When Life
Sometimes in life, you think you have it all
figured out, and all under control. Life is
following the exact path you have decided on.
Then suddenly from left field you are smacked
over the head and everything you have been
working towards vanishes from your sight.
Leaving you dazed, and confused about what
had just happened.
In 2014, I was all set to have a solo art
exhibition at the Unisa gallery in October. I
had put the work in, and dedicated myself to
the conceptual motivation for my exhibition.
In my mind’s eye I could see exactly how the
exhibition and every art piece would look,
and how it would be positioned. The following
week when I attended lectures and received
critique on the exhibition I was shocked to
discover, they loved my concept but wanted
me to change and refine it. It felt like I was
punched in the stomach and the future I had
envisaged was dissolving right in front of my
eyes.
My first thought was “what
the hell am I going to do
now?”
32 - Ewya June 2016
Chang
The second thought was “what is the point,
maybe I should just give up”. I started to feel
deeply depressed as my vision evaporated in
front of my eyes. It would never happen as I
had envisioned it.
One thing I have learn’t in my profession is to
control my reactions, to think before reacting,
because the way I react is vital to the outcome
of the situation. I decided to take all criticism
in my stride and even joked with my lecturer.
I could see the admiration in their eyes, they
could not believe I was taking the criticism so
well. This encouraged them to offer me some
advice on the direction I should take.
However if I had reacted in anger and had
blown up, and lashed out at them, it would
have shifted the entire atmosphere in to a
negative mood.
My lecturer’s attitudes would have turned sour
and they probably would have failed me
because I had alienated them through my
reaction. They definitely would not have
offered any advice on how to proceed. Even
though it was not the critique I was expecting,
it was not as bad as it could have been
because I kept in control of my emotions.
“
c
en
rea