Iteration & Innovation
Introduction
What does it mean to innovate and what does it mean to iterate? We'll be looking at these two concepts in regards to creativity and artistic expression. We will be discussing the difference between the two and then go deeper and discuss each individually. We will consider the pros and cons of both approaches. There is nothing inherently wrong with either and both need the other to thrive and to truly reach its highest potential. In our society we tend to glorify innovation and overlook iteration. We often think about how amazing the innovation is, like aeroplanes but we tend to overlook the iterations that have brought us to our point today. Truth is most innovations never reach their full potential until they've been iterated on again and again. What we take for granted today isn't the single innovation of a single person but the collaboration of hundreds of people who fine tune and make the things we have today. Innovation is of course the starting point and is what really allows iteration to shine.
Innovation
A novel concept, idea or product is the beginning for all great things. Before it is refined and perfected it is first constructed conceptually. Innovation takes a lot of creativity and courage because innovation treads a fine line between genius and madness. Innovation often entails going against the grain and are often at first not appreciated by society. A cultural breakthrough often takes a long time, and innovators are often "ahead" of the era they live in. These pioneers are able to think outside of the box and operate without mental constraints. They do not believe things to be impossible and orient life through a way of finding solutions and solving problems. Coming up with something new is a difficult thing, oftentimes innovation needs some form of iteration to even exist.
"What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun." - Ecclesiastes 1:9
Fundamentally and perhaps arbitrarily - everything, no matter how new and novel it seems, uses building stones from something before it. A new poem or book is built on an already established and existing language, and while new words and concepts may develop they are not complete without iteration. A good example is slang, where an already existing word or a brand new one takes on a new meaning, probably describing something which is already well established. It however sets apart generations and forms a novel zeitgeist. Fashion all work with mostly the same material and all paintings use paint, and while there are new fabrics and new paints being made most of these new and groundbreaking artistic expressions use the old to create something new. Whether novelty even exists is a philosophical question with a wide set of answers, but plainly speaking innovation can be something new and novel even building on the old. It is perhaps a mental stretch to say that the first aeroplane is an iteration of the material used in building it. Innovation is then best understood as both something brand new but also something changed. If it's changed beyond the point of recognition or enough that it sets itself apart from the original then it can be called innovative. This is contrary to iteration which seeks change but through improvement and keeping the essence of the thing the same.
Innovation needs iteration to be refined and reach its highest potential as innovation on its own can struggle to have any real impact. Innovators are often incredibly creative people, but being filled with a constant flow of ideas isn't always a good thing. Innovators tend to be dreamers and they tend to detach from reality, it is a requisite for conjuring up certain concepts. With this it's easy for an overly creative mind to become a workshop of ideas but with little actual work, the innovative personality can struggle with turning theory into praxis. Becoming a fountain overflowing with ideas the really good ones can become buried under an ocean of mediocrity. It takes not only creativity but skill and hard work to turn an idea into a powerful innovation. It takes a lot of passion and courage. Passion to work towards manifesting that dream with fervour, and a lot of courage to dare to dream and work towards it. Don't be afraid to try and certainly do not fear failure, no innovation comes about without a long road of failures. The same applies to iteration.
Iteration
Greatness comes about when every small detail is worked on and improved, perfection is a lot of small things done really well. Iteration is the repetition of a process or utterance, it is the essence of a concept or idea repeated and hopefully improved upon. Some things don’t need to be improved upon and are seemingly perfect as they are, the repetition of it might just be to highlight the idea in a new light. We see this constantly in culture, a line of words or an expression may serve as the title for a new work or simply as a quote. A painting may serve as the idea for a scene in a movie; art can be cross-referenced in nearly infinite ways and often when iterated upon it keeps the very core expression of that artwork and places it in a new context. In a way it becomes innovative. One can iterate upon the work of others or one’s own work.
Whether iterating upon your own work or on another’s it’s important to be respectful and to not distort and warp the original work. Picking something apart completely and then putting it back together or using the individual parts for something new is part of innovation but it doesn’t really have a place in iteration. Be mindful of the original work and pay your respects, even if it’s your own. Because when you made it it might have been unfinished or you might have lacked the necessary skill to complete it, and now having returned wiser and more skilled you can finally iterate upon it. Remember that an oak springs from an acorn and that the acorn is no less beautiful or valuable, treat the original with reverence. Remember that progress isn’t always improvement and that sometimes when we add more to something it doesn’t automatically make it better. Stay true to the original and add only when necessary and work to improve the small details rather than the larger picture. You iterate upon something because you want to keep it, highlight it or improve upon it. Don’t be misled by your own hubris and ego - copying and plagiarising is not iteration.
When I look towards the art world today I see a lot of copycats. These people have no regard towards what makes the genre great or what set their predecessors apart from the rest. They don’t work from the same principles and they don’t iterate upon the work, instead they just mindlessly repeat it. Perhaps it’s most apparent to me when it comes to Basquiat copycats, Basquiat being an incredibly popular and well known artist especially for his social commentary and personal struggles which a lot of people find relatable, even to this day. However instead of iterating upon his techniques and way to find inspiration and express his personal life these copycats just follow the aesthetics to a fault. It looks the same but it’s not relatable to the copycat as a creator, instead it just regurgitates the same struggles and ideas expressed by Basquiat. There isn’t anything inherently wrong with copying an artist you like because you like or relate to the aesthetics, but in my view it becomes lopsided and dishonest when you do so for monetary or social reasons. Iteration can be a great creative tool when used right.
When approached with respect - iteration is a powerful tool to empower a concept or to improve it further. Most innovations begin as concepts and ideas and need a lot of iteration to finally reach a state where their potential is fully realised. By working on and constantly improving an idea through repetition it reaches new heights. There’s an innumerable amount of examples we could bring out to show how iteration of a concept allows it to improve and become something better. An innovator can’t always see their own idea from the angle needed to improve it, we often get attached to things and we lose sight of what can improve it. Sometimes then it’s needed for someone else to iterate and improve it.
Summary
Both iteration and innovation are important aspects to creativity and harnessing both in a useful way is what makes a Work great. Innovation brings novelty and through authentic expression allows a person to truly break new ground. Iteration however is what really allows you to make the most out of it. Neither is more valuable than the other and both need each other to faithfully have an impact. No iteration is complete without innovation and vice versa. Iteration needs innovation to bring novelty and something brand new, something which can leave a real impact, and innovation needs iteration to reach its full potential. When only concerned with novelty and making new things an innovator loses sight of improving and refining their original concept, and when only concerned with repeating something already done the iterator runs the risk of becoming artificial and false.
Balancing the two isn’t easy, and most people lean towards one or the other, true strength lies in recognising this fact and being able to approach both aspects with humility and reverence. Authenticity can be found in both and being true to yourself and your work involves understanding this, and to understand that you can’t improve upon everything.
“Mother Nature is the true artist and our job as cooks is to allow her to shine.” - Marco Pierre White
Recognising what you’re working with and understanding its own inherent beauty allows you to honour it in a meaningful way without being derogatory and twisting it. Don’t be fooled by your ego or ambition that whatever you do is automatically an improvement, if you believe yourself to have the touch of Midas you will soon find that gold is inedible. Approach the Work with respect and humility and recognise that you stand on the shoulders of giants and that it’s fine. As much as our modern culture likes to praise individuality, realise that you couldn’t have done any of this on your own, and that’s a beautiful thing. Work with the past towards the future, not against it. Speak your truth again and again, and iterate upon it until the words no longer stick in your throat.
