The Conundrum

The pull between art and commerce. Which one to focus on... do you focus on the art, above all else? Or do you build on the commerce side first? Produce what is most marketable, sellable, even though it doesn't align with your art?

The truth is I don't want to contribute to the overconsumption of stuff, but also I do need money for food and necessities. I'm not exactly comfortable with the act of producing stuff just for the sake of selling. We already have too much stuff as it is. The question is how much time do you devote to creating product, and how much to creating your art? The balance is SO hard to find.

AI has made it even easier for people to produce AI slop products it ain't even funny. Now I question everything, whether the art is AI generated or made by an actual human. Which totally sucks. Do I have to spend the rest of my days questioning every single thing now.

All I want to do is paint and draw and create. All I want to build is a life that I do not need a vacation from. Cos if your regular daily life sucks, coming back from vacation just means you're going back to the same ol' bullshit.

There is no revelation in this post, there is no a-ha moment. Just lamenting on the struggle of being an artist in a capitalistic society.