The Entrepreneurial Artist Essay
The Entrepreneurial Artist: Iman Djouini
An entrepreneur is defined as a “a person who organizes and operates a business or businesses, taking on greater than normal financial risks in order to do so.” I feel that artists fall into this description as well, considering the variation of the arts and consumption of media within modern society. Many artists take a gamble with their works, trying to find exactly what would please and entertain the masses while still expressing themselves and not just appealing to their audiences. In late October I was able to attend the artist lecture of Iman Djouini (b. Algiers), an entrepreneurial artist who successfully works in several mediums. From the beginning of her lecture, she previewed a handful of her art, ranging from prints of landscapes to an inflatable elephant that was towed around cities.
Iman Djouini had the ability to apply her multiple skills to her artistic profession. Her ability to create a large range of work meant she could appeal to many audiences. The work that struck me most, and was by far her most popular piece, was the “Elephant in the Room” blow-up that she created. This large sixteen foot, illuminated elephant blow up traversed through Baltimore City after the primary elections in America, making it about the status quo and the change that society was going through. She was able to bounce off her many ideas and think about what would be eye-catching and promote herself as well as get her creative side out there. She took a risk with it, especially considering the time, money and meaning that went into it. Thankfully, it was a successful piece, which has led her to create many more lovely instillations.
“It’s okay to be confused.” Was something that Djouini said during her lecture that stuck with me. I appreciated this because as a college student, I often find myself confused and overwhelmed by my work load and my artistic self wanting to break out and do something that wouldn’t fit into a project. I took away that the art world is not one linear path but in fact many different roads that all lead to the same place. The ability to create and to grow and network is very important when it comes to being an artist. Djouini’s work spanned such a variety that it was able to reach many different age groups, races, genders and religions. Another one of her pieces used noises and words from interactions online in different languages she had observed. Overall, her work showed the importance of varying skillsets and to push your networking, to push your work so it stands out and catches the publics eye. Being able to promote yourself and be proud of your work is something all artists should strive for.
