Under the Influence

"Under the Influence"-- I'm not talking about alcohol, but rather the sway of another person. We are all subject to various influences, and lately the idea of how one artist influences another has been at the front of my mind. My thoughts were first stimulated by seeing the wonderful Matisse/Diebenkorn exhibit at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. The entire show is an exploration of the influence that Matisse had on Diebenkorn--even though they never met! 

Left: Diebenkorn; Right, Matisse

The catalog for this show included an essay about "influences" in the world of art. I especially loved the words from the great poet T.S. Eliot: "A poet cannot help being influenced, therefore he should subject himself to as many influences a spossible, in order to escape from any one influence." I love this idea. It is too easy, especially for a visual


person in the visual arts, to fall so far under the influence of another as to lose one's own individuality. To avoid this loss of individuality, it seems much better to seek MANY influences than to isolate oneself from ALL influences. (Besides, I'm not sure that such isolation is even possible).

Left: Matisse; Right, Picasso

I recently heard this same concept expressed in completely different words by the accomplished interior designer Miles Redd. He said, "If you borrow from one person, it's called plagiarism. If you borrow from a lot of people, it's called research." A more lighthearted way to say it, for sure!

Another pair of great artists who influenced each other were Matisse and Picasso. Their friendship was part rivalry, and involved intense observation of the work of the other. This interaction drove each of them to greater and greater heights. In fact, much has been written about their back-and-forth, and a major exhibition in 2003 showcased their works side by side. If you want to read more, check out The Art of Rivalry, by Sebastian Smee, which has an excellent section on Matisse and Picasso. He also features other pairs--happy reading!