Words from Gough
A came across this quote sometime during my teenage years. I transcribed it onto a loose sheet of paper and have kept that piece of paper for some 20 years, through many house moves. I don't look at the piece of paper often but its words are never far from my mind when I consider my own or someone else's artistic endeavours. Gough Whitlam was Prime Minister of Australia before I was even born but his sentiment remains relevant. I hope these words offer you comfort, consolation and courage, as they have done for me all these years.
A healthy artistic climate does not depend solely on the work of a handful of supremely gifted individuals. It demands the cultivation of talent and ability at all levels. It demands that everyday work, run-of-the-mill work, esoteric and unpopular work should be given a chance; not so much in the hope that genius may one day spring forth from it, but because, for those who make the arts their life and work, even modest accomplishment is an end in itself and a value worth encouraging. The pursuit of excellence is a proper goal, but it is not the race itself...
