The Groove 182 - Embrace that Progress isn't Linear
EMBRACE THAT PROGRESS ISN’T LINEAR
Progress is not linear. We often find ourselves entangled in the pursuit of a perfectly upward curve, relentlessly marching towards predetermined milestones and societal expectations. Yet amidst the rigidity of this path lies a profound paradox: true growth often eludes us until we relinquish our fixation on straight trajectories and embrace the inherent complexities of erratic processes.
In both life and work, the journey towards personal and professional fulfillment is not a smooth, clear line, but a labyrinthine odyssey, characterized by unexpected twists, detours, and setbacks. It is in the embrace of nonlinearity that we discover fertile ground for authentic growth and self-realization.
Zigzagging was crucial to the career of Carla Accardi. Born in Sicily in 1924 and educated in Florence before moving to Rome in 1946, where she lived until her death in 2010, she was a pioneer of modern abstraction and installation work in ways that excited and intrigued art dealers, collectors, curators, and critics.
Accardi’s nonlinear approach ultimately positioned her as one of the most interesting and expansive artists of the 20th century, so much so that she has been called “an artist of the twenty-first century who, only by chance, was born in the twentieth.” From the beginning of her career, she understood the very real fact that progress is an unruly fellow, especially as her career moved through these three maxims:
Act on the Urge To Get Unstuck
Carla Accardi in her studio in Rome, 1966. Photo by Ugo Mulas.
More than 2,500 years ago, the always relevant Confucius expressed the concept of not letting the feeling of being stuck stop your growth when he said: “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” Easier said than done, when everyone is expected to perform quantum leaps at the speed of light.
If you find yourself in a rut and choose not to any take action, you’re bound to remain stagnant indefinitely. However, embracing discomfort and pushing forward, even during periods of inertia, ensures eventual progress, regardless of the duration of the journey.
One of Carla Accardi’s black and white paintings at the Fondazione Puglisi in Catania, Sicily in 2011.
For Accardi, who had explored a little bit of figuration followed by a serious and intense period of black and white abstractions and after that worked on plastic, architectural tents, and immersive installations, then went back to canvas (this time in full color), the urge to shake things up was always there: “I wanted the audience to be shaken, to love art while discovering that life lies behind it. I understood that life could be combined with art, as had already been done in the past. But first and foremost, I wanted to be a contemporary artist, I wanted to find out what 'contemporary' meant.”
How elucidating can it be to say to oneself: “I want to be a contemporary [salesperson, art dealer, entrepreneur, fill in the blank]” because that means that you’ll always have to push yourself to be current. Get in the habit of asking yourself whether you are being contemporary.
Never Take Anything for Granted
Carla Accardi’s works on enamel on Sicofoil from the late 1960s at the Castello di Rivoli Museo d’Arte Contemporanea, Rivoli-Torino.
Taking things for granted can lead to complacency and development of blind spots. When we assume that certain aspects of our existence will always be there without actively acknowledging their value, we risk losing sight of their significance.
The artist embraced the notion of oblivion and anti-memory as a means of self-preservation - a practice she deftly incorporated into her artistic approach. For Accardi, each new work was a fresh beginning, devoid of preconceived notions or assumptions. “Every time I reached something definite, I had the desire to challenge myself and others by running away and doing something different. I did not want to become academic,” she said.
In her approach, each endeavor commenced anew, unfettered by preconceptions or past achievements. Accardi's commitment to starting from a clean slate ensured that every work emerged as a fresh exploration, free from assumptions or complacency. "[My works are] abandonment to the rhythms of life, both on an everyday basis and over longer periods."
On a larger scale, recognizing the transient nature of existence reminds us to cherish each moment and treasure the blessings we often overlook. Therefore, it is imperative not to take anything for granted, as doing so robs us of the joy and fulfillment that comes from embracing the preciousness of every aspect of our lives.
Avoid Becoming Rhetorical
Carla Accardi, “Coni” in Pietrasanta, Italy in 2003.
It's inherent to human nature that once we've discovered a successful style or cadence in business, and things are flowing smoothly with money rolling in, we're often reluctant to disrupt the formula that led to our success.
When someone becomes rhetorical, they may employ various devices like the same style, metaphors, analogies, or persuasive language to enhance the impact of their message. In essence, becoming rhetorical means utilizing certain elements strategically to achieve a particular purpose, whether it's to inform, persuade, entertain, or inspire. Carla Accardi didn’t want any of that.
“I didn't want to become rhetorical”, she said. And of course, she didn’t.
Accardi's creative process unfolded in a distinctive manner unlike anybody else in her circle. She began with sketches on paper before transitioning to canvas, which she positioned on the ground as she didn’t ever use an easel or the walls. She worked seated on the floor or engaged at a table. One day, by pure chance, someone brought a clear plastic material to her studio called sicofoil. “I was intrigued by that material. I thought: I want to try to use it because this way I reveal the mysteries behind the art.” Even though it was considered tacky and of bad taste, Accardi embarked upon a phase working with sicofoil. Unlike anything else at the time, these works were characterized by their luminous quality and their ability to capture and reflect light in unique ways. The transparent plastic film added depth and texture to her paintings, creating an illusion of movement and dimensionality.
After a sixty-year career that couldn’t be pigeonholed, Accardi summed it up: “My purpose is to represent the vital impulse that is in the world.” What is the vital impulse of the world if not thousands of unsystematic phenomena that either move us into the future or leave us bogged down in the past?