Art Tutorials II Assignment 1: Julie Burstein Essay (The Art of Control and Letting Go)

In her TED Talk, Julie Burstein discusses creating art, and how the best art comes from balancing the teetering scale of being in control, and of letting go. While its expected of an artist to have a grasp of understanding of their projects, a large portion of its creation is left in the hands of Fate. It’s extremely unlikely, if not impossible, for a project to be completed and remain exactly as it did in the Artist’s head. Burstein talks about 4 Lessons in Creativity related to the idea of being in control of your work, and letting go.

Burstein recalls the importance of being open to experiences and paying attention to the world around you. Filmmaker Mira Nair told of growing up in her small town in India, playing in the ruins of ancient temples and taking in the local plays and performances that passed through, and how these things made her become the Filmmaker she is today. Burstein also talks about embracing challenges while creating art, bringing up Author and Pulitzer Prize winner Richard Ford. Ford struggles with Dyslexia to this day, but he uses his disorder as a tool rather than a hindrance. His Dyslexia forces him to read every word he reads carefully, fully understanding and appreciating every piece of the English Language.

Burstein discusses the idea of embracing limitations. Richard Sierra wanted to be a painter, however, after viewing a painting that he realized made him the subject of the painting, made him realize that painting in such a way was something he couldn’t do. Instead he worked with large pieces of metal, shaping them and molding them in different ways, enticing viewers to stand between the giant folds and walls, making them the subject of the work. Burstein also talks about embracing loss, and everything that comes with it. Photographer Joel Meyerowitz was known for taking pictures of dynamic moments and beautiful landscapes. However, his most striking work came from his pictures of the tragedy of 9/11. The slanted pieces of building and smoking rubble struck as a harsh reality, but just as in nature, Meyerowitz found the beauty in the destruction. The contrast of a peaceful sky with the carnage below made for not only beautiful pictures, but a ray of hope when the future seemed bleak.

Burstein describes that art is a constant balance of control and letting go. Every aspect of a project can never truly be predetermined and it’s in embracing these unexpected circumstances and results that our best artwork can be produced. She acknowledges this idea with the example of a Japanese Raku pot. Dotted with fingerprints and lumps and divots, the pot is over 100 years old. Several large cracks stream down its length. But instead of being hidden these cracks are highlighted with Gold Lacquer. Burstein explains “The pot is more beautiful being broken than it was when it was first made.”