"Then I abandoned comics for fine art because I had some romantic vision of being like Vincent Van Gogh Jr"
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In this quote, Bill Griffith, the famous cartoonist understood for his development of the cartoon "Zippy the Pinhead", reflects on a pivotal moment in his creative journey. The belief encapsulated in Griffith's words reveals a crossroads faced by many artists between the world of industrial art and the pursuit of art.
Griffith's usage of "deserted" recommends a deliberate and potentially difficult decision to leave the world of comics, one often perceived as mainstream and industrial, for the more prominent and revered domain of fine art. This shift hints at an underlying tension between industrial success and creative trustworthiness, a dichotomy that lots of artists grapple with throughout their careers.
The phrase "romantic vision" is vital here, stimulating a timeless, nearly idealistic view of the art world. This romanticism is embodied in his allusion to Vincent Van Gogh Jr. Van Gogh is often portrayed as the quintessential tortured genius, an artist whose work was misconstrued throughout his life time however later on commemorated for its extensive impact. By stimulating Van Gogh, Griffith is tapping into the mythos of the artist as a solitary, dedicated figure, committed to the pureness of creative expression over business gain.
Griffith's narrative recommends a desire to imitate Van Gogh's passionate dedication to his craft, even at the expense of monetary stability. However, the self-reflective tone might also mean the naivety of such a romantic outlook. Numerous ambitious fine artists are drawn to the misconception of the having a hard time artist, just to later on face the truths of such a lifestyle.
In summary, Griffith's quote encapsulates the allure and challenges of pursuing art, the glamorized idea of the artist's life, and the inevitable reconciliation in between artistic aspirations and practical realities. It's a reminder of the complex interaction in between art as passion and art as occupation, a negotiation every artist need to browse in their pursuit of innovative satisfaction.
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