The way art operates promises an end to a sense of being randomly ignored and humiliated just on the basis of what money we have been able to make. Art is a mechanism for appreciation, which is particularly adept at the close study of the ways in which an individual might be deserving of tenderness, sympathy and admiration – and yet neglected by the prestigious world.
- Excerpt from the essay, "Why We Look Down On People Who Don't Earn Very Much," from The Book of Life
1)
Lately I've been reminded why I've taken to art, music, and literature for comfort and perspective on so many things that I cannot seem to accept or understand. Taking pleasure and solace in paintings, songs, and books isn't just about escaping reality. These are some of the things we do in order to stay in a world that's indifferent to our humanity.
2)
Surrounding ourselves with art and having a creative form of expression gives voice and meaning to our otherwise insignificant existence. It is my belief that if we can live beautifully, even for just a brief part of our lives, then maybe, just maybe, life isn't such a waste of time. Existence, as we all know, is too damn short. By reading, we hope to live many lives and try to reach a higher knowledge of what it means to be human. What art gives us is the space to think for ourselves. Here, we might even find purpose for what it is we ought to do with our limited lives.
Surrounding ourselves with art and having a creative form of expression gives voice and meaning to our otherwise insignificant existence. It is my belief that if we can live beautifully, even for just a brief part of our lives, then maybe, just maybe, life isn't such a waste of time. Existence, as we all know, is too damn short. By reading, we hope to live many lives and try to reach a higher knowledge of what it means to be human. What art gives us is the space to think for ourselves. Here, we might even find purpose for what it is we ought to do with our limited lives.
3)
With all the suffering on this planet, I cannot imagine a world without beauty, even amidst destruction and confusion. It isn't a wonder why one never gets tired of beauty. In fact, we seek it everywhere we go, no matter how old we get.
What makes art and literature beautiful goes beyond form, technique, or aesthetics. It is content and particularity that draws us to the beauty of creative work, telling us " Here I am with you. I am sharing this to you. I know you've known this too." Creative expression is the beauty of connection, of having made sense to someone an experience, emotion, and dream they thought nobody could ever have words, images, or music for.
What makes art and literature beautiful goes beyond form, technique, or aesthetics. It is content and particularity that draws us to the beauty of creative work, telling us " Here I am with you. I am sharing this to you. I know you've known this too." Creative expression is the beauty of connection, of having made sense to someone an experience, emotion, and dream they thought nobody could ever have words, images, or music for.
3) The Elevator Song
This moving music is a masterpiece that captures what it means to be insignificant in a vast universe. The world spins on, with or without us. It tells us important things are made meaningful only because we make them meaningful. In less than four minutes, this instrumental piece demonstrates the struggle to make every note count to create complex harmony, tension, and rousing beauty. Personally, I believe this music captures what it’s like to live a brief yet remarkable existence.
