“ARTIST TO ARTIST”
Dear Editor,
In 2022, Thomas Jolly was chosen to serve as the art director for the 2024 Olympics. Tony Estanguet, the president of Paris Olympics 2024, stated, “Jolly was a bold choice but was consistent with our vision.”
He is quoted as saying, “How do you write a show in which everybody, at one point, feels represented and a part of this bigger thing, this bigger 'us'? For an artist, it is a beautiful responsibility to have,” Jolly said. “It's ambitious but also complex because one has to broaden one's own imagery, one's own outlook and include everyone, understand everyone so that no one feels left behind,” he added.
(Hindustan Times, Sunday July 28,2024)
At last, I say something — Artist to Artist. Sometimes it is difficult to decide upon something, especially knowing that there will be millions of eyes all on you; on whatever you do and whatever it is that you create. The decision weighs heavy on your shoulders. There will be young and old, rich and poor, from every corner of the earth, waiting to see and be amazed by the wondrous idea you have brought to life. You have been given this chance for the whole world to see your creativity & vision for a HUGE event and it's a chance of a lifetime that every artist dreams of. There is anticipation, there is hope, and of course with that comes pressure on you to deliver with precision, from start to finish. Listening to your inner voice and sensing your gut feeling about it is critically important. Even though you may have others offering their opinions of what they think you should do or create, it comes down to you and your final decision. With a project like this, I am certain it was more than the “beautiful responsibility you have” as you described it. I would call it a monumental responsibility you had.
You were quoted as saying, “One has to broaden one’s own imagery, one’s own outlook and include everyone, understand everyone so that no one feels left behind.”
I am not certain this was achieved with the incredible outpouring of discontentment and insult that was felt and voiced through social media. Perhaps the broadening you so desired to “understand everyone” was not broad enough.
But it is done now; some people got it, and a lot of people did not. Or maybe they did.
Young eyes saw it, elders too and everybody in between.
Did the work achieve your goal “that no one feels left behind”?
I have no opinion about the work other than the one questionable scene that many interpreted as the iconic painting of the Last Supper vis a vis the Bacchanal which seemed to be a grasp at history with a touch of avant garde bastardization (to modify especially by introducing discordant or disparate elements. — Merriam Webster Dictionary). Did it serve its purpose? I think I will leave my critique there, because really the concern turns to we artists as a whole. When the world gets introduced to an artist & vision without preconceived notions and then a vast majority of the viewers are shocked and disturbed unintentionally, we fellow artists feel let down and sad that the work was misunderstood. It is partly because we know the repercussions will make it harder for us to pitch our imagery and vision, to get accepted or awarded with funding or a project, and we’ll have to work harder to explain our ideas to others to see it too. Our reputation as creative visionaries will be doubted and questioned.
And sure, not everyone will like your work. But on a scale that big and for that type of event, with two years in the making, to pursue the “understanding of everyone so that no one feels left behind” should have also included the component of suitability for everyone too.
Good luck self- assessing your vision and your work. Perhaps to revisit what inclusivity and the application of every one means should be considered while sifting through past Opening Ceremonies of the Olympic games by other countries would be helpful.
R. Meredith Fitiao, MFA
Professor of the Arts
[Editor’s Note: Just a throwout thought here- artist to artist: The “Last Supper” is a revered concept within the realm of acceptable/ suitable icons of Christianity and using it to put forth the idea of “inclusion” speaks of its immense power to communicate a vision — Christian or otherwise. It’s what I took from Jolly’s work. I was actually offended that he had to apologize for it. But as noted, it’s also about $$. ra]