The Artist within the Martial Artist

        Merriam Webster defines an artist as one who creates art and is a skilled performer. Google dictionary defines art as "the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing work to be appreciated for their beauty or emotional power". Also as various branches of creative activity such as dance, music and literature. Karatekas and Martial artists know that Karate-do and other Martial Arts (Budo) are an art form no matter what other people might say. Bruce Lee says that " Ultimately Martial arts means honestly expressing yourself". Just like other performing arts such as Dance, Theater or Music, it requires creativity and technical skill to express one's self and move others. The Kata is a very important training tool to develop techniques.  

Folk dancers preserve tradition
 and show case culture. 

       Performing Kata allows us to preserve tradition; culture and   present it to the world. Every organization has their own   standard way of  executing each Kata; so does JKS. As   students and practitioners  we should be obedient in learning   the standard because it will build our strong foundation. The   standards will also provide us understanding on how our organization interprets each Kata. To exercise one's creativity and self expression in Kata is to be able to give one's own rendition or interpretation of the Kata, but only when one has reached maturity, have strong foundation and has reached an advanced level of skill. Also to become an artist we should be able to find our own style within the Shotokan style like the famous Tatsuya Naka, and even go further and follow the example of our founder Master Tetsuhiko Asai, like him we can express our creativity by making our own Kata. A Karateka should be like a painter. The painter is given a photograph by his client and he paints a portrait. The portrait is not an exact replica of the photo but is done with the artist's own rendering. He also of course paints his own original work, exhibits and sells his paintings even if their paintings do not become locally or world famous. The artist is not content with just painting replicas of     others' original work, they create their own master

Kata is a Performance art as well
 as a Sport. It is the core of Karate 
tradition and culture. 

  pieces. Once a Karateka has reached a level of expertise and     has been training and honing his craft for many years then he   should follow the path of Master Asai and the other artists who   have gone before him like Master Itosu who created the Pin-ans,   Master Funakoshi and his son who created Shotokan, Master   Nakayama who created sports Karate and published the Best   Karate series. We hold ourselves back from becoming an artist.   Even though we have practiced diligently for many years. We do not consider ourselves experts in our craft. The" beginners mind" or the saying that we are forever students who still have a lot to learn is a state of mind that we should adapt when we are learning, so we can keep our egos in check and keep improving. But it does not mean that we should deny that we have become experts. Students may express themselves through "Shitei" or what is required (standard) but when one becomes a Senior; no not a senior citizen, don't wait that long. In my opinion 3rd Dan and above who practices regularly can start making innovations not only in their Kata but in their Karate as well. Because by this time they should have acquired technical proficiency. Another reason  is that we feel we are not authorized to make such innovations or maybe some feel that if they make such radical innovations their Karate will no longer be authentic. To be a custodian of Karate history and culture and an advocate of our organization's system is our commitment because we are part of the community. But being an artist is more personal. A Karateka can be both. We can conform; preserve tradition but we do not lose ourselves. Not being able to be true to one's self is weak but not being able to respect the ways of the organization and learn from it is prideful. Even those who practice their own Martial art without a formal organization had sought teachers, mentors and groups to learn from and strengthen their foundations.

      Self expression is not only when performing a traditional form or Kata but also in sparring or Kumite. Millions of people watch Boxing or MMA and are entertained by the brutality of the sport. They see who has more points, they see who is getting beat up, who 

Kumite is an expression of movement
as your opponent is moving

 got knocked out but Martial artists or even real fight enthusiasts   would see "a beautiful uppercut", an excellent arm bar or a great   footwork. A Kung-fu teacher once watched a Kumite event and   at the start of the bout he predicts the winner and he guessed   right. He was asked how he knew and he said he looked at the   footwork. We see the timing, precision and the quality of the technique executed by the players or fighters. The fighter or player's expression of himself is when he moves as his opponent moves. 

       Lastly, the artist may express himself through Bunkai or applications of the Kata. I think it is great that the WKF included Bunkai presentation in its tournaments. Sports Karate Bunkai is a great performance art itself. It demonstrates the creativity of the choreographer, 

Two different creative
expressions of Bunkai

the skill and talent of the performers that excites and thrills the audience. It is more theatrical, acrobatic and athletic which makes it so spectacular to watch. The other type of Bunkai is the practical applications of Kata for self-defense. Self defense Bunkai has only one criteria to follow and that is, it should work in a real- life scenario. So the beauty of Karate and other traditional combat arts is that there are several ways to express yourself as an artist; not just through sparring or consensual fighting but also in Kata and its application. But the most excellent expression of Karate-do is when it manifests in everything we do. Life is art. 

His gift our skills.