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How Does Chaos Inspire Art?
Chaos and art go hand in hand.
Unless you live under a rock, in a cave somewhere, or are otherwise utterly disconnected from the world (and since you’re reading this, I know that you’re not) you’re aware of how chaotic it all is. Between the current US Administration being utterly backward and misguided, wars around the globe, economic upheavals, and more, it feels like order is out to lunch.
It feels, at least to me, like the world is more chaotic than ever. It’s like this is all completely mad, nothing is making sense, and the surreal is dominating. I find that I can barely make heads or tails of much of anything, and uncertainty is never comfortable.
Some people can ignore this. Others can and do consciously choose to turn away. I prefer to do something about it. But what can I do? The answer I have: Keep making art.
While that can feel disingenuous, privileged, and maybe tone-deaf, the truth is that it’s not. There’s a long history of chaos inspiring art. One of the most impressive examples I know of is Pablo Picasso’s Guernica.
Art is necessary because it records history, provides context, offers distraction, and shows new perspectives to the world. Without that, we become dull, uninspired, and less joyful.
