Creativity means something different to everyone. To some, it’s a thing a person does, to others, it's more a way of being; to some, it’s an innate skill, to others, its something that can be trained; and, to some, creativity is something that we disseminate, while to others, its an external energy that flows through us.
Whatever the definition, creative energy is everywhere and as part of our ongoing project with Dropbox and their Creative Energy initiative, we set out to spark and capture a unique fragment of it. Together, we constructed a team of London-based artists to create a one-off art piece in the heart of Shoreditch.
Camille Walala, Pref, Will Gates and Jamie Julien Brown represent a city constantly in flux, and they showcase the diverse creative energy that makes London’s art scene so unique. They spent over a month planning from various locations around the world using Dropbox’s virtual collaboration space Dropbox Paper and, last week, the team finally brought their idea to life.
When we first met the four artists, we got to know them a little better and took a behind-the-scenes look at their creative process. One sentiment that they all shared was that collaborating is a highly valuable experience and that, despite its challenges, learning directly from others while working with them is essential to any artist’s development.
[parallax-img-grid image-1="1538078" image-2="1538080" image-3="1538081" layout="layout-1"]
“You always learn things from people, people you look up to and people with different practices," explained Jamie Julien Brown. "There’s always an element of compromise, especially when you’ve got strong minds coming together with strong ideas, but I think that can be really healthy." As with any challenge, a collaborative project is an opportunity for growth.
[parallax-img-grid image-1="1538092" image-2="1538093" image-3="1538094" layout="layout-2a"]
Thanks to platforms like Dropbox, not only is the collaborative process easier but endless amounts of inspiration and motivation are forever at our fingertips. "We've been sitting in different parts of the world and it's really nice to have this online space where we exchange ideas," said Camille Walala.
A meeting on the other side of the world is replaced by a video call; sharing early concepts is a case of dragging and dropping files; notes and physical mood boards are available in one distraction-free location accessible to all.
[parallax-img-grid image-1="1538097" image-2="1538098" image-3="1538099" layout="layout-2a"]
Now it’s your turn to take that idea for a photography series, short film or whatever it may be, and make it happen. Bring the right people together, put in the work and stay motivated. Creativity energy is everywhere and the tools are readily available — what’s your excuse?
Check out the time-lapse video and images above to see the final product plus Camille Walala, Pref, Will Gates and Jamie Julien Brown in action. Take a look back at the first part of this project to get to know the artists a little better and find out more about how Dropbox can help put your creative energy to work here via the link below.
