Art as Reset
I found myself caught in the snare of the internet earlier this year. Attention is the new currency and there are no rules in the age of the World Wide Web. The lines in the sand have been drawn, making us more tribal, disconnected, and constantly sold something. We pledge ourselves to the content factory as a way to keep in touch with our high school friends (at best) or in hopes of our fifteen minutes of fame (at worst). The internet and all its noise had a chokehold on me. I needed freedom. Enter Art. Art has become a pallet cleanser in this clunky, busy world, and it has the power to reset our minds and hearts. Before we get started, let’s set the terms.
Art (again, this is my definition for the sake of this post, don’t @ me) is the physical expression of someone’s reality told through metaphor (though it doesn’t have to be) but always told truthfully.
On the opposite end, we have Entertainment which is (my definition) the physical expression of distracting society from reality, and while can be truth-telling, it can also be full of lies.
The goal of entertainment is to distract. The goal of art is to focus.
I’m always looking for inspiration (specifically in the medium of music, books, movies, and theater) that will not distract me from my reality but elevate it. I am invigorated by work that challenges my thinking, calls for an emotional response, and reminds me of our shared humanity. Being sold something every day is exhausting, and this is why Art is so important. Art slows us down. It does not allow us to swallow quickly- it asks us to chew first.
On any given day you will find me with a challenging book, a quirky magazine article, a sad song, a hilarious television show, or a heartwarming film. Engaging with Art provides us a cleanser to our pallet of the never-ending sales pitch that is society, asking us to buy or do or be something. The key, however, is finding the Art, which doesn’t necessarily come easy, and once you have your list (your flow), it becomes less complicated. Wondering where to begin? Check out my tips:
Spend time outside. I have to give Ash all the credit on this one. While she has always been a nature-lover, it wasn’t until she had our children that it became evident how much she enjoyed the kiss of the sun. Taking off my shoes and walking barefoot in the grass has grounded me in ways I didn’t think possible. I know this is not art in the way I originally defined it, but it is certainly God’s creation.
Trust Rotten Tomatoes. I know (I know) the critical voices in Art have long been questioned and perhaps even deemed irrelevant. But I disagree. Redeem the critics! Read their criticism! Daniel Mendelsohn from the New Yorker explained the role of the critic beautifully:
The critic is someone who, when their knowledge, operated on by their taste in the presence of some new example of the genre their interested in—a new TV series, a movie, an opera or ballet or book—hungers to make sense of that new thing, to analyze it, interpret it, make it mean something.
The role of the critic, I repeat, is to mediate intelligently and stylishly between a work and its audience; to educate and edify in an engaging and, preferably, entertaining way.
Critics are our allies. They help us, with their expertise, navigate through the art that is being passed down to us, the consumers. This isn’t to say I agree with every criticism I read, but I have a set of critics I look to and value their insight into the work.
Visit the Museum. When was the last time you made it to the art museum, or cultural center in your town? Don’t have one locally? Do you know the closest one to you? Art Museums (all museums) are a hub for history keeping, critical thinking, and fresh inspiration for everyday life. I can’t stress enough the importance of visiting a museum with an open mind and leaving room for conversation with those who attended with you once you’ve left.
Visit the Library. With libraries under an all-time high attack, I think it’s vital that I mention our local library as a hub we should be tapping into. Not only is it a free service our tax dollars go to, but it’s an open door anyone can walk through. Did you know when you check out a book it helps keep your library’s doors open? Aside from going to support, it’s worth going to (like the museum) because you will be met with recommendations and curations from those who read the most- librarians! Don’t neglect this beautiful institution.
Destroy the algorithm. I love my Apple Music Radio as it feeds me artists it knows I will enjoy. I also love messing with the algorithm. I’ll go to the genre’s page and pick one that I enjoy but don’t necessarily listen to regularly. From there I’ll scroll through the charts and listen through some of the top music in the genre and then work my way to the more obscure. Now the the algo doesn’t know what to feed me, I love to keep it guessing.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t take this opportunity to give you some art that has brightened my year thus far. You’re welcome. :)
Film: Past Lives, Elemental, Oppenheimer, 2005’s Pride and Prejudice, The Paddington films, All the Beauty and the Bloodshed, Aftersun
Music: Proof of Life (Joy Oladokun), That! Feels Good! (Jessie Ware), Ends & Begins (Labrinth), Shucked (Original Broadway Cast), Snow Angel (Renee Rapp)
Television: Beef, Poker Face, The Bear, Jury Duty, Abbott Elementary, Succession, The Summer I Turned Pretty (Haha, got ya! This is the worst show of all time, bye.)
So take the time to analyze what you are consuming. Does the art/entertainment that you frequent help you see the world in new ways, or does it feed the implicit bias you live with daily? Does it show you beautify or just make noise? Does it distract you, or does it ask you to focus? We will all be better off if we take into account that which we feed our brains. Join the intentionality club, and let’s support great art!
*Tell me what you’ve been consuming lately!
-L