Just when I was thinking I've been there, done that, seen everything there is to be seen in life, along came this. The feeling is incredibly sweet. Having somebody appreciate something you've done to the extent they're happy to fork out money to buy it is just mindblowingly ego-boosting. Especially when it's so completely unexpected.
It's also been something of a major eye-opener. Though I don't really know a thing about art, I enjoy visiting the local art shows and often come across a piece that catches my eye. But I usually psyche myself out of actually making a buy. It's either too expensive or the artist is too unknown or the colour won't suit our walls or something or the other. An artist friend of mine keeps telling me to buy something to "encourage" the young talents but I never do. This experience has shown me how exhilarating, inspiring and galvanizing it is having something you've done monetarily appreciated. Sure, mine wasn't the best piece of photography on display. There were several others with great style, technique, impact and what have you. But this guy comes along and connects with my picture and instead of dilly-dallying like I usually do, clinches the deal. Moral of story: you may not be the most well-off person you know but if it's not going to set you back too badly, pick up a piece that speaks to you and go for it. At the end of the day, art isn't really about technique or colour co-ordination or future investments but something that speaks to your heart.
Heyyy, congrats! Yep, one thing I've noticed about us Mizos is that we ooh and aah over art, but go away without buying any. Money matters aside, perhaps we are not as ready to value art if we think its not worth spending a few bucks for a 'picture' or 'photo'. That your piece sold despite our reticence pretty much says all there is to say about the photo, right?
ReplyDeletecongrats! it really is special when someone is willing to put their purse where their appreciation is. hope you keep exhibiting, and keep selling!
ReplyDeleteYour story reminded me of Pip from Great Expectations :).
ReplyDeleteSo tell us - how much did you get paid for your liddle diddle spwawow? No don't feel shy. Tell us. Or min rawn sms mai la. :)
Mossy green tooth, I got 1 grand :D It was supposed to be less but the organisers decided to give it all to the fotographer.
ReplyDeletefed, yeah, money isn't everything but it talks sometimes! :)
Thanks ku2, and that's a good point. I remember Pu Tlangrokhuma once venting on how well-off Mizos are so loath at parting their purse strings for art. While that's true enough, the thing is art is something of a rich man's pursuit. Remember that memorable line in The Thomas Crown Affair about art being "swirls of paint that only a few silly rich people care about"? Our economy is just too weak for us to go around grandly buying art, no matter how much we might ooh and aah over it. And by that very token, I can't stop thanking my lucky stars I sold :D
ReplyDeleteCongrats! Who knows, this may only be the first experience to follow many others.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, my friends :))
ReplyDeletemesjay, if only if that was the case but I have a sneaky feeling this might just be a one off!
Oh I remember seeing this one and making a mental note ...a comment actually about the caption "The photographer must have thought himself/herself (sorry didnt check the name) to be a sort of poet" :)Guess I got that right without the "thinking" part
ReplyDeleteMiss.. lawmpuina..chibai :-) Ni ngawt mai tiraw..ka rilru ngaihtuahna a hruai thui hle mai. Sava thlak hi an sweet ka ti hrim hrim en an nuam, an zailai phei hi chu.. Pathian thilsiam ropuizia te, sava ri hram hriat a kan dam a ni tih hriat te hian. Chu chu he thlalak hian a phochhuak a lawm. A ropui e!
ReplyDeleteyou so deserve it..its a beautiful piece..and Im so happy you sold it..its a huge achievement in one`s life..now you can die a happy man/woman..:))
ReplyDeleteLOL Jes, now that you mention it I'm certainly going to try and die a happy man :D
ReplyDeleteTawmte, ni e a ropui ve thlawt e, chibai, ka lawm.
Opa, I'm the world's worst poet. Don't have a poetic bone in me but glad you think so. Great to hear you attended the exhibit and liked the caption.
I saw this photo at the exhibition! Didn't know it was yours. Congrats on selling it, I don't think many of the exhibitors sold theirs.
ReplyDeleteYou did? Thank you! Yes, only three pictures were sold. The chief guest snapped up two at the opening and mine was the only one picked up the general public :)
ReplyDeleteekhai! tunlai ka blog khat deuh a, ava ropui ve congrats!
ReplyDeleteThank you. Ti hi chuan travel magazine in ka picture lei ah min rawn dil hnai ve tawh maithei a ni :D
ReplyDeleteMizoram Calendar atan va zawrh mai ta che. Kum tin Vantawng tih ziah hi kan ning tawh a nia!! Congrats anyway.
ReplyDeleteDr Dan, it's not about the money, it's the thrill of having something you've created bought by a complete stranger! Anyway someone told me today that the I&PR dept are planning a photo exhibit sometime soon too. Would've thought that would be right up their street anyways.
ReplyDeleteYour fifteen minutes of fame led to you a lifetime of being framed.
ReplyDeleteit took me only a week or so to come up with this brilliant pun :(
Also why the heck is everyone changing their layouts. Ka bo kual nasa lutuks.
Because blogger's recently finally come up with new templates, dingbat. How vilely doth you pun, you punny man. Ah, that's not what it's supposed to come out like. Oh well, paaaaaaaaarppppp
ReplyDeleteI'm not going to talk smack about art because everyone's different and everyone likes different stuff. But what you said makes sense and that should be the only reason one should appreciate art; that its presence is almost magical. That magic combined with the way you respond to it every time you see it.
ReplyDeleteFirst time reader. Hoped over from Ku2's blog.
Thanks for dropping by, Eveline, and I gotta agree. Our response to art really ought to be purely personal and subjective rather than conditioned by external factors. It just gets tough when everyone else is doing it the other way.
ReplyDelete