Subtext

CHAPTER 35In the End

Censorship

Featuring work by “John Smith”

FIGURE 35.1 Redacted. © John Smith

THIS LAST CHAPTER is dedicated to “John Smith.” John was an extremely gifted student and dear friend who died very tragically. Let’s take a moment to acknowledge that negotiating one’s artistic gifts is not always easy. John was not only extremely talented; he was empathetic, sensitive, and highly intelligent. I think these are not necessarily exceptional traits among artists, but they were extraordinarily pronounced in John. Managing such gifts can be challenging, even painful, and as a result, I start each critique seminar by showing two TED talks.

Ms. Elizabeth Gilbert’s Your Elusive Creative Genius, and Sir Ken Robinson’s Do Schools Kill ...