Ironically, the reason only proves his sincerity as a musician.
BTS‘s RM is currently one of the most significant and influential celebrity figures in the world of art. Not only does he enjoy art sincerely, but his patronage has also helped nurture different artistic projects under several institutions. He also shares his love of art with his fans, consequently using his platform to introduce new people to the cosmos of visual arts.
During his conversation with Pharrel Williams for Rolling Stone‘s “Artists On Artists” interview series, RM offered a very honest peek into his life and mind as a musician. The two artists share many commonalities, one of which is their love of visual arts.
When RM asked Pharrell what he draws from visual arts, he replied that he enjoys learning how the same submodalities translate differently in different art forms.
Like with food, something can taste sweet or sour. Things can smell sweet or sour. Visually we can see something that looks sweet to us and something that’s sour. With the auditory, we can hear something that is so sweet and so pleasant, and then we can hear something that’s like, “Ooh, sour,” you know? And so I really get enjoyment by working with artists in different artistic disciplines to determine where the congruence is. Like, “Oh, wow, that’s your sweet. Oh, that’s your sour.” You know?
— Pharrell Williams, Rolling Stone
RM followed it up with his personal interaction with visual arts, saying that he enjoys it much more freely than music. The reason is, when he listens to good music, though it gives him great pleasure, it also evokes a sense of envy in him as a musician. Whereas, when he is looking at a good artwork, he feels relieved because he is not carrying the burden of artistic creativity then, he is just an outsider enjoying it.
A fun thing for me with visual art is that when I listen to some great music, I’m blown away, but still, sometimes I feel really jealous. It [can be] really, really painful. So it’s funny, right? But for visual art, I just won’t draw a single line because I want to remain as an outsider. But I’m a lover. I’m a fan. I’m a maniac. So when I look at all the paintings and maybe sculptures, I just feel really relieved because I can love it as much as I can.
— RM, Rolling Stone
His honest confession made fans appreciate his commitment to his art even more. ARMYs feel that this pain that comes with good music is the biggest proof of how much he cares about being a musical artist and creating a high-quality body of work.
