Verse 7*
Heaven and Earth are everlasting
The reason Heaven and Earth can last forever
Is that they do not exist for themselves
Thus they can last forever
The reason Heaven and Earth can last forever
Is that they do not exist for themselves
Thus they can last forever
Therefore the sages:
Place themselves last but end up in front
Are outside of themselves and yet survive
Is it not due to their selflessness?
That is how they can achieve their own goals
Place themselves last but end up in front
Are outside of themselves and yet survive
Is it not due to their selflessness?
That is how they can achieve their own goals
The natural way to create is to create selflessly, that is, not being noticed, not for the “Artist” label, but out of desire to communicate with the viewer. It is to reach out, but remove oneself out of the equation, where the message and only the message is the essential. The wise artist also uses the available means to share his/her artwork with the community, again selflessly, letting the artwork, the massage it carries talk for itself.
By working selflessly, created artwork becomes universal and boundless. More people it communicates with, the more impact it has and thus the artist, even without being seen, shines through.
Please leave your thoughts, feelings on this or Tao Te Ching in general, if you wish below.
* From http://www.taoism.net/ttc/complete.htm
**Art and creating are interchangeable with life and living.
Beautiful.