Define Muse
Fuck a muse. Be a lifestyle.
I’ve always had an issue with the concept of a muse. Mainly because of the influence of the male gaze, but at the same time, I don’t believe that the male gaze can exist or have much power without the female gaze (and vice versa). There’s always proximity to any opposite, hence duality, and making it a priority is essential when observing anything. If being a muse is romanticized because it ultimately makes you an object of desire… how does individuality exist within that balance of the female/male gaze? In a broader thought process, can autonomy truly exist in a symbiotic relationship?
Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing sexier than existing in synergy with someone. I think that specific chemistry makes art and a beautiful dance to get through life. I think that’s why being a muse is so romanticized, because when artists create art out of who they love, there’s a raw sense of vulnerability. And maybe in that process, the world gets to see them through the eyes of their lover. Although this is the most superficial level of being a muse, it seems to be the version that people are in a chokehold over. In this instance, and depending on the perspective of the artist, the male gaze always dominates in the vulnerability of sensuality.
In contrast, the female gaze counters with a powerful feeling of choice, allowing the artistry to take place. Whether it’s subtle feature expressions, body position, or use of space, it’s a dance that fires our interpretation. A successful muse makes a viewer feel helpless to what they are seeing, it renders a person to, “I gotta give it to them”. Although that’s an exciting place to be in art, what does it mean for individuality? How does one stay in their own power and keep their identity when using it collaboratively can make a larger impact? I understand that this balance happens when both energies submit to each other, but sometimes the balance is only seen between those who are part of that process.
Muses are often criticized because, objectively, we will never know their power in that artistic process, to the point that a branch of literature has studied the power play of the male and female gaze. If the point of art is to feel, then that’s what makes a muse so powerful. You either strongly agree or disagree. Yet we come to these conclusions based on what the art allows us to see. We examine what we are given until it borders on confirmation bias. Nonetheless, we can’t stop looking. What we see reflects more of ourselves than it does anything else, so in a way, no matter what our “believed opinion is,” it’s nothing more than a wildly inspired guess. And maybe that’s why a muse is so unforgettable, because we see ourselves.
So, when we apply these processes to co-existing with people, I can’t help but wonder how important individuality really is. I mean, sure, there can be some profound moments alone, honestly, some of the most transformative decisions happen alone because you can listen to yourself best in those moments. Yet, there’s another level of impact that comes with friendships, relationships, and whateverships that are integral to your process of becoming. If anything, those ships tend to give us our sanity, strength when we don’t have any left, or any emotion/action that we can’t muster up for ourselves when we need to. Those ships will do it for you. Your ships save you when you can’t save yourself because that’s what we do as people. Although it’s true that you can’t love others when you don’t love yourself, sometimes the love people have for their perceptions/experiences of you is what can be a saving grace.
Which brings me to the not-so-glamorous parts of being a muse. The misunderstanding of being a muse. Even when a muse is portrayed, because it’s a dual effort, it will not be a true, honest depiction of who they are, because it’s shown through the lens of their admirer. How a muse is expressed says more about their lover than it does the muse, which again, even the initial representation of their art is already filled with the outstanding bias of who is capturing the vision. It’s funny because we get so caught up in making up these ideologies that the muse is well respected, yields power, or has some femme fatale that womanhood idealizes… based on a few curated, biased perspectives. A muse isn’t meant to be anything but perceived. It’s a mistake to under and overvalue muses because it’s intended to spark. Not withstand, justify, or prove anything.
My personal opinion? Although there’s value in being part of something provocative to get people thinking. I find little value in being admired because it sells certain ideologies well. It seems more impressive to be admired for being genuinely difficult because you refuse to settle on your particularities. Being someone who demands submission without explaining that you are asking a person to submit to themselves, so that you can give your world. It’s impressive when you are genuinely at peace with seeming like a villain because an explanation is an insult to your intelligence. These are all the things that people fantasize about muses without really knowing if it's a valid conclusion. Yes, it’s valuable to be part of inspiration. But I can’t help but feel like existing unapologetically is the ultimate unseen “muse” because it keeps your individuality while demanding balance.
That said, disrespectfully, fuck a muse. Baby, I’m a lifestyle.