Connections between artists

    Does art have a clear definition? If in the classification of arts there are only seven arts (architecture, sculpture, painting, music, poetry, dance and cinema), today we can count more than ten artistic categories. But what do all these artworks represent? What is their value? Doesn't art become art only when it is shared, or perhaps, does it become art when it brings emotion to a person? These are the questions that animate us when we talk about relationships and arts since it is all about sharing ideas, creations and attributes. To approach the subject we will discuss the vision of art, the different aspects of group work, and the importance of community in art. 

    Each piece of art has its own history, which is based on the moment it was created, on what inspired it, but also on the history, the reflection and the sensitivity of the artist. Even if there are works that break out of these patterns, each time we find a piece of art, whatever it is, there are many things that precede it. Let's take the example of photography, the same moment captured by two photographers will look different, this is due to the personality of the artist, what he wants to show etc.

    If we imagine that art is a sharing experience we can talk about the group work or the collaborations. 

    Working with someone is like getting married in the short term, or starting a family, depending on the number of people in the group. The goal is to have harmony, or positive energy, which will lead to a result that reflects the collaboration, if the connection is not made, it's difficult to support the work created. You have to understand your partner, listen to him, but also support him, in good and bad times, all that while you maintain the character that you want to give to the final work. This means that we have to play a balance between being soft and attentive to obtain a perfect (or almost perfect) working relationship, and being hard and rigorous to obtain a perfect (or almost perfect) result corresponding to our expectations, but also to those of our partner(s). The experience of working in a group (duo or more) can be easy when our energy is compatible with the energy of our partner(s), which pushes us to work more with the artist(s) or to pursue collaborations with other artists. At the same time, the experience can be an unhappy one, with a result far from expectations and a relationship that damages our creativity. This is also related to art under a patron, by which I mean working on behalf of a superior. This can affect creativity, as we often see in music, and on the other hand, it can force us to push the limits of possibilities, as we see with commissions for paintings, or clothes.

    International work and connections can be the most rewarding but also the most difficult. While language is the primary barrier, despite the fact that most people are able to speak English, there are other aspects that make it difficult to collaborate. The time difference, although insignificant for many, is one of the first difficulties. Take for example the shooting of @Vandhercam with Boii, the manager was in the United States which means a big-time difference from Czechia, and to communicate and get all the information, becomes very hard. It is very important to take into account the working hours in collaboration because it is difficult to give the same work at 2pm and 5am. 

 Vandhercamera & Boii

    This example also allows us to address the middlemen in the connections between artists. It is easy to create something with another artist when we discuss the work, expose all aspects of it, communicate about deadlines, direction, or whatever. However, when you deal with middlemen, there can be a few difficulties. The outsider’s perception of the project is not the same as the artist's, which can reduce the chances of convincing the artist in question, depending on the presentation made to him.

    Even if it remains a chance to share an artistic experience with a person of another culture, which allows us to expand our field of possibilities and ideas. 

    However, the ideas may have been exploited and explored in different areas. To illustrate, the OHS brand worked on 3D fashion, which is very rarely promoted in France, and which appears to be a monstrous innovation, this resulted in the categorical refusal of many illustrators and other graphic actors. But when the search turned to foreign countries, such as England, where the trend is already big, the prices slowed down the brand. To do this, it was necessary to turn to Russia, where digital tools are exploited a lot, both in terms of crypto-currency, hacking or even in the field of the metaverse. As it was explained earlier, the language, and the time zone, were small breaks, however, the exchange of ideas allowed the realization of the project because of the understanding and the shared references. The same principle for the realization of cartoons, videos and other things, since certain imagery, and techniques are cultivated in certain countries and are the fruit of a heritage (deep or new). Finding an artist with whom we agree and who has a new vision on a theme, forces us to step up and bring us to the next level. It is important to be open as an artist to the art and culture of different countries, which allows us to establish our own culture and to innovate artistically. 

Only Heartless Survive & Yana Sedova

    The same thing applies to music and mainly to rap. Indeed, if we take in comparison the French rap and the Czech rap, the French have a certain advance, either in the techniques, the history, the visuals, and others. But this does not prevent the talent, and that's why we see more and more connections between artists from these two countries. The proof is that there is a rapper in Prague, Lboy, who as a French The Kid, uses his French heritage mixed with his adoptive culture, and gives us singular music. The collaborations with emerging artists are born, as Lord Esperenza feat Maniak in his concept album, in which he makes a world tour and involves artists of each country he visits. But also the track of Youv Dee, artist of the French "new wave" as they are called in Paris, with Yzomandias shows that the new actors of rap keep their eyes open to what is done around them.  Now what we are waiting for are the collaborations between headliners, Ninho & Viktor Sheen, Calin & JUL?

French The Kid

    The community has an importance in the evolution of artists since it helps the artist to evaluate himself. It is also a collaboration, but not between artists, and when the community is strong enough it can allow artists to reach higher levels, in terms of notoriety, or results. In the sharing between two artists, there can be the sharing of two communities, as can be seen with concerts, opening acts, etc. but also in festivals where it is even easier to share the same community, it is the case with music. For the other arts, it is often the initiative of collectives, of photo or video for example, around certain projects that allow to bring together different universes and to create a new community.

Written by: Clarence Lobe