Comparison of artists

[kvchellappa]

It is in the general practice to compare an artist to a known one. It does not mean that one is aping the other or lacks ‘originality’. Where one does, it becomes obvious and fails to impress.

A number of people are reminded of KVN when RKM sings. When Pantula Rama sings she somehow brings to mind MLV. Sanjay was asked whether his singing is after anyone’s style and he said, ‘At times it tends to be like MMI or MDR, but it is not intentional’. That happens. Maybe because you admire that person so much, it gets into your system or whatever. Aishwarya Srinivasan brings memories of MS. That is natural as her grandmother trains her, but she is intelligent not to be a tape-recorder. To say she sings like MS will not be to dismiss her effort and vidwat.

We have had innumerable instances in this forum where such comparisons have been made in good taste.

Much of what passes for ‘originality’ is also the unseen work of the brain which learns and improves by repetition, comparison, negative feedback mechanism, etc. Without comparing with a past event brain won’t progress.

The ALU of the central processor works on a similar principle. While it is unintelligent and non-aesthetic, the process is similar.

A rasika making such comparison is not out of place.

GV has MS for her manasika guru. It may come naturally to her (without an effort to ape) that her singing resembles MS’. There is nothing amiss in mentioning that she reminds one of MS. It is not an unfair comment either on MS or GV. Her brilliance will not be dimmed by a rasika making his choice of enjoyment.

[sureshvv]

Nice defense

But there is another tendency to stereotype & put people in convenient pigenholes. When enough people repeat these half truths, it can become unfair to the artiste & even to the art itself.

We have had a great MS. We will never have another MS. Let us allow artistes to become great on their own terms.

If GV starts singing kurai onrum illai & bengali bhajans regularly, I may come looking for you with my patta kathi

[rshankar]

If GV starts singing kurai onrum illai & bengali bhajans regularly, I may come looking for you with my patta kathi

Tsk, tsk, tsk...and here I was thinking that we would use just 'vella vArtai' to kill - in huseini perhaps?

[kvchellappa]

“Because the soul is progressive, it never quite repeats itself, but in every act attempts the production of a new and fairer whole. .. Thus in our fine arts, not imitation but creation is the aim.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson

[munirao2001]

KVC Sir,
Art experience consists of three kinds –One, the original, anew, afresh, in creativity, in pleasure; second, replicating the original in following the popular perceptions and in details for recall pleasure; third, imitation of the original in following the popular perceptions and in details, also for recall pleasure. First kind is given the highest in value, second kind, lower value and the third kind, least of value. Why the values are inferior to the first kind? It is the intention of the artist and the connoisseur. Artist desire and motive is for establishing identity and popular appeal with ease and comfort in achieving the success. Connoisseur desire and motive is for seeking and securing the recall pleasure of the original experience with ease and comfort of memory.
Art enjoys exalted status in mind works mainly due to sense of mind in ideation; imagination and creativity. Artist’s virtue is in offering every time, pleasure of variations and modifications of new insights to the original and rare of the rarest instance, the original with no second.
Comparison is a habit, a tendency becoming the trait and character. In performing arts, it supports above average and mediocre-both artist and connoisseur. True experience and pleasure is not in comparison but in perception of unconditioned and unbiased sense of mind.

munirao2001