Gold, Grief, and the Clock

On Klimt, Capitalism, and the Time We Don’t Have

Hi there,

Last week, I went to the Gustav Klimt exhibit at Hall des Lumières, and it was nothing short of breathtaking. His work is lush, intricate, and layered with detail that feels almost impossible in today’s world. The colors, the patterns, the sheer devotion to beauty—it’s the kind of art you could get lost in for hours, both as a viewer and a creator.

But walking through the exhibit, I felt an unexpected ache in my chest and tears in my eyes. It wasn’t just admiration—it was longing.

Longing for the kind of time Klimt must have had to create so many pieces that were so elaborate and so deliberate. Time to breathe, think, and bring something into the world without the constant pressure of survival. Klimt didn’t have to squeeze painting in after a day job or “hustle” to make ends meet—his entire life was his art, and the world made space for him to create without compromise.

I couldn’t help but imagine what it might feel like to live that way—to wake up and step into the studio without the weight of unpaid bills or the worry of finding the next paycheck. To know that every hour could be poured into making something beautiful, not chipped away by the small, endless demands of just existing.

Living in our modern capitalist reality, time is a luxury most artists don’t get. I spend most of my time training for a “normal” day job (complete with a 1.5 hour commute each way, so three hours of traveling per day!) so I can survive and every hour spent studying, traveling on a crowded train, looking for more certifications and job-hunting is an hour stolen from the slow, meticulous art I want to make—the kind of work that exists because it wants to, not because it has to.

Comics are a different kind of heartbreak. Even in the rare moments when I do get to work on Sacrimony, I can’t afford to linger over every cover and panel or let a page evolve at its own pace. The comics world moves fast—there’s always another issue to finish, another cover to get done, another deadline to meet. It rewards speed over depth, the next thing over the perfect thing. And while I love making comics, I can’t help but wonder what they might look like if I had the freedom to make them the way Klimt painted—slowly, deliberately, and without compromise.

I don’t have a neat solution on what to do about this. I don’t know if I’ll ever get that kind of time.

The reality is, we live in a world that demands speed, survival, and constant output. But still—on the best days—I try to steal moments back for myself. A stolen afternoon to linger over a page, an extra half hour to perfect a detail no one but me will notice. It’s not the endless, uninterrupted time Klimt had, but it’s something. And for now, those small moments are enough to keep me going.

Until the world slows down, I’ll keep making what I can, when I can, and try not to mourn what could have been too much. And if there’s something you’re passionate about, don’t let the fast-paced modern world take it away from you.

Take care and thanks for reading,
-M

If you’d like to help me find more moments to breathe, create, and slow down, consider supporting me on Patreon. Every pledge helps me spend less time chasing survival and more time making the kind of art I’ve always dreamed of.
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