answers to questions in lieu of artist statements

this morning i read a nice article by my friend mathias rodriguez, a very gifted and kind-hearted classical guitar player. his piece is called "in lieu of artist statements", talking about learning and teaching and the individual and the community and trying to figure out what it even means to be an "artist" these days. i found it quite thoughtful. at the end of the piece he left a few open questions i decided to respond to.

Q4U #1: Do you have an “artist statement” that doesn’t make you want to throw up in your mouth when you say it out loud? If so (or not), what is it?

ah, the old artist statement. if we understand ourselves to be the artist, then every statement we make is artistic. yes, this is my statement: let every word we speak be art!

some more statements:

i am the light and love i create.

i'd like to add something my mom said too: use what you have to achieve what you want.

oh, and last but not least: peace love and joy for everyone everywhere.

i think i can comfortably say all this without throwing up. how thankful i am not to be on a boat on a rocky sea... or am i???

Q4U #2: What do you think of Cioran’s statement that “the only reality is silence?”

crickets...

Q4U #3: How would you answer the question “what if AI makes better art than you?”

what if anyone makes better art than me? the assumption in this question is that there is anyone apart from me. knowing that in truth there isn't, i have nothing to compete against. and nothing to call myself separate from. i can collaborate with any intelligence (whether we call it artificial or not) as a part of myself to explore and enjoy and revel in the silent reality.

for me, the questions are more basic: is it joyful? is it true? am i creating with love and devotion? who does it serve? why? am i following my curiosity with good faith toward all parts of myself? let the robots and the humans collab, i say. let the whole of creation collaborate with itself, i say. easy for me to say, i say. after all, i'm an organian.

Prompt 4U #1: Make something so unoriginal that it horseshoes around to being kind of interesting.

thanks friend. you've inspired me to keep working on my super mario 64 dire dire docks beat.