It raises the question: What will you stand for with your work?
Throughout December I put a lot of time into a new project, companion pieces of music and nature writing attempting to convey the experience of being in a wild place. There is a measure of friction and tension inherent when beginning a work you know has potential, which left me feeling more creatively vulnerable than normal. That hesitation feels like an important signal, and something I'm interested in exploring deeper. If you're curious about the outcome, you can check out Lost Canyon here.
The most personally impactful piece of work I've seen in a while, Rivers and Tides, is a contemplatively slow documentary following the art and creative process of Andy Goldsworthy. His pieces deeply embody the environment they are created within, and their transformation by time is captivating to watch.
These next two videos are both musicians talking about the importance and difficulty of creating in the midst of a "typical life". Jon Makes Beats talks about the difference between showing and telling, and how that distinction relates to his experience making music on Youtube. Then you have Pink Lady Apple House voicing his struggle with the creative process that I think many will relate to.
And for one more conversation with a musician, here's a podcast with Jon Batiste and Tim Ferriss that was so good I listened to it twice in a row.
Erik Hoel wrote a thoughtful piece on the morality of choosing to pursue certain work, or in his case, choosing not to work on a collaborative AI project. While the specifics of the project are interesting to consider, it was this quote near the end of the piece that I found particularly resonant.
It raises the question: What will you stand for with your work?
As someone who has spent a lot of time traveling by foot, Craig Mod's piece covering his 620-mile walk across Japan immediately caught my eye. Beyond the descriptive travelogue are his ideas around the requirement of "long" experiences and his approach to using social networks and technology without being consumed by them. If anything, it will encourage you to get out and walk more.
I'll wrap up with a blast of a documentary, All the Streets Are Silent. I was wholly ignorant of the productive convergence between hip hop and skateboarding scenes in New York City in the late 80's. It's a fascinating deep dive into the brands, artists, clubs, and culture that spawned so much vibrant output that we still recognize today.
For more to explore, check out the Monthly Medley Archives:
October 2024
September 2024
August 2024
July 2024
June 2024