Why art?
The playful embodiment of a creative universe
Flying up to the Gold Coast early this morning, ahead of speaking at Ethical Futures for People and Planet, I was writing. The following, about two thirds of the way in, came out…
Art is…
An open and curious attunement to self, other, world, universe
A deep connection and relation to self, other, world, universe
Self, other, world, universe materialised through me
An orientation, practice, and always evolving set of dynamic processes; felt, sensed, explored, reflected, refined, recycled
The playful embodiment of the universal property of creativity.
Art is a gift to both artist and audience.
In this way, me reconnecting with art is one of many ways I’m learning to become more open, kind, accepting, and trusting of myself. And I wonder, speaking from my experience over the last few months here, just how much this might be able to play a role in our shared ‘systems change’ (or whatever frame you prefer) efforts…?
I mean, when I really sit with where we’ve come from, where we are, and the spectrum of possibility that affords, the following feels pretty resonant:
An open and curious attunement to self, other, world, universe
A deep connection and relation to self, other, world, universe
Self, other, world, universe materialised through me
An orientation, practice, and always evolving set of dynamic processes; felt, sensed, explored, reflected, refined, recycled
The playful embodiment of the universal property of creativity.
Does this resonate with you? How is art impacting the work you’re doing to try and ‘make things better’? Are you using art in work that may often be seen to be more ‘technical’? Have you, like me, reconnected with art later in life (perhaps after an early affinity)? How has this impacted you and the other dimensions of your life / work?
Here’s to living the questions.
With love as always.
P.S. Here’s a little sneak peak from another project with my multidimensionally talented partner, Esther.
P.P.S. We are secretly planning a little showcase of sorts. Shhh, don’t tell anyone yet! But, if you have recommendations for great venues in Melbourne, please hit me up.
I’m kind of the opposite, all I did was art and music, then art school, then art theory, then art hypocrisy, and well art allows it, so taught art, and then - design made more sense, at least I’d get paid too!
Defining art is like defining who am I. And what did that fellow conclude about that? “I am” because I wonder about it, but not only wonder, I put myself in knots, and I’m not even flexible enough like some Yogi Sadhu to unravel it all.
So the knot stays, and the conclusion hits a dead end - I’m in knots, so I must be the “I” in knots! But then again, how do we know? Who can say?
At that point the other leap of philosophy, if we can’t know, then knowing is simply claiming to know, and why the hell would we knot ourselves all up like that for no reason at all? (do we need a reason)
Oh but it must be “power”, coz that’s all I ever wanted from my never seeing or feeling my own powerlessness - so it’s got to be the same for everyone else, right?
Well maybe not, very unlikely not! Just like Freud’s secret fantasy about his mum…
But even that’s a claim to knowing, to possessing knowledge - a signal of power to be overcome!
Talk about knots within knots, within knots - even the most rubbery, sinewy fruitarian couldn’t untangle themselves from that!!
But well, seriously - art? It’s like a breath out. And philosophy, perhaps a breath in…
Inhale “I am” exhale (um who’s that “I” again? Oh that’s right…) “I am”
Descartes simply forgot to ask the next rational question - and calls himself a rationalist!
So there we have it, art is breath, and breath is life, and we need to breathe in from time to time (can’t exhale forever)…
Well thank God for philosophy!!
Art allows me to express and show how I imagine the future should be or hope it will be like.
By the way nice sketch