“Good artists copy, great artists steal.”―Pablo Picasso
WHO FOUNDED CUBISM?
The famous Spanish painter Pablo Picasso created artwork that stands in a league of its own. He grew up painting realistic portraits of people because it was the style of the time. Eventually, he grew dissatisfied with realism and began experimenting with new techniques.
In his 20s, Picasso was introduced to different cultures’ artwork. While European traditionalists dubbed different cultures’ art as primitive and unworthy of creative critique, Picasso rejected this way of thinking. He grew so enamored with African art, especially storytelling masks, that he took on their unique painting style. This style didn’t represent reality as it was. His art transformed reality into sharp, shocking, alien objects. He deformed and fragmented the human figure. His choice of color and brushstrokes created a new visual vocabulary within a few years. This style, later known as Cubism, inspired a radical change in modern art that continues to this day. When asked about the nature of his work, he said, “The world today doesn’t make sense, so why should I paint pictures that do?”.
Even though I admire Picasso’s work and his quote, “Good artists copy, great artists steal,” I hesitated about including Picasso as an example in this chapter. The more I researched the history of Cubism, the more I questioned his ethics.
In 1920, when asked about African influence, Pablo Picasso said, “African art? Never heard of it!”. Yet, documentation shows that Henri Matisse exposed Picasso to an African and Oceanic art collection. Picasso later spoke about the experience saying, “And then I understood what painting really meant. It’s not an aesthetic process; it’s a form of magic that interposes itself between us and the hostile universe…That day I understood that I had found my path.”
Some people argue that Picasso wouldn’t have been a renowned creative genius if he didn’t steal from anonymous African artists. Suppose Picasso did mimic the art styles of African artwork and denied it. In that case, it could be considered cultural appropriation instead of truly stealing like an artist. Pulling inspiration while belittling those who inspired you is disrespectful. Inspiration is a gift worth appreciating. Let’s explore the concept of ethically stealing like an artist.
A CAREER BUILT ON IMPERSONATION
Although comedy is highly subjective, everybody can agree on one thing. The laughter that ensues when a comedian nails an impression of another person is unmatched. Impressions combine every element of a comedian’s creative muscle. The impression may have an observational angle, examining and acting out someone’s exact characteristics. It could be more caricature, wildly exaggerating everything about the person. It forces them to pay close attention to every aspect of another person—how they walk, talk, use their hands, dress, smile, and laugh. These data points are then synthesized brilliantly into a recognizable impression. This blend of ‘originality’ and ‘stealing’ gives impersonations its comedic power.
One of the famous masters of this craft is Kenan Thompson, the longest-running cast member of Saturday Night Live (SNL), the world’s most famous sketch comedy show of all time. Kenan first honed his mimicry skills on Nickelodeon shows such as All That and Kenan and Kel. At age 25, Kenan auditioned and was accepted as an SNL cast member. As of 2024, he has since shot 21 seasons of the show. His rebelliousness, silliness, and precise, spot-on mimicry, mark his artistic style. Throughout his career, he has masterfully performed impressions of social icons such as Al Sharpton, Gary Coleman, Serena Williams, and Chaka Khan.
THE BOOK’S TITLE
I should probably address the elephant in the room: 48 Keys of Creativity sounds a lot like 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene. Well, Robert did not write this book. It’s not affiliated with him at all.
The truth is I did not choose this title out of spitefulness. I did it out of admiration. I’m a fan of Robert Greene. If you want to learn a topic, learn it from someone obsessed with it. When I read 48 Laws of Power, I gravitated towards Robert’s obsession over understanding power dynamics and finding the connections between historical figures and human nature, then using thought-provoking analysis to create actionable advice anyone can apply to become more powerful.
His passion for power reminded me of my love for creativity, so I used that inspiration as a guide. I studied the lives of over one hundred creative geniuses, read countless books and research studies, and made deep comparisons. I documented my learnings into 48 comprehensive keys, just as I imagined Robert would’ve advised.