Food, music, and art are the three universal languages of humanity.
Anyone can come together over sharing a good meal, or complaining about the worst they’ve ever had. You can expand your communities through sharing a moment at a concert, or sending someone your favorite song. And you can convey your thoughts and emotions and feelings through art without the need for words. Food is sustenance, music is everywhere, but where has the art gone? Have we lost our sense of wonder?
Art has been stripped away from our buildings, from our packaging, from our advertisements, and is slowly being stripped away from ourselves. We are spiraling into an uninspired world that leans into a utilitarian and monolithic approach in an effort to optimize efficiencies, appease zoning laws, and maintain a status quo that is devoid of wonder.
A world that once was colorful, expressive, and detailed is now sleek,futuristic and coded around new-iPhone packaging. We prioritize the efficiency of getting something done, instead of the journey and skill it takes to get there.We are choosing to speak in emotional slang to get our point across, rather than expressing ourselves down to the final detail.
Art and mental health go hand in hand.
Sometimes words are not enough to express your pain, to express the void you feel in your heart, or to explain what the voices in your head are saying. Words aren’t always enough to express the sheer awe you have for someone or something, or the love your mother makes you feel, or the happiness that filled you up the first time you met that special someone.
If we don’t start injecting art back into our lives, we will be limiting our means of expressing ourselves. We will be limiting our ability to feel any sense of wonder. In times of darkness wonder can stabilize the mind, and give you hope. It can be the catalyst for wanting better, or at least believing things can get better.
Wonder makes us want to strive for more, strive to connect, and strive to look past the normality and into the people & environments we surround ourselves with. A sense of wonder traverses languages. It is as universal as the sweet taste of honey, or the sound of a good guitar solo filling up your chest. It is one of the few things that can be approached in a million different ways, while still being recognizable to everyone.
Art doesn’t need to be great for it to reach people. It doesn’t even need to be good. It just needs to be thought of and be used as a means to express ourselves.
Where words can’t always explain the inner workings of your mind… art can, colors can, shapes can, the most abstract lines can.
In a world that is homogenizing around the beigeness of efficiency, pursue wonder. Pursue art.
Happy Mental Health Awareness Month to all the wanderers out there. If you or someone you know is in need of help, please check out the list of resources below. If you’re in need of some artistic therapy t, be sure to check out the WNDR Museum, your local immersive art hub, or the thousands of creators that are publishing their work online daily.
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