The “response” of the artist - new beginning

What is the responsibility of an artist? One of my mentors, Mako Fujimura, taught me to look inside the word “responsibility”. After a closer look, we see the word “response”. Maybe then, the artists job is to give response - to see the world from their unique perspective and give response to the times we live in.

Today is an age of anger, hate, pollution, natural disasters, decay, hypocrisy, and degeneration. As a music artist, I feel I must give my response, however small it may seem. My response is this: the future is bright.

Endings are only new beginnings. Rather than wallow in the dark, we should lay a foundation for the future. Light and peace will come into the world again, and it is our task to prepare for it. Artists more than anyone should lead in the charge:

Invest now in beauty. Invest now in truth. Invest now in compassion.

In response to the turmoil of our world, artists should exude light and new life, replenishing the water of our souls and planting the seeds for rebirth.

“Composer, sculptor, painter, poet, prophet, sage, these are the makers of the afterworld, the architects of heaven.”

James Allen, As a Man Thinketh