Once upon a time, there was a creator. A creator who made things that it occurred to them to make. Sometimes what they made meant something. And sometimes it didn’t.

But strangely enough, when it truly didn’t mean something, everyone insisted on making it mean more. Every sound, every factor, every moment was analysed. And reasons given to each. When in reality, it was focused on something incredibly mundane.

Even when the artist tried to tell people that what they made ‘meant’ nothing special, people didn’t believe them.

And that’s when the artist realised. Even the work they had made that was meant to mean one thing would always be translated to mean another. As soon as an audience appeared for their work, meaning was up for grabs, personalised and removed from the creator themselves.

So rather than try to control their meaning, the artist made a different choice. To let go. To make what they could and would make. Some still had meaning, and some still didn’t.

Maybe everyone finds what they need to find in art.

And that is enough.

---

Jena Ren – 2022

This short wondering was inspired by Percy Grainger’s piece ‘Country Gardens‘. Despite the idea that it might represent beautiful flowers, it was in fact inspired by a country garden growing turnips.