I Want to Be Forgotten
We all crave to own the spotlight. Why don’t we shift that obsession to what we create?
A three-peat of social events led me to break out of my creative hibernation. Yelissa Lopez, founder of Upcomers Inc, in collaboration with SemegaChange, ran a Synergy Symposium at NYU, which “explored the intersection of art and technology.” She brought over ten exhibitors and panelists to showcase their projects and creative journeys. They opened up to the floor about their ongoing struggles, ranging from support to a lack of sleep. The panelists underscored the urge to become obsessed with their creation and make time in their routine to ponder on it.
On Sunday, Elyssa Sarah reminded me of the content tucked away, and I have been too cautious to share it. On Monday night, I attended an IT consulting event at my school. My former professor, Dr. David Rosenthal, briefed the room on technology developments. He questioned whether Blockchain would become the new medium, the beauty in AR (Augmented Reality), and the power we can obtain with 5G connectivity. Regarding job applications, I let the complex job descriptions and “required” years of experience make my body shiver. I would slam my laptop down in fear as if I saw a dementor. I kept limiting myself.
Gaining this energy to believe in myself, I started to look through my vault containing dusty pictures and neglected ideas. My hard drive has been freezing for six months. I even forgot the password I created to encrypt it.
While sifting through my archive, I remembered the multiple creatives in my circle.
The Dream Team
In the summer of 2023, Jaden, Xavier, RJ, and I started combining our talents with each studio session.
Corner Store Studios provided state-of-the-art equipment and furnishings, yet I was bothered because I could not illuminate everyone in the studio. I learned in a psychology class the process known as dark adaption. The longer we let our eyes wander in the dark, our visual system becomes acute, and we notice the faintest changes in light and motion. The shadows were crying out for attention since they never got the spotlight. I was blinded.
Xavier and I experimented with the color-changing LED overhead light in the booth, adjusting the hues to reflect the shifting energy from the microphone into the ambient speakers. With every session, we were astonished by the range of vocals and energy Jaden brought to each song. RJ came along and brought vintage cameras and camcorders. He doubles as an artist and engineer, which helped to annunciate the emotions Jaden was sharing with his listeners.
The team was in the studio to witness and showcase Jaden’s vision of heartbreak and revival through his lyrics and the mixing by the engineer.
We are simply a blend of young individuals with crazy ideas. We have no clue if they work, but we have the guts to try it.
Our faces are obscured in these photos. Why? What we do is greater than who we are.
In this era that I choose to focus on my craft, I had to remind myself why I am taking this route.
Creative Validation
In a society fixated on self-promotion, the spotlight on the individual seems to be the pinnacle of human existence. We use art as a medium to evoke reactions and attention, but is chasing our ideal fantasy fulfilling? Are we satisfied with both the praise and the critique from the public?
Bliss Foster, in his video titled, DON’T Start a Fashion Brand (Until You’re 40), emphasized avoiding entry into a creative space with the intention of seeking creative validation from others.
“Pretend that I magically gave you all of the resources you need to make awesome clothes for yourself. You have a studio close by your apartment. You have plenty of space, mannequins to work on, specialty sewing equipment, embroidery machines … You have everything but you can’t make it a business. The clothes are only for you. Is that enough? Would you be willing to go to that studio and sit in silence and work four days a week after you get out of your regular job? Do you think that in 10 years you would [continue your craft]? Is it enough, [if not], I want you to reflect on why it is not enough and seek that creative validation somewhere else.”
- Bliss Foster
There is a constant war within my mind. Do I solely create because I enjoy the process or the possibility of attaining my holy grails? The Pierre Paulin couch is the cherry on top of my dream loft, and the all-black wardrobe cloaks me in the obscure image I crave. It only has value with every minute I obsess over it. I am shifting that infatuation to my craft, to be broken into fragments, spread like the ashes that pollinate the people who see our vision.
I want to be forgotten. Do you?
Whats next for us? More music from Boy Solar and RJ Hardy.
Sijorn Studios breaking into the fashion and styling market.
