Original Photo by Keith Chapman

We are all predominantly from a single culture that shapes our art and work. We may still be residing in that same culture or in a completely different one and those are heavy influences on our style and forms of expression. Our creativity stems from our experiences and how we connect and combine those experiences to create new experiences for ourselves and others. I travel a fair amount and I try to absorb as much of the local culture as possible on each of my trips. I try to learn and I record many of those experiences with photography. A picture tends to capture the essence better than my memories or even my writings.

As creators, we often need to break habits and discard the usual source elements we use to truly create something new. New inputs equals new outputs. One very unique and interesting way to accomplish this is by superimposing a new cultural lens on your art. If you are an American who writes fiction, how would you change your writing if you were all of a sudden Japanese? If you are a product designer in Germany, how would you change your design aesthetics and functionality if you were suddenly Australian? How does your self-portrait painting in a museum in Amsterdam differ from your self-portrait painting in Honolulu? Applying a different cultural lens to your art will lead you to new conclusions because every culture has different needs and different desires. You will not find a lot of Day of the Dead influence in Indonesia, but what would Day of the Dead stylings look like in Indonesia? You will not find much baseball influence in Siberia, but what would Siberian baseball look like?

So, take a look at your latest piece of work or art. Now choose a culture that is clearly not represented in that art and apply that lens over your art. How does this influence the art? How does it change? What does it lead you to?

The image used for this post is of a sunset behind a very uniquely designed skyscraper in Hong Kong. If I were to apply a 1920’s Prohibition Era culture lens on this image, I might find the result a sharp black and white photo with heavy contrast. Applying a new cultural lens to a project can include overlays from many eras, times, styles, geographies, and fiction. By so doing, you are importing new ideas from that new culture into the art rooted in the original culture or style you choose naturally. The result is typically something new and unique but still maintains core origins of your original art.

This will push your mind into new areas with new focal points. Priorities shift and you find new ideas ready to explore.

Now go. Create. ~ The Mission Creative