The Groove 194 - Why Removing The Ego Always Works
WHY REMOVING THE EGO ALWAYS WORKS
The poet Rumi, whose wisdom has never failed to enlighten for more than eight centuries, once said: “The ego is a veil between humans and God.”
I know this is a tall order, but the benefits outweigh the hard task of looking at our ego and asking it to move so we can open up space for more important parts of ourselves to take over. When our ego is set aside, we are more open to feedback, willing to consider diverse perspectives, and can focus on bigger goals rather than personal recognition.
Born in 1942 in Manhattan and raised in the South Bronx, Lawrence Weiner was an artist who sought to remove the ego from his work. After graduating from Stuyvesant High School in New York at 16, Weiner traveled around the United States and then the world. Following a brief stint with painting, he arrived in the late 60s to the type of work that would bring him accolades and recognition for the rest of his life (even when that wasn’t his personal goal).
Weiner chose words as his medium: he developed his own typeface and applied his phrases on various surfaces like walls and floors, engraving them on manhole covers, printing them on posters, billboards, book pages, matchbook covers, and T-shirts. Let’s delve into some recurring themes in his practice that are worth mulling over:
Use Your Intentions to Craft Your Manifesto
Lawrence Weiner in the late 1980s
There are two words that are used by everyone in the self-help, personal growth and woo-woo space, from Oprah to Deepak Chopra: intention and manifestation.
But these aren’t new terms, and they aren’t exclusively about personal fame and fortune. The word “intention” originates from the Latin “intentio,” which means “a stretching out” and “to turn one's attention.” The words “manifest” and "manifesto” can be traced to the Latin “manifestum,” which means “clear” or something that “becomes evident."
One of Weiner's seminal contributions is his 1968 “Declaration of Intent,” which outlines his artistic philosophy:
1. The artist may construct the piece.
2. The piece may be fabricated.
3. The piece need not be built.
Lawrence Weiner, A Translation From One Language To Another, 2015. Installation view, Rose F. Kennedy Greenway Conservancy Mural Project for MIT and the Rose F. Kennedy Greenway Conservancy. Boston, MA.
This manifesto was wild for the time, as Weiner was affixed on the idea of “sculpting with words” and that once conceived, the art wouldn’t need the artist’s intervention. He began assembling words often presented in simple, bold typography, installed directly on gallery walls, public spaces, or printed materials. By using language as his primary medium, Weiner demonstrated that art could exist independently of any physical form, accessible through the act of reading and interpreting.
This radical redefinition of art democratizes the artistic process, allowing viewers to engage with and conceptualize the work in their own minds. This manifesto guided the next 50 years of Weiner’s career. It encapsulated his belief that the idea itself is sufficient to constitute a work of art, whether or not it is physically realized.
Writing down intentions and a manifesto for your career or businesses serves as a powerful tool for clarity, focus, and goal attainment. By articulating your intentions, you can clarify your aspirations, values, and purpose, providing a roadmap for your professional journey.
Bravado is Better than Hubris
Lawrence Weiner, MADE TO BE, Regen Projects, Los Angeles
Hubris, the excessive pride or arrogance that often leads people to overestimate their abilities and disregard others' perspectives, has become increasingly pervasive in contemporary society. Fueled by social media's amplification of personal achievements and the constant pursuit of individual success, hubris manifests in behaviors ranging from delusion to self-centeredness to dismissive attitudes towards collaboration and learning.
But Weiner was clear that hubris wasn’t for him. Instead, he proposed that we rely on bravado, which is a very different thing. Bravado is a bold display of courage or confidence, more like a desire to experiment and take risks mixed with some fearlessness. “And bravado is better than hubris… bravado is that you did something and then you want credit for it. Hubris is that you are convinced that you are capable of doing it and you want the reward.”
Hubris is dangerous: from people who can’t accept their mistakes to world leaders who are unable to step back and course-correct, this pervasive attitude can hinder nations, teamwork, innovation, and ethical decision-making, fostering a culture of competition over cooperation. Bravado, however, can take sober clues from humility and doing what’s right for everyone.
Let The Work Do the Talk
Shiroiya Hotel in Maebashi, Japan, 2020
“Look at me! I’m here, there and everywhere!” That’s the motto of social media “celebrities” and reality TV “stars”. Yes, at this point it’s inescapable; we have to see these people almost every day, their faces plastered all over billboards and newsstands, our phones and more. But the question is: what’s truly the work under the fifty tons of makeup and the waist-cinching contraptions? Will they contribute anything of meaning that we’ll remember 20-30 years from now?
In offering advice to young artists (but this really can go to anyone regardless of what they do), Weiner said: “If you think it's worthwhile for other people to know about it, just keep doing it, whether it's comfortable or not, and whether it's worthwhile or not is not about your career, it's about the thing itself.”
Weiner let the work do the talk - literally and metaphorically. Having had dozens upon dozens of solo shows and retrospectives in the most prestigious museums around the world, from the Whitney in New York to the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam to the Tate in London, Lawrence Weiner did the impossible: without being a writer, he turned words into art. He became renowned for his linguistic precision, philosophical depth, and democratization of art. His legacy underscores the transformative power of ideas and language and turned him into one of the most influential artists of the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
When asked what's a successful artwork, Weiner answered: “One that enters into the culture, is used by various people, and then after a while they even forget who did it. It's like nobody knows who did what in the Museum of Modern Art, but they remember that painting they saw in the Met. That's perfect, that means it worked.”
By prioritizing the quality and significance of your contributions, you foster an environment of authenticity and substance over mere self-promotion. This approach not only enhances the integrity of your endeavors but also inspires trust and respect from peers and audiences.
When the focus shifts from personal glory to the quality and impact of the work, you are more receptive to feedback, willing to learn from others, and dedicated to the success of what you do. This humility and selflessness leads to greater creativity, innovation, and a higher standard of excellence, as the emphasis is placed on achieving the best possible outcome rather than satisfying personal ambitions.