Is it possible to be truly authentic?

Authentic means being real and original. To different people, the meaning of authentic is different because authenticity is part of human feeling and the identify of meaning (Hegel 1977). People give different standards of authenticity through their own experiences and reflections (Heidegger 1996).  A completely original artwork seems is not exist, the others project surround us will always influent us. So in my opinion, truly authentic is nonexistence.

The immature designer will copy from others, but the successful artist will take ideas from others. Copy can’t help us improve the things we design. The artwork which copied from other places will lose the real meaning it exists. For example, we have copied from the famous artwork, such as Van Gogh. China even has a village, all people live here copy Van goth’s work to earn money, but they aren’t famous even can’t earn enough money. Only copies are unhelpful for designers.

Other artist projects can inspire us and help us find a character we want when we create a work. That’s why lots of designers need to do some research to start work. People could improve the standard of beauty when they find the work they like. Learning other people’s works is not only for the immediate design needs but also for the accumulation. The thing we absorb will finally be our thing and form ourselves style.

When we want to take something from others artwork, we can’t focus on superficial expressions. Because it may make us limited to a mode of thinking. The most important thing in the artwork is not the technology but the thought.

Hegel, G. W. F., & Miller, A. V. (1977). Phenomenology of spirit.

Heidegger, M. (1996). Being andtime. State University of of’Human-Computer Studies, 45. 185-213.