I think that “creativity” is vastly overrated and “artistry” is vastly underrated. Creativity is cool. It’s about exploring and it’s about allowing yourself to make mistakes. But artistry is about knowing when a mistake is beautiful, when a mistake has merit, is virtuous, and knowing when to keep it. Artistry and expertise are not getting the day in court that I wish they were, at this particular moment in history. They’re being assailed, are they not? Expertise is critical and artistry is critical. So, when the CEOs of various “friendly” tech-overlord corporations talk about embracing creativity, I know that they don’t know what they’re talking about. Musicians aren’t really after creativity. Such as I’ve experienced it, they’re after artistry. The records I love, regardless of the decade they were made in, are in possession of artistry, and artistry comes from intent.
Blake Morgan in Tape Op Magazine – LINK
Shokunin
“The Japanese word shokunin is defined by both Japanese and Japanese-English dictionaries as ‘craftsman’ or ‘artisan,’ but such a literal description does not fully express the deeper meaning. The Japanese apprentice is taught that shokunin means not only having technical skills, but also implies an attitude and social consciousness. … The shokunin has a social obligation to work his/her best for the general welfare of the people. This obligation is both spiritual and material, in that no matter what it is, the shokunin’s responsibility is to fulfill the requirement.”
Tasio Odate
In ancent Greek, there is also a multilayered meaning of τέχνη, or “techne.” Interestingly enough, it encompasses many seemingly disparate activities, e.g., “making/doing”, “practical knowledge”, and associates music, mathematics, geometry and carpentry. It’s also interesting that ἐπιστήμη (“Episteme”)or “theoretical knowledge” are closely associated with one another.
“The Stoics develop the idea that virtue is a kind of technê or craft of life, one that is based on an understanding of the universe. ” Parry, Richard, “Episteme and Techne”, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 2024 Edition)
There also is very a strong correlation between artistry (techne) and ethics (êthos, ἦθος) particularly in Aristotle and his branch of philosophical thought.
“Skill + presence + attention + understanding = artistry.” – Robert Fripp
I can dig it.