The attention economy and the artist’s dilemma

So it’s been over two weeks since I last posted on this blog. Yep, it’s end-of-season time and the workload is as heavy as it gets at this time of year. And of course, there is little time to do my own artwork or even think of writing about my art.

Ironically, today is Workers’ Memorial Day, and in the next few days it will be May Day. And of course, instead of just enjoying them, here I am writing because, in the back of my mind, I keep thinking: if I don’t reach out, I will be back to square one and have to start all over again.

And that is my point today. Can you imagine how many people out there will be thinking the same? Most of us will have a few likes here and there, a few views here and there, and won’t be grabbing enough attention to make a dent in our search to establish ourselves and be recognised.

Then there are those who hit the right note and—wham—a hundred thousand views, a million views, the latest trend. And hey, you will probably be one of those viewers for some of them, and one of those likes. So essentially, what you have done is turned the attention of others towards someone else and away from you. And others are doing the same as you. And no, it isn’t wrong liking and viewing someone else’s work, but that is the irony of it all.

I was thinking about this all week, during those moments between jobs, and thinking of what to write about next.

The irony of how we are trying to market ourselves, and how we have to continuously market ourselves in everything we do. We probably have to spend as much time marketing ourselves as we do doing what we actually love. All for one moment. And to make something that could, in our dreams, become a living, we would need to do it over and over again. Those who do make a living from it, do it over and over again—and then more. And kudos to them.

But what happens to someone who does not believe that the path forward is consumerism? Someone who is not looking to be popular, famous, or even seeking a fan base? What about someone who does not want to follow the latest trend? Who does not want to dumb things down just to meet the latest likes and influences? What about someone who doesn’t want to comment on their life or the process of their work at every turn? Who doesn’t turn on the camera to capture every stroke? Who won’t shout, “Hey, I went here or there and did this and that”? What happens to someone like that?

What happens to the person who just does what they like, does it well, but fails to meet the marketing demands that seem to dictate whether they will even sell a single piece of work?

That, by the way, in one form or another, is the majority of us.

I watched a clip on social media yesterday of someone being asked whether America was great. And forget about America—the response (it was from a film, so it’s fiction) resonated with me. It was more a reflection on humanity and how we live today than just America.

We do things for the wrong reasons. We dumb things down. We see the trivial and sometimes ridiculous take centre stage and become focal points in our lives. We waste time flicking through short clips, misinformation, rants, and nonsense rather than focusing on what really matters. And importantly, we ignore everyone else around us and have become more self-centred than ever—or at least that’s the impression we give.

I am one of those same people, who wastes time, who becomes self-centred, and does everything everyone else does. So I am not criticising you—I am criticising myself. I too am driven by consumerism and by wanting others to consume. That is the truth at the end of the day, otherwise I probably wouldn’t worry about whether I have posted or not.

And anyone who does the same as me is also part of the same cycle. There are few who do it because they want to teach something, or educate, or offer something noble. Even those who say that is what they are doing it for—it is probably a lie.

You see, my point is that in our lives we are all searching to be recognised and to become significant in some way or another. We are all on this marketing pathway trying to get attention.

Yet the most valuable contribution any of us will make—and some already do—will be in acts that nobody else ever knows we have done.

So what was the purpose of me sitting down and writing this piece for my blog? The truth, without disguise, is that it is to reach out so that people see my work and maybe get interested and buy something one day, which will help me fund my work.

Is it valuable, and do you need to buy it? I could give you an elaborate speech and try to convince you it is.

The reality is, I don’t actually know what value it has to you, or what it means, or whether you will like it or not.

What I do know is that when I do my work, when I get the chance to sit down and use my creative skills, I do not do it for you. I do it for myself because I enjoy it, I believe in what I am doing at the time, and yes, I have the hope that someday someone will like my work.

And while I struggle every day wondering, “How do I reach others so they see my work and know about it?”, it doesn’t really matter anymore. Because if I wasn’t able to take that path when I had the chance before, it is a bit late to worry about it now.

If you like my work, please feel free to like it and share it. If you don’t, that’s fine—not everyone will. But if you do, a simple nod goes a long way.

I still believe in my work, and I know I like doing it because I do it no matter what. It is my language, and it is what I speak through without having to utter words—or in this case, type them into a keyboard to appear on a screen.