Drawing A Line In The Sand
Talent shows are tedious and exploitative. But, sometimes, a little art breaks through.
Kseniya Simonova is a Ukrainian artist who won her country’s version of the national “Got Talent” television contest. She creates an animation, in real-time, using a backlit sandbox, to depict her nations struggle during the Second World War. Like a lot of people, I’ve mesmerised by her work and performance. If you haven’t already seen it, take a look for yourself.
I’m usually underwhelmed, often massively so, by the these talent show videos when they go viral. Typically the meme is – ugly person gets on stage and gives an adequate performance of a great work (which the populist audience couldn’t pick from a great performance), then gets acclaim because they were so unexpectedly “good.”
I’m usually underwhelmed, often massively so, by the these talent show videos when they go viral. Typically the meme is – ugly person gets on stage and gives an adequate performance of a great work (which the populist audience couldn’t pick from a great performance), then gets massive acclaim because they were so unexpectedly “good.”
The only revelation there is the extent to which our optics and perception have been conditioned. An unknown person, or worse still, an unknown, unattractive person, can’t possibility be ‘talented.’
But, Ms Simonova is giving us something different. Something that, frankly looks a lot more like actual talent – a combination of art, mastery, creativity and originality. It doesn’t really belong in a talent show – it’s show all of its own.
