Navigating the Tension Between Tradition and Modernity

No artist works in a vacuum. Long before you question how you make work, you inherit ways of working. From teachers. From books. From what you see repeated and rewarded. These influences form a foundation, whether you consciously choose them or not.

At the same time, every artist is working in the present. New experiences, new questions, and new contexts all place pressure on inherited ways of working. The tension between tradition and modernity is not a problem to solve. It is something you live with as the work evolves.

Tradition offers structure. It teaches patience, discipline, and respect for materials. These things matter. They slow decision making and provide a sense of grounding. But tradition can also become limiting when it goes unexamined. When habits replace intention.

Modern approaches bring flexibility. They allow room for personal experience and cultural context to shape the work. They make space for change. But without grounding, they can feel reactive or unsteady.

My practice exists somewhere between these two forces. I rely on traditional methods because they help me stay present while working. They give the work time to develop. At the same time, I allow my own experiences and questions to influence how those methods are used.

The balance is not something I plan in advance. It shows up through repeated choices. What I keep returning to. What I stop doing. What no longer feels necessary. Over time, those choices start to form a way of working that feels steady without being fixed.

The artist journey is often described as a move away from influence toward independence. That has not been my experience. I move back and forth. Sometimes I return to earlier ways of working. Other times I push away from them. Both movements matter.

What guides these shifts is attention. Paying close attention to what the work needs rather than what is expected of it. When that attention is present, the work remains open to change without losing its footing.

The tension between tradition and modernity is not something I aim to resolve. It is part of the work itself. Staying aware of it helps the practice remain grounded, responsive, and alive.