Artsy Yet Soothingly Human
Making art in service of humanity
Hello friends,
Recently, one of my subscribers upgraded to a paid subscription and left me a lovely note of encouragement:
“Thank you for verbalising your inside voice in an artsy yet soothing humany way, keep going (:”
My first thought was Awww, thank you! Artsy yet soothingly human is precisely the vibe I’m going for with this Substack. Then, as I’m wont to do, I started thinking way too deeply about the phrase.
Artsy yet human? Does that not appear to say that art and humanity are in opposition to each other? Do you lose a bit of humanity if you’re too focused on art? I think that does happen, to be honest. Some people use art to get them fame. Others make beautiful art for art’s sake rather than to say anything specific.
There’s one poet I used to read (I don’t remember his name) who strung words and phrases together in ways that took your breath away. His combinations of poetic devices were beautiful. But after a while, I stopped reading his work. I was left feeling unfulfilled at the end of his poems. The words were gorgeous, but I found myself rereading them not out of joy but out of necessity. I melted into the sound of the poem but lost the threads of meaning. His work was so technical that it ceased to evoke anything in me beyond mild annoyance.
Maybe artsy yet human is the perfect phrase. I like to think my humanity informs my art, and my art is in service of humanity. And while I am occasionally prone to a bit of poetic self-indulgence, I try not to let my words run away from what I’m trying to say. A little beauty for beauty’s sake is okay; I do love a good aesthetic offering. But words are ultimately a tool, much like paint or music. Their ultimate goal is to create connections between humans. I’m thankful this newsletter has connected me to you.
Until next time,
Yardena
Weekend Potpourri
Currently on repeat
If you’re a millennial and haven’t heard Planet of the Bass yet, do yourself a favor and watch this video. It’s a 90s Europop parody that perfectly evokes the nostalgia of that era.
As I get older, I’ve come to appreciate the freedom of limited options. It seems like a contradiction until you experience the joy of not having to make so many decisions.
Thanks for reading. This edition of Letters on Being is free, but if you feel like giving me extra support, please consider upgrading to a paid subscription. Also, what is your favorite artist or piece of art? What speaks to your humanity?
I'm so glad that the phrase (so its a phrase now i guess :)) made you think deeply and write about it ♡