The Wrong Existence

From Poor Artists by the White Pube:

He never had luck with funding or galleries. He worked in a shop and he told me once that he felt like he’d lost his identity. It sounds over the top but it so thoroughly destroyed the fabric of his existence to live the wrong existence. I get in my head about it, thinking he’d probably still be alive if there wasn’t such a problem with how money is distributed in this country…

The book is about the struggles of wanting to be an artist today. It’s hard to make money, to be taken seriously, to be a full-time artist without a time- and energy-sapping day job.

Mum said I could grow up to be whatever I wanted to be; school said all we had to do was go to university; university said stick together and see where life takes you. Things had not been going to plan, and I was stuck doing an irrelevant job that used up all my time and energy.

It’s hopeful though:

Most artists can’t afford to be artists, and yet, that doesn’t mean you should stop trying. It is probably an irresponsible thing for me to say, but I do believe deep down that it’s worth being skint and free, rather than a bit better off and suicidal.

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New Escapologist Issue 18 is in the works and can be ordered today for November release.