who has "arrived"?

[Kirk Gittings]

I've been thinking allot recently about my career.

Based on some responses (both on line and email) to recent PR postings of mine, that I have "arrived", I wonder how people would measure that. I know for myself that I do not feel like I have "arrived" even though I have achieved many of the career goals (that were my measurements) I set for myself when I got serious about photography in 1970. None of my goals were ever related to commercial photography, that was always something I did just to pay the bills and that has far exceeded my wildest expectations. Nor were these goals about the internal developement or maturity of my art aesthetic, that is another issue. My goals always were about public career milestones for my artwork. As an example two of those were: teaching at The Art Institute of Chicago (which I have done fro the past 8 summers) and having a solo exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art (which is not even vaguely on the far distant horizon). There were many more, some I have achieved and many I have not. I don't mean this perhaps as crass as it might sound. All serious artists must manage their public careers as well as making art. I know at age 55 if I died tomorrow, I would be very satisfied with what I have accomplished, and maybe that is ultimately all that matters.

I have no idea how he views this. An example to me of someone on this forum who has "arrived" is Chris Jordon. If you look at the international shows and print media credits from the last few years on his resume you see some stunninh accomplishments.

How do you measure having "arrived".

[Bill_1856]

You probably won't know for sure until 50 years after you die.

[chris jordan]

Hi Kirk, interesting question, and thanks for your kind reference to my work. The question of “arrival” is complex because the internal and the external can get confused with each other. One thing I know is that I used to think that there was some particular event that denoted an artist’s official “arrival,” after which that person would feel secure and safe and peaceful in their career. Not so for me, at least so far. A few such events have already happened, and I’m as anxious and stressed-out about the future as ever. In fact, I’m starting to realize that a feeling of safety and security is something to be suspicious of. Now whenever I’m starting to feel more solid with my work, I take that as an indication that I’m probably getting in a rut repeating successes, and had better move on to something new. It’s a difficult truth to hold because of the abiding fear that goes with it, but for me it’s becoming a mantra: As soon as I start feeling secure, that’s my signal to head back out into the storm.

I also wonder if there really is such thing as an external “arrival.” In other words, I think the feeling of having arrived might be a fundamentally internal experience that has little to do with what‘s actually going on out there. Some might feel the feeling of arrival after having their first local show, and others might not feel it after years of amazing accomplishments. But one thing is sure: when it is there, it is always shaky, and could go away again as fast as it came. That’s a risk that we artists take; it’s something that distinguishes our careers from steady reliable employment-type jobs. In other words, the flip-side of the wide-open potential for doing great things, is the wide-open potential for falling flat on our face. Either one could happen anytime, no matter what has happened before that; no amount of “arrival points” will guarantee anything in the future.

The other thing is, I suspect that for me the need to know whether I have arrived is a question that is being asked by my ego. It’s a perfectly human question, of course, and one that we all ask ourselves from time to time, so I don’t judge it harshly. But the ego can work in feisty ways that can be counterproductive to creativity and risk-taking, so I have to be on my toes when my ego speaks up. In that light, one possible response that I might give myself when this question comes up for me, is (with an affectionate smile) “oh, ego, you sweet old insecure thing, calm down dear, you’re doing just fine, now let’s get back to work on what we love…”

With warm regards from Seattle,

~cj

www.chrisjordan.com

[Andre Noble]

Kirk, Chris

Congrats to both. You've both arrived.

[Brian Vuillemenot]

One's "arrival", whether it be in photography or any other art form, can only be appreciated by external observers. We can look at a person's work and accomplishments, and come to the conclusion that they've "arrived", but a true artist never reaches that state. By the time they've reached the goals that were originally set when they started, they have an entirely new set of things to accomplish. It's sort of like a moving conveyer belt that gets steeper and accelerates faster the longer the creative process goes on for...

[Mark Carstens]

From one whose train has barely left the station (at least in terms of my photography), "arrival" as "be(ing) very satisfied with what I have accomplished" suits me. And I would second the argument "that (this) is ultimately all that matters." Then again, maybe this isn't as much an existential question as I am interpreting it.

On the other hand, if "arrival" is all about garnering external validation as the basis for measuring your accomplishments, then you really are at the mercy of the judgments and opinions of others, no matter what level of personal satisfaction you achieve. I'm not sure that this extends what Chris is eluding to into something broader, but within the context of your art, maybe understand the ego-driven component liberates you to pursue your work as you see fit, with no regrets, and no apologies.

Food for thought. Thanks for bringing it up, Kirk.

[Henry Suryo]

Interesting thread and valid points. What does it mean to have "arrived"? Does it mean recognition and acclaim? Having been published and exhibited? Having a most profound effect on people's lives and leaving a legacy? Having a respectable client base and success in the case of professional work? Price of work? Or does it matter externally when all that matters to you, generically speaking, is personal growth, accomplishments and gratification? I think there are too many variables on the arrival plateau, the conditions set forth by the genre of work, your ultimate intentions and purpose, the approach to achieving them, fast track or long term, the variance of standards of measure, just to name a few that come to mind. Certainly, the now revered as the "modern masters of photography" didn't know, and couldn't possibly, that their work would be collected at blue-chip prices in the art market. They just tended to their art with an undying passion as most of us would feel blessed to have. I suspect someone like Atget knew from within that he'd arrived, eventhough his vast body of work was practically unknown in his lifetime. Art for art's sake was probably more of a concern to him than, on the opposite end of the spectrum, his contemporary portrait photographer colleagues who depended on their client approval, perhaps to the extent of sacrificing their notion of aesthetics, in order to prosper.

Me personally, I haven't arrived yet and I'm not certain I want to. I think it might actually be counterproductive for me. It would be more of a drive and incentive for new goals and further accomplishments to feel that I haven't arrived. To always have the inspiration and passion perhaps is more of concern to me for fear of losing them.

Humbly yours, Henry

[Juergen Sattler]

I don't think there is one "Arrival". I would like to think that we arrive all the time - at least that's how I feel about my life. Arrivals do not only happen in artisitc ways, but in such simple things as building a darkroom, mastering your first "wow" print, etc.. Life is a journey and the arrivals are part of that journey, although there is no final arrival, other than death. I personally do not look to the outisde to confirm my arrivals - they are determined by me and nobody else.

[Frank Petronio]

Arrivals take care of themselves. Just keep working.

[Wayne]

As someone used to say, by the time you realize you've arrived you've probably already left again.