‘HUSH’
‘Popularity is Dead!’ Well, dead as we once knew it anyway. Social Media has made people obsessed with the need for approval like never before. It’s left us chasing a perfect image that is damn near impossible to achieve. It’s making people beg for engagement in the form of Likes, Views & Comments that ultimately leave us feeling even more shallow & alone once they stop.
With every post I’ve done in the past I’ve very much enjoyed replying to comments. I love communicating with people. Human Beings. BUT I see social media taking a negative turn in the way people are now depending on these comments on their newest posts for personal & artistic Validation. If you post something you are Happy with, then you yourself should remain happy with it as it is whether or not you get a certain amount of likes, views, comments.
Friends who work with me, or who are around me know that I like producing Art. Art that I MYSELF like. I grew up admiring artist that pushed buttons or created conversations with their Art for a REASON. They knew how to ‘shock’ people, but when they did they had a message to go along with it. My friends also know I hate the words ‘Content,’ ‘Influence’ and ‘Engagement.’ These words as of lately have changed/altered the way people release their work more than ever. Produce the Art you want. Release what you want. If others like your Art they will respond. But if they don’t that doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with it at all. Be proud of what you accomplished and created. Just because you see someone get more likes on a post that’s different than what you are doing doesn’t mean you need to change your style or what you care about. Or take your clothes off to keep up with those who do. Keep doing what you’re doing and let people discover your true self and like you & your work organically.
This Fall I want to release my Art without vocal judgement in the form of comments. Without voices swaying the opinions of anyone looking at my Art. I want people to use their own Creativity to make their own decisions about what each post means, to them. And decide on their own how it effects them.
I’ve also been turned off in the last few months at the growing need & freedom by certain individuals to post negative comments about the persons, human beings, in my work. People are suddenly forgetting or just don’t care anymore that it is indeed a Human Being in the photographs. Making public judgments on how someone looks, their physical attributes, their talents, their characters they portray on shows, etc on social media has become a platform to promote hate. I don’t want that negativity involved in my work. Hate should never be tolerated no matter what the case. It’s a word we throw around too easily. Everyone knows I love being sarcastic and can have a dry sense of humor. But this world we live in right now is being consumed by hate on a level that I’ve never witnessed and I have to stifle it where I can.
It’s with all this in consideration that I’ve decided to go ‘Comment Free’ on Instagram for a period of time this Fall Season. I just want to put out my Art for people to enjoy. If you like it then click ‘Like.’ Or View it once or as many times as your heart desires. But I want it to be at your decision. If you don’t like it, well then you don’t have to. I promise there will be another post another day, and ones prior. Everyone doesn’t have to ‘Like’ everything. I sure don’t. But for now, I want the ART to SPEAK for ITSELF!
Season 5 Premiere Week of #DreamLoudOfficial Starts Now! #StayTuned