“Art Can Be Defined By Simply Paying Attention”
Sometime in my early 20’s I took a bunch of shitty construction paper, ripped it all apart, and glued it all on a single page. I added a bunch of iridescent gold and red accents to it, and boldly wrote this quote on top in a fat, black sharpie.
“Art can be defined by simply paying attention.”
I’m sure at the time I had attributed the quote to some famous artist. Maybe I thought it was Oscar Wilde, or Picasso. Maybe I misheard that it some modern dancer in my dance history class. After many years of occasionally circling back with lazy googling research, it still evades me who I thought the quote originated from, and where I had heard it first.
Nevertheless, this quote lived on my bedroom wall for at least five years and the sentiments behind it are permanently seared into my brain forever. I think about this concept often.
Have a friend you’ve been pondering creative practices with? Inspired by someone? Share this with them to connect a bit deeper today!
Art as Presence
The reason art is so engaging is that it lands us directly into the present momentary experience. Regardless of medium, when we encounter a new piece of art we might be pulled towards a memory from the past, or asked to gawk at the possibilities of the future—but the art itself asks us to be in skin-to-skin contact with the emotional experience in the present.
We love the art. We hate the art. We recoil. We are filled with wonder and awe and inspiration. It floods us with tears or knee-jerks a laugh from the bottom of our pelvic bowl. We might be confused or irritated by not understanding it.
However, regardless of the subject matter—art holsters our attention. It breathes life into us the moment we come in contact with it. It temporarily provides us a moment where we cannot predict how we will relate to it, but instead are forced into an occasion of surrender and surprise.
Art Holds the Whole Spectrum
What I love about art, is that it almost does not matter what it elicits from us. Just that it does elicit from us. Art does not necessarily make us feel good all of the time, making it a potent teacher. When learning how to be in a mindful and present relationship in our own bodies, in our own lives, in real time—art is an exceptional tool.
Art might inspire awe and beauty just as much as it may inspire disgust and discomfort. Much like a parallel to our own personal lives, we don’t gravitate towards all art in the same ways we do not gravitate towards all body sensations, emotions, and experiences. Art allows us to practice what it means to be a human.
For as many different artists out there, there are as many different opportunities to expose ourselves to the full spectrum of the human experience. Artists take an internal human experience and place it in a medium that externalizes that human experience. By exposing ourselves to a phenomena through art, it gives us space to be separate from our own narratives long enough to see it in a new way.
Presence as Art
The reason I love this quote so much is that one of its many implications is that art does not need to be special. Art is not necessarily extraordinary, exceptional, or unique. In fact, art itself might just be an internal state about the way we are relating to the external world around us. It implies that if we move slowly enough to notice what is already around us, our everyday world is art. If we move at the speed of our nervous system, we might be able to participate in a joke from the universe winking at us to see how far out we need to zoom out (or in) to find the wonder1 in our current circumstances.
Additionally, I think the quote challenges us to be in relationship with the present moment. To notice that any relationship that we slow down enough to have in earnest, is worthy of being called art.
A Call To Be Artistically Present
Finally, my favorite thing about this quote is that it gives permission. This quote asserts that you do not need to be skilled, you do not need to go out and gather more. You do not need to have the things you do or create to be of “good” (whatever that means).
You already are the artist.
You just simply need to recognize that it is already true.
The Art of Rest believes that when we live our lives creatively—the art will take care of the rest. If you’re interested in the pursuit of art or the pursuit of rest, you’re in good company. Subscribe so you don’t miss a thing.
This sub-section of The Art of Rest, is all about—you guessed it—The Art.
Here we explore the creative practices in our lives. Whether we are creating for the pure joy of it, finding ways to have our art help make our lives better, or intentionally honing in on our creative practices, “The Art” is going to regularly touch into our creative pulse2.
Looking For A Place to Practice Presence?
This August the Art of Rest is teaming up with Hughes River Expeditions to host our first ever week-long, wellness river trip—Conscious in the Current. Spending a full week in a remote wilderness setting, with a gently-held, all-inclusive container is the perfect environment to practice gentle presence. If you’re interested to learn more and are interested in booking please don’t hesitate to reach out: dagnyrose@theartofrest.me.
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