An Early Artistic Statement

Ron Weiss

Artistic Statement Reflection

Theory with Michael

11/25/23

I make work that makes me happy. Sometimes that comes from wanting to help others. Sometimes that comes from wanting to explore a question. Sometimes that comes from I just feel like it and it makes me happy. Here’s a bit about how that has manifested:

Intention is everything. Intention intention intention. What is the thing that unifies my work? It’s not a color scheme, it's not a theatrical element, it’s not even a certain kind of text– but constant striving for Intention. Any piece I begin, starts with an impulse. This impulse might come from reading a piece of text, hearing a song, taking a shower, eating a cookie, looking at the moon–whatever it is, I have been set on the path of creation.

Once I have this impulse, an intention emerges, and the next step begins. I can now begin to use every element at my disposal to further that intention. “What is the best way to show ______?” I think in Western theater we often fall to text, and while that is a clear and efficient manner of communication I think we miss out on the opportunity to express things in more fitting ways. How is it possible that the best way to tell every story is through text, if we have seen work that has greatly affected us without text? this part of my work comes straight from so many of the artists we have studied this semester. Artaud leading the pack gave us the thinking that every element can hold the same importance as opposed to text being the god of every piece of work. If I can constantly open myself up to the  reality that every single element has an opportunity to tell a story (further the intention) my work can become so much more specific and holistic. It is about being open to any element in every process.

In theory if every project I work on is given full intentionality, then every project I work on will have a completely different style, a style that is entirely unique to itself. While there will be overlap, my openness to all elements should have created a body of work that is mostly ununified. It's similar to the acting philosophy in the sense that the more I can get rid of my directing habits (in terms of the elements I work with) the more likely I will find elements that are intentional for any moment of work.

When I applied for the UNCSA School of Drama, I wrote an essay titled “art as a conduit.” A more appropriate title would have been “the artist as a conduit,” as it was the development of my idea that I as an artist am a vessel, a conduit for the art to move through me. The impulse comes in from the universe, it is shaped and morphed by the shape of my unique conduit. A shape created from my life experience, my training, my current state at the moment of creation, and everything else that makes me myself. This impulse is shaped as it passes through me in the act of creation, and it comes out as the art. The art is that same impulse that started outside of me, only now it looks different, because it went through everything that I have been through.

Every moment I have ever experienced has impacted, and continues to impact my art. Every breath I take, every glance, every movement all live in me, for better or worse, and all affect whatever impulse moves through me. I am the conduit and I couldn’t be more grateful.