised as insight. They are Will-O-Wisps leading us off the path and into the swamps of unfertile and sucking minds. They are detritus that washes up on your work and clings to it offering nothing but deadweight for you to carry forth.
My friend.
Wash. That. Shit. Off.
And if you find yourself in pursuit of TRUTH or its sibs… ask yourself one question…
What do I want to make? What am I interested in pursuing?
And please…
Pursue. Create. MAKE.
Doing that TRUTH will quickly turn into Your truth.
And that’s the shit we need.
Exercise 1: Burn the Word
Write down every abstract word you’ve ever used to describe your artistic goals — “truth,” “authenticity,” “genius,” “raw,” “honest,” “gritty,” “cinematic,” etc. Circle three you use the most.
Now, for each one, write a paragraph that answers:
What do I actually mean when I say this?
What concrete, sensory thing could replace it?
What am I hiding behind this word?
