By sanjit Posted 21-02-2022 Architecture
When the pandemic was at its worst, social media saw art and baking accounts popping up over the world. People believed it helped them stay grounded, feel calm and relaxed, and find meaning in the uncontrollable chaos. Art has been with humanity for as long as anyone can remember. While back then art was probably a form of documentation for the cavemen, today for many, it is so much more. As a means of expression, storytelling and meditation, art is practised in all corners of the world, through innumerable mediums and by people of all ages. There are so many ways in which art helps us connect and enhance our living experience. Here are some:
Art is one process that helps stimulate creative thinking and enable new ways of understanding and communicating. A study conducted on freestyle rap by a group of cognitive psychologists showed some interesting results on brain activity. According to them, different parts of the brain are activated during creative thinking and decision making. While the latter helps during active situations, the former is activated only when the brain is in a state of relaxation. When you draw, paint or even doodle, you are made to slow down. Your brain opens up to creating new connections and correlations, and finds better ways of understanding the world. Your senses are heightened and your grey cells are fireding up.
Art can serve not just as a means of storytelling, but also as an outlet for our emotions and a mirror for their interpretations. Dr Girija Kaimal at Drexel University has done some significant research on this aspect of art. According to her, when we draw, we make a series of unconscious choices, from picking the medium to the canvas and the final creation itself. However random your choices might feel, the end result is an insight into a particular aspect of your unconscious mind. Art helps not just therapists in getting an insight, but also the artist in discovering themselves. One of Dr Kaimal’s clients who was battling depression, painted a sheet all black. She then realised how dark and bleak that was and went on to create some pink flowers on it. If practised mindfully, art can be a great way of healing yourself. This is a great choice for those who find journaling cumbersome.
The pandemic was one time when art helped a lot of people cope with reality and the stress of the chaos outside. Focusing yourself in order to paint can be a difficult process to get into, especially when you are feeling really overwhelmed. However with art, the longer you stick to it, the easier it gets and the more immersed you feel into the act of creating. Just like meditation. When you are drawing or painting, you can easily transfer your feelings into your art and clear up your mind. This doesn’t mean that you are running away from your problems. Rather, you are making space and creating distance between the problem and you to understand it and tackle it better.
Art helps you get in the zone and induces a state of mind called ‘the flow’. When you’re in there, nothing else matters and that ultimately helps you calm down and consequently de-stress. Moreover, this is not just based on personal accounts of people. Research has proven a significant decrease in cortisol levels of people after a 45-minute art session. There are only so many things that let you focus deeply as well as art does, especially without requiring you to leave your homes. What’s more? Art doesn’t even take up too much space or money.
The pandemic brought people together, created a sense of oneness as we continued to battle a common enemy together. Most connected through art, which has the power to bind people and communities together. For instance, when you enter an exhibition and look at someone else’s art, there will be a few pieces that will make you stop in your tracks. Through understanding art, there is a sense of connection with the artist. You come to a realisation that they know and feel something that you do too. This can lead to a sense of belonging and oneness with the community that appreciates the same art that you do. Apart from that, research has also shown that appreciating art releases the same hormones that falling in love does. It cannot get any more beautiful than this.
Art can liven up any space – be it your office, your home or even your gym. Studies have shown a considerable boost in motivation and productivity of employees before and after art was put up in a workplace. However, it is crucial to choose the right kind of art to build the right kind of environment.
Art has helped a lot of people alleviate their anxieties and fears. It can be a great way to channel your stress and even anger. It can encourage mindfulness and a more conscious living experience. Art can make your bad days better and greatly improve your worst days. Even if you are not actively seeking an escape or a stress-reliever, art can still enhance your current living experience by boosting creativity, and the understanding of yourself and the world.
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