Working For Yourself

[Chalmers Mathew]

One of the frightening, yet riveting aspects of the artistic fields is freedom. Being given the liberty to create whatever one wants is both the most freedom and most confinement an artist will find. Feelings of self worth are hazy in the first years, causing some lapses in judgement to try and get any traction in the industries. In this line of work, people will prey upon the anxious, burgeoning artists trying to prove themselves, leading to instances where people will try and exploit work for no payment. The allure of exposure hangs heavily in front of the inexperienced, something that is heightened by interactions with toxic people that cast doubt on monetary success and feign generosity to fool many into giving up their creations without reward.
Michael Palma Mir discussed many aspects of the artistic industry during the conversations we had with him. When the topic of exposure was brought up, he was quick to respond how these chances will not, if ever, pan out in the favor of the creator. However, he brought up a job that he chose to do without compensation not for the purpose of exposure, but his own fascination with the subjects he was photographing. Though this led to a successful position, the importance of this was to do the work that you want to do in any way that you can do it. If you find meaning in that work, that means others will, too. As such, the opportunities that will come from doing what you think is meaningful will be as meaningful and fulfilling as the work you are currently doing.

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