A Constant Performance
December 13, 2024
Rowan Sanan (he/him/his), Low Entropy Volunteer Writer
As a musician, I tend to find music in the most unlikely of places. The slightly out-of-sync turn signals in a lineup of cars becomes a polyrhythm. Bird calls become unique melodies. I think it’s important to stop and appreciate these little things, as hard as it is sometimes, because we all get caught up in daily cycles: get up, get ready, go to school or work, come home, go to bed, and get right back up again. It’s hard to stop and smell the roses, if you will. Art and beauty shouldn’t be confined to museums and galleries, after all. We see it all the time in nature, architecture, other urban spaces and in the very interactions we have with other people. Art in society is a perfect way to shift our perspectives in order to shift our attitudes and the ways we see and appreciate the world.
Artists themselves are incredible at creating meaning from the ordinary and everyday. They observe the world and have the talent to transform it into extraordinary scenes with new meanings. A very common muse for these artists is nature itself—landscapes, seasons and animals offer infinite sources of inspiration that can be shaped and moulded in many ways. Nature itself is an always-changing work of art as well. Think of the ways that people go cloud-gazing, determining images in the clouds and in the empty spaces between them. This is one of the clearest ways in which we can see art and beauty in a world that is always changing, growing and shifting.
Artists creating meaning in their art also bring about aspects of expression and connection. Art forms are often able to transcend language barriers in many cases and can connect people all across the globe through shared experiences and common interest. It helps us to understand our own lives and the lives of other people, fostering empathy and bridging divides. When the entire world is filled with these connections, it can lead to great things, especially in public spaces.
Art in public spaces is a great way to find beauty through the intersections of culture and community. Think about the murals, graffiti and street art that you can always see when walking around downtown. Maybe you’ve seen a sculpture or statue that resonated with you, or a street performer busking on the corner by a mall entrance. These things allow us to engage with the culture around us in everyday settings, fostering community through art. Shared experiences and the different perspectives we can get through those experiences are important for the development of community and belonging. Art in public spaces is also a venue for cultural and creative expression where everybody can be a potential audience member.
Speaking of everybody being an audience member, art in the in-person and live formats are important to experience. It is human nature to desire connection, and one of the easiest ways to achieve this is through the world of art: maybe through theatre, dance, music, or physical art. In a world that is becoming increasingly digital in many ways, it is vital to emphasize human presence and experience, which includes art made by the people around us.
Sometimes, the imperfections in our lives and the world can be art in and of themselves. Life is full of these imperfections—messiness, loss, change—but these things can give life depth. Embracing these flaws and showcasing them through our art can show authenticity in our lives and in the human experience, especially when it reflects the beauty in the vast universe around us. Humans are flawed—the art that reflects us doesn’t have to be pristine and perfect all of the time.
I believe that art in the world around us can also be used to reinterpret the world itself. Art has always been a tool used for challenging injustice—protest art and music, revolutionary theatre, and activist photography to name a few. Art can offer us a lens through which we can view the world that allows us to reflect, reconsidering and redefining the societal norms that shape our world.
It’s incredibly challenging to see the world through such optimistic lenses in times where optimism might often feel impossible. However, seeing the world like this can still bring peace and togetherness, if only for a moment. Everybody has the capability to be an artist through this way of thinking—life is a constant performance, and continually unfolds with all of us as participants in the narrative of the universe. Viewing life in this way can make it feel like something that is truly worthwhile to preserve and appreciate.
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Rowan is a university student who loves to write books and poetry, read all kinds of books and spend time with his family and pets.
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