Words Sakina N.
Digital Art Alifiya S.
Life is uncertain, of that, we can be sure. As academics and students, we like to think that we have it all figured out. We assign labels and meaning to everything. It does not matter if it is art or science or even an amalgamation of the two, objects and conditions (such as the weather) always have predetermined interpretations. They all fit neatly into their categories, creating an orderly and systematic world as if it were a neo-classical painting (think Jacques-Louis David’s Oath of the Horatii).
However, such classifications do not always hold true. Phenomena like rain and sunshine blur these lines, adopting meanings that contradict the norm. Rain and its associated imagery do not always have to express feelings of doom and gloom, instead, it has the potential to represent rebirth and growth. As the showers wash away the grim and pain, it leaves behind a fresh start, one that is neither marred nor hampered by the memories of the past. The possibility for such contrasting interpretations reduces rains incongruity from sunshine, making them both symbols of hope.
Perhaps then, life should be devoid of boundaries and classifications. It should recall the works of the Impressionists rather than the Neo-Classicists. We should seek inspiration from Claude Monet’s canvases (think Impression, Sunrise) which are an array of short, thick and colourful brushstrokes. His placement of both complementary and contrasting hues celebrate rather than magnify differences. It allows for the creation of works that are not only rife with movement but also pieces that revitalised 19th-century art. Similar to how such a revolution led to a completely new way of looking at art, the encouragement of an uncategorised life could prompt novel and ingenious thoughts.
Phenomena such as rain or shine no longer seem so different. They no longer exist as parallels but rather symbols that are open to a limitless number of interpretations. Though they might not all link back to ideas of happiness and hope, they challenge stereotypes, allowing the thinker to believe, even if for the briefest of seconds, in an alternate reality, one that is fully and wholly shaped by the person’s mind.
It might seem small, but sometimes that escape is all we need. And it all begins with an alternate exploration of the meaning of rain and shine.
1 Comment
V inspiring!