Does the artist own their art?

An artist absolutely owns the product of their labour, just like anyone who does any sort of work.

I don’t think art is owned by anyone.

Legally, but not really owned.

If I created it, it belongs to me and no one else.

Not really. As a photographer, the client owns them with their permission I can use it for my portfolio.

I offer that the artist is owned by their work, as the labourer is owned by their labour. If you created it, you belong to it. It’s your mind that was changed. You who experienced that process of emergence of that work. Even in digging ditches, the worker takes home the experience of that day.

Yes, the artist doesn’t really own the Statue of Liberty but America would probably speak up if anyone vandalized it. Why do we defend creative work? Preserve it?

Do you own the content of the classes that you give? I am owned by it. I tend to obsess on these topics, and there are potential legal matters of ownership. But what are those laws but their own artifice? We created the law out of disturbance. We were owned by the fear or concerns that were addressed in those laws, and later owned by the letter of those laws even when the spirit of such is lost.

The same reason we hold on to antiques and ancient artifacts.

For myself, my work is mine. I do not want anyone else to take credit for it.

The laws are defensive, used when we feel taken advantage of. Otherwise, we want to give our creations.

There are so many people in the world who try to exploit artists and creative people. Those laws are to protect the artists from plagiarists and exploitation.

We’re owned by being unrecognized.

Do you mean when you say ‘owned by that which is created’ that we are changed by the experience?

Oh, when I go out with friends and we take the same picture of the landscape, we both end up with different pictures, but the landscape was not ours to claim.

There is a phrase from a movie I enjoyed. “I am bound by that which I bind. I am contained by that which I contain.” Can you be troubled by anything you don’t feel you own or are owned by?

Yes. How so?

An asteroid headed at me is troubling. You feel you own the planet and it might threaten, or at least your place on it.

Or I just don’t want to die. People don’t want to die. They also don’t want to live. Strange paradox, no?

Yes, we own it like we own cities and neighbourhoods.

Your thoughts are welcome. Be well friends.

Travis Saunders
Dragon Intuitive
~science,mysticism,spirituality~