What’s Next forEarth’s is a Community Art Project to reflect on the Covid19 period and to re-invent the future. Normal was the problem.
@WhatsNextForEarth’s third project is “Inner Change”.
May 2020.
The inspiration comes from an article posted by Brittany Ganguly in the MAHB: “If change must come, what does that mean for our mental health?”Excerpt:
“If we are to successfully navigate a sustainable future, we can’t forget to take into account our mental health needs and the personal changes we all must embrace. Most importantly, responding to the human predicament will not come lightly; understand yourself and be kind to yourself so that we can continue to show up each day to participate in change.”
Between May 23 and June 6, 2020, artists on Instagram were invited to read Brittany Ganguly’s article, create an art piece, and post it on their Instagram page. A selection of the contributions was posted on What’s Next for Earth’s page. The contributions are also published on the MAHB Arts Community Page.
Here are some of them:
“As most of the world resides in lockdown, pollution in many cities has decreased, overall emissions are falling for the first time since WW2 and many people are picking up engaging, sustainable habits, such as gardening.” – Brittany Ganguly
During these strange and difficult times, I’d like to share words from mental health care professional, Brittany Ganguly, who discusses how essential it is to our humanity to “… acknowledge the PROCESS each of us will go through to adapt to the new changes…. Recognizing signs of distress, stress, anxiety and depression is the first step in the process.” I have been working with ink on paper and canvas, in black and white, indoors and out, inviting feelings of uncertainty, sadness, grief, and worry to enter into my process. Seeing the beauty, the mystery, and the horror of our times generates energy for taking action.
Using printed words in a mixed media collage/pencil contour drawing from a photograph of myself wearing sunglasses and a mask with a baseball cap on. I have needed to protect myself with loving care. Inner Change is represented by the butterfly and how I took words out of context from the SF newspaper to create hope in the midst of sad news. I used a photograph I took of a fritillary butterfly to represent rebirth. Behind me is a partial photo of social distance circles from above. The music, which is mostly cut out due to the size constraints, is copied backwards and upside down from a piano composition by my husband, Brian, to represent how everything is being turned inside out and and forcing us to rethink everything. From this crisis we can begin again. And I believe the arts will express not only our emotional truths during this time but also lead the way towards healing of ourselves and our planet.
