“We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.”
That also applies to compositions, digital exhibitions, and handmade creations. It’s our escape and to a number, the very reason for living. Creative burnout is prevalent now amidst the lack of inspiration one usually gets from the outdoors or the thrill of doing something unexpected. At a time when all steps are calculated, narrowing the room for exploration, we can easily think that there may not be another tomorrow waiting for creative expression. While others are taking their time to harness the energy for it, we can look forward to the unfolding of new genres and styles when the time comes. So how can we imagine art to look, sound, and feel after the pandemic?
My guess is that canvases will be covered with reds, mixed with a hazy mixture of blacks and whites depicting the rise and fall of emotions. Maybe other painters will have learned to color with the brownish hues of caffeinated days and the greens of the plants they have collected. Those who will take the opposite route will reveal dreamy pastels that wander off beyond the imagination to free ones who have felt caged.
Will there be music? The notes may not be upbeat the way we used to hear them play in parties and gatherings, but the lyrics will have stories of the past and leave omens of the future. We may even sing uplifting tunes to celebrate our triumph over the deaths of our old selves that forced us to step into the world with fresh eyes and a different perspective. And some will choose to bring forth more solemn hymns to quiet the minds that have not rested.
What else will prose and poetry tell us? With restrictions on human interaction, we are turning to pen and paper to pour out everything that we haven’t had the chance to say. The words will encapsulate the hearts that want to burst – with fear, anger, and exhaustion – but will seek to heal them again. There will be plenty of space to speak for those who are silenced and make room for people who are only beginning to find their own rhythm and rhyme.
Anyone can change, influence, or contribute to the art we are consuming, but it can never be destroyed. Yes, art will not be the same, but it is going to evolve to reflect a generation, and it will only be able to do so if we stop casting it aside. Without gigs and less commissions, it is safe to conclude that the music, visual arts, writing industries, and everyone in between are among those who are bearing the brunt of the pandemic.
They need support through affirmations and just compensation because we cannot simply accept that art is succumbing to its slow disintegration. So let’s pay closer attention to both the creators and the created, and give them the chance to grow and be reborn again.
