There’s a conference on at the moment that I would really have loved to go to – PopTech. I’ve been reading various reports from the conference, and ran across two quotes that I think merit being put in front of more people.

Firstly, Brian Eno, on art:

“Art is created by artists so that the viewer has the opportunity to create something.”

Secondly, William Gibson, writing in the NYT, quoted at PopTech:

It is becoming unprecedentedly difficult for anyone, anyone at all, to keep a secret.

In the age of the leak and the blog, of evidence extraction and link discovery, truths will either out or be outed, later if not sooner.This is something I would bring to the attention of every diplomat,politician and corporate leader: the future, eventually, will find you out. The future, wielding unimaginable tools of transparency, will have its way with you. In the end, you will be seen to have done that which you did.

I’m less interested in Gibson’s thinking as it applies to the powerful on out planet, and more in how it applies to the regular person, but I think it’s equally valid.

Eno, on the other hand, raises the ever interesting point: why do people create? Has he got it right, do you think?

Me personally, what little art I attempt is generally made with the idea that it should convey something of my thoughts about the world, and I suppose that yes, on that basis, I do want people to respond, and I’d probably be delighted if they created art in response.

There are quite a few creative types, both amateur and pro around these parts – what do you think?

(both quotes via Jason Kottke.)