Picasso is a Tramp

 

When I paint a bowl, I want to show you that it is round, of course. But the general rhythm of the picture, its composition framework, may compel me to show the round shape as a square.  

When you come to think of it, I am probably a painter without style. 'Style' is often something that ties the artist down and makes him look at things in one particular way, the same technique, the same formulas, year after year, sometimes for a whole lifetime. You recognize him immediately, but he is always in the same suit, or a suit of the same cut.  

There are, of course, great painters who have a certain style. However, I always thrash about rather wildly. I am a bit of a tramp. You can see me at this moment, but I have already changed. I am already somewhere else. I can never be tied down, and that is why I have no style."                    -- Pablo Picasso

This quote is clearly the inspiration for a particularly funny bit in "a Picasso" (one of my favorite bits, actually).  However, I find it interesting on other levels; Picasso constantly reinvented himself as he didn't want to be caught dead in the same "suit."

I think the same philosophy applies to actors. It's important to challenge yourself to take risks, or else you appear to be playing the same character over and over again: same character, different play.  The problem with this is how do you manage to get cast in roles that will challenge you? It seems like many actors get boxed in, cast in certain types of roles over and over again. Does it appear that way to me because they don't take risks with the role and tend to play the role in the same way? Or is it that they are not being given opportunities by directors to try riskier characters?

I hope I keep reinventing myself like Picasso. I guess I want to be "a bit of a tramp."  ;-)