Awards, fame, plagiarism

Many in the Art and Design worlds seek fame through their work, as this story from the BBC will attest to.

I have to wonder who benefits more from the awarding of such an artist. Is it the awarder or the awardee? Both are in the game to leverage attention and accolades to what it is they do. Whether it is creating art, or representing artists at the state level.

In the game of journalists, the press, profiling and self-promotion, the above story will prove a boon to both parties involved, as scandalous and salacious headlines will boost anyone's profile to any given audience. This calculated publishing of what appears to be facts is the engine that will vault both the career's of the Japanese artist as well as the statesman who questioned his award given by the government of Japan.

This article is one indication that it is indeed not about originality anymore, but the desperation of those who manipulate the press to their advantage in the most self-effacing of methods. Climbing on the shoulders of the truly great ones and calling it your own will get you fame and fortune it appears. Just make sure to plan all the way through the press barrage, the blowback, the public outcry, the damage control and the eventual contrived comeuppance that you will have to endure to continue to further your illustrious career.

Personally as a designer, the awards I have seen in my career have come and gone. They have not really done anything to boost my career. Of course the awards were all given for the right reasons and intended to acknowledge the creator for a job well done. Which is the perceived "right" way to give and accept an award. The reality of the situation though, is that so many are desperate to raise their profile in the world that they will pervert this process leaving the audience who reads the stories perplexed as to who really is deserving of the award. Is it the artist, the one presenting the award, the publisher of the story or is it the audience members who take the bait and generate public opinion that other decisions are based on.

This kind of cynicism cannot be measured as of yet with modern technology. One thing is for sure however, if you fail to recognize the purity in what it is that you do in life, then you will indeed end up on stage accepting an award someday not knowing full well why you are up there in the first place.