Word from the guest director | Art, the vital organ of our world

Ever since I was little, I have been fascinated by people. Everything related to philosophy, paradoxes and the diversity of human perceptions interests me deeply. I have always been curious about others, about what makes us different and, above all, about what has the power to unite us.

Art, and particularly music, is for me a sort of alphabet of the intangible in which we can express thousands of shades of humanity. In my daily life, I have the chance to be in contact with profoundly true stories: births, bereavements, mental health trials, stories so overwhelming that I sometimes would have liked to be trained in helping relationships for respond adequately.

This led me to question the place of Art in our lives. What is the real function of Art in our society? And that of the Artist? One thing is certain: in my opinion, artistic expression is a vital organ of our world.

In an increasingly technological and globalized society, it seems essential to me to remember that Art is a profound vector of humanity and identity. This is one of the areas that I wanted to explore by having the chance to be invited as director for a day of the Arts section.

I also wanted to talk about the entrepreneurial aspect behind being an artist and the paradoxes that can exist between the two. Being an entrepreneur is nowadays an almost essential element for maintaining an artistic career, but there are still big taboos around the relationship between art and money, a big gap between the purity of the role that we attribute to artists and the business behind it. I wonder where that comes from. Where is the line between the commercial and the artistic? Can they coexist well? Besides, does an artist feel as credible when he becomes “popular”?

I am also fascinated by the social aspect attached to the Arts, by the fact that we often find there a refuge, a mirror, an escape, but also a community. I’m lucky enough to play in packed venues and I often tell myself that it’s not all about me. The fact of finding ourselves in communion around a piano or a guitar probably speaks more of the joy we experience in being together, surrounded by people who vibrate on the same waves as us, than of the artist himself. -even. But then, why are certain forms of Art classified as more “noble” than others? Do we need it as a social symbol to define us or even elevate us above others? These are thoughts that haunt me and I am very honored to have had the chance to explore some of these topics in depth with the team at The Press. It’s a real gift for me and I hope it will be for you too. Happy reading!