The word aesthetics comes from the Greek word for "being sharp in the senses" - so a heightened awareness of our senses. I think that this sensitivity to our senses is also prevalent in the creative process as there are situational moments that emerge from this heightened awareness of our surroundings; times during which we can gain insight into patterns that restrict moving forward and we can find alternative approaches to conflict. It is within these moments that peacebuilding can begin. Successful peacebuilding is achieved by keeping the process creatively alive - Lederach calls this the moral imagination. Transcending violence and conflict requires the capacity to recognize those opportunities to use creativity to look afresh at a situation.
Given this discussion about the need for creativity and innovation I am thinking about the advantage of using various art forms to help mediate communication. The image above is a music workshop that served as a attempt to heal the Tamil community after the 2004 Tsunami. There was reticence and a deep fear in returning to fishing because there was distrust of "Mother Ocean". According to those with whom I spoke in the community of Point Pedro, she had betrayed them by taking lives and their livelihood. Through music and dancing people returned to the ocean and slowly began to recover their connection to the place and to their community - they had a shared loss, it was important that they shared in the healing process of the community.
The question of aesthetics in community art is one that I always go back and forth on. In North American society we have come to understand that we require a very polished shiny aesthetic if we are to deem something to be of high quality. For example, I often hear "That was good for community art". When really it was good, just with a different aesthetic. Therefore, I really like the idea of aesthetics being defined as being sharp in the senses. There is no question that as human beings we put value in things that are more aesthetically pleasing, but who defines what is aesthetically pleasing? Determining this by what impacts our senses is a beautiful sentiment.
ReplyDeleteTo me, art is something that moves, gives insights, changes or alters the viewer's perception of the world in some way. Art naif is not shiny art, yet it is highly valued in our society. Folk art too, is highly valued, as is Jackson Pollock's art (hardly shiny!) but it is something that communicates. An expression of the individual or group. Community art is real art. Community art, street art, hip hop, graffiti IS art - reflecting values, thoughts, ideas, concepts, subjects that are pertinent, contemporary and real to the community, the particular generation, the groups who view it... and if they don't reflect a particular group's values, it teaches them about another's perspective or experience. And it "moves" them. I agree whole heartedly that the creative act is a healing act. What I like about what you say here Sarah, is that "through music and dance people returned to the ocean and slowly began to recover their connection to place and to their community." How art can convey that they belong to a place...that it can reflect a shared geography is fascinating to me. I'd like to understand more about community healing and geography as home for people who have been displaced. thank you for your insights.
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