Art makes us think and allows us to look at ourselves and the world around us in a different way. Yet for a large part of the population, art seems to be increasingly distant. The statement Art is useless, I still hear (too) often. But in these times the opposite is being proved radically.
In addition, art is something that exists outside the opposition of uselessness, art is something that thinking in terms of use does not get a grip on. Art takes us away from here and from ourselves. And when the world is turned upside down and your rhythm is gone, escaping it in any way is certainly an attractive offer. Art forces us to look, to face and sometimes to recognise. This is crucial in times of quarantine. I wondered, can and should we use this time of social distancing for a revaluation of art's role in society?
I want to turn tables, I want to show the hidden stories.
Many people like me find comfort in making art. It allows us to process our emotions, give them a place. There are so many different things, different stories, that lead to making. But one thing is certain, a work of art always originates from “something”: a thought, a feeling, an experience, a sound and sometimes simply an assignment. But the reason for making art is not usually discussed. In my graduation project, I focused on that reason, the story behind and the origin of art. The project was born out of my own need of comfort, but gradually, it became much more than that. I want to turn tables, I want to show the hidden stories. Art has always been there for me. Art has always provided processing for my stories. Now it is time to stage the process and with it the processing and knowledge that art offers.
