Look What We've Done

With the internet, it's hard to-- it's hard for something special to rise to the surface.

And I kind of see-- and yet, we all like put so much energy towards this thing, right?

We're all constantly dumping our attention and energy into this place that reduces everything to one context.

So I think to take something out of that and make it real and make it a physical thing is a resistance to that, I guess, in a way.

So your assignment is to articulate something intimate that is indispensable to you.

So, first, before you do anything, take a selfie.

Find somebody who you think could never understand your perspective.

Fashion your own uniform out of whatever materials you have at hand.

It could be anything.

It could be something that started on the side of the road, or it could be something you find in your basement, in your attic, or it could be something you find in the trash.

You know, if you're creating something out of your own urges, out of thin air, you're going to come up with something, and I'm sure it will be great.

But there's something else that happens, a different kind of mental process, and a different kind of creative process, when you create something in response to someone else's heart.

It's really not about being able to make things well with your hands.

FEMALE VOICE: There's going to be beauty in the way that you find objects, and put them together, whatever your ability is.

That's something to be embraced.

Your assignment is to conjure a studio.

All I need you to do is go get a piece of paper.

Find a drawing surface.

Make a line drawing of a shape you think represents yourself.

Call the number that is on the screen now.

Make an imaginary friend.

Create a visual representation of your family.

Make an object that is embarrassing.

Gather up all the old clothes and sheets.

And when it looks cool, you're done.

If you do this assignment, you're going to learn more about yourself.

And you're going to find something about yourself that you can extend to others.

And I actually think that's the only reason to make art.

So as an artist, I understand things a little bit more when I measure them, but then when I put them out into the world, they become a way for us to understand something together.

There is no goal.

It's not a competition.

You're just doing something.

You need a thing to do.

So your assignment is to be a newspaper photographer for the day.

To become a science fiction character.

Turn off a screen.

Take a photo, almost random photo, but just not too close, and not too far.

And each of the photos should convey one emotion.

That's the beauty of being an image maker.

You can do whatever you want.

You can create whatever you want.

And it's all in the realm of how vivid and how broad your imagination is.

Well, you do one thing.

You put it out there.

If it works, you do another.

And if it doesn't, you do another.

So this is true for all of us.

You can't expect one thing to make a difference.

But if you keep doing it, and keep chipping away, over time, you can make a difference.

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