Great Artists Steal
There is a great misconception when it comes to original work. That creative geniuses simply come up with their ideas in a vacuum without the influence of others. Pablo Picasso who is undoubtably the Pioneer of modern day artists famously said, “Good Artists copy, Great artists steal.”
I don’t think Picasso was insinuating that one should literally use force to go out and steal other peoples work. I think he meant we should be like an open system in life drawing inspiration from a large pool of ideas, building up our taste levels and absorbing as much information as we can.
Once you have received all the input, then it’s time to venture out into the vast sea of creative freedom. You should draw inspiration from all those great things around you and build something with your own unique spirit and put your signature on it.
The creative process is surrounded with myths and legends especially when that artist has a cult personality. But sometimes the cold hard truth is that good ideas can simply be stolen and with a bit of polish and tweaking be brought out to the world as earth shattering discoveries. This process is not only complicated but it can be messy and filled with lies and deception. However, we can not deny that it takes a special individual with tenacity and willpower to present his discovery to the world.
Picasso
Picasso’s “African Period” which lasted from 1906 to 1909 has sparked a lot of controversy and out-cry around Africa for what they define as cultural appropriation. During this Period Picasso created some of the most inspiring artworks which were clearly influenced by African sculpture particularly African masks, which it is said Picasso discovered at a Museum in Paris. It is well documented that Picasso became an avid collector of African art but when he was asked about African Art, he nonchalantly replied, “Never heard of it”
Photo by Johnell Pannell on Unsplash
Whether you agree or disagree with Picasso’s attitude, and whether he down-right stole his ideas from Africa. You cannot deny the fact that he transformed the way people viewed African Art. Before Picasso, African art was mostly seen as primitive, the term Primitivism was even used but has now been dismissed as offensive and outdated due to its connotations.
What Picasso brought through his paintings was a sophisticated understanding of African culture which was not there before. The price of African art increased after the Picasso period, this created a demand and many Europeans started to venture out into Africa to discover what else Africa had to offer. The world was searching for profound inspiration and because of Picasso it was represented with the face of Africa with its religious depth and sacred rituals.
Steve Jobs
In 1994 Apple Computer filed a lawsuit against Microsoft, to prevent them from using the groundbreaking technology which would change the whole landscape of how we use computers. This technology was Graphic User Interface (GUI) and we all remember how things were with Disc Operating System (DOS), in retrospect it seems like we were living like cavemen in the Stone Age.
But fast forward to the introduction of GUI and we now know that Apple lost the lawsuit against Microsoft who went on to dominate the operating system market under the leadership of a young, ambitious and tenacious individual called Bill Gates. The court ruled that, Apple cannot get patent-like protection for the idea of a graphical user interface.
But what most people are not aware of is that during the startup period of Apple computer, Steve and a few of the original Macintosh team were invited to Xerox company for a demo on a new technology they were working on. Xerox which was one of the biggest tech companies ran out of steam and provided Apple with the opportunity to steal the GUI which is now known as OSX the Central Nerve System of Apple Computers and has contributed greatly to the success of the company.
It’s undeniable now that the desktop metaphor is the face of the modern world, and its birth was not from Apple but first introduced by Alan Kay at Xerox PARC in 1970. However Xerox stumbled and if it wasn’t for the predatory instincts of the guys at Apple the world would have been a totally different place.
In Conclusion
I think one of the underlying characteristics of all these great individuals was their ability to spot opportunity. A genius is an opportunist, they have razor sharp instincts like a prying Hyena scanning the environment for opportunity. Most importantly they have the will and tenacity like a Honey badger to fight for their ideas.
People will often impose their moral ideals on how things should be, but in all honesty the world in fairytales and the world where you are dealing with the unpredictable nature of human behaviour is galaxies apart. I am in no way promoting plagiarism, or condoning the theft of intellectual property. I am merely stating how things actually work in the real world. People are deluded when they think about how great ideas came into fruition.
I want you to think of a Michelin 5 star Restaurant, with sparkling chandeliers at the entrance hall, waiters in tailored suits and a smiling head-chef with a beaming smile welcoming all the customers.
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This is what the customers see, However in a world of appearance vs reality we are fooled when it comes to what really occurs behind the curtain of illusion.
What people don’t see are the cooks picking up your roasted chicken from the floor after it slipped off the counter, the arguments and screaming contests between employees behind the scenes. The complete chaos in the kitchen is a juxtaposition of the serene atmosphere in the restaurant.
Life is extremely messy and it cannot be any other way. Like the Yin and Yang symbol we should merge the light with the darkness, the good with the bad and accept that “Good Artists Copy and Great Artists Steal.” Whether it’s spellbinding music, sophisticated code in software or an illuminating painting. We should study the Masters and steal what speaks to us, but reinvent it in a way that it can resonate with society and tap into the zeitgeist.
