Can Art Heal?

 

Amidst all the chaos in the world, and reading the amazing responses from the art and design community to the Japanese tragedy, I found myself pondering the role of art in times of crisis over the weekend.

As an artist and strong believer in personal counseling, I returned to some of the research I collected while in art school on Art and Healing. A topic of great importance to my final body of work. It seems true that art making has long been thought of as a cathartic tool, but my questions come as an artist creating to impact the world. How can viewing art change (or heal) the world?? 

A book on my bookshelf helped open up my narrow view:  

"But the intent of art...is not to alter the individual but to speak to that which is common to all viewers. In doing so it can change any one of us, but in ways now common to all viewers. We the veiwers, own the work of art. We bring to it our desires, our needs, and our interests."

" You become the perfection of the fragmented, broken work of art we see and feel... we at the final moment must determine how." ---  

(Art, Healing, and History by Sander L. Gillman from the book Pulse: Art, Healing and Transformation )

This article suggests that WE become the change factor.. our actions (and reactions)  the missing link.  

And how about you? How are you coping with this crisis? What has pulled you through these times of sadness and unknown? 

Are you looking to art, design, beauty for a symbol of hope? 

Here are some artists who influenced me over the years:

images :ernesto neto, naomi kobayashi, kiki smith via brooklyn museum all fiber art: joetta maue 

Comments

[Traveling Mama]

I absolutely believe that art can heal, and touch, and reach out. When we were in Morocco we did a project with children in schools out in the countryside. We kept it simple, but watching the kids play with play doh for the first time and take photos (even with just a disposable camera!) was an extraordinary thing! The joy on their faces was so apparent and their teachers said many times how much it touched those kids and really made them realize the power of art in a child. I think it is the same for adults as well... some of us lose that, though. The hope is always there, but I think we must seize it or it will be lost.

Watching so many use their art to help others is one of the most amazing things I have seen!