WORDS & PICTURES: Abi Prowse
It’s difficult to know where to start in reflecting on this past year. When thinking back to late 2019, or even to the early months of this year, it seems almost impossible that we could’ve gone about our lives so totally oblivious to what was to come. If we’d known what 2020 had in store, maybe we’d have hugged our friends a little tighter, travelled a little further, partied a little harder; but, as you know, that’s not how life works. 2020 has been, undoubtedly, a year which will go down in history. It’s been a whirlwind of political chaos, seismic civil rights movements, and, of course, The Pandemic. But among the confusion and the hardship, we humans seem to have found some light in the darkness: we have rediscovered our sense of creativity.
This year, people are dancing. They are composing music, writing novels, painting pictures, stitching clothes, baking cakes, photographing landscapes. At home, with only our imaginations for company, we are feeling encouraged to share our creations, to take a leap of faith in that passion project that we’ve been dreaming of for years, but have always been too frightened to begin. We are starting to understand the importance of joy, no matter how small, and are striving to share those joyful moments with others. Creativity is both an act of love and of solidarity.
More of 2020 | The Art of Slowing Down: Lockdown Lessons
Around the world, people are rediscovering passions they had previously cast aside. The excuse of ‘not having enough time’ is no longer valid: time is something that a lot of people now have too much of. In a year which has encouraged a great deal of self-reflection, it seems only natural that people seek an outlet for their emotions; in this way, art inspires conversation, and opens a dialogue for those who want to make their voice heard.
“Now, more than ever, people need art. They need beautiful things: things that make them laugh and cry and think and feel.”
When I think of the things which have made me smile this year, I think of the books I have read, which allowed me, night after night, to sink into someone else’s world. I think of works of art I have seen, drawn and painted by talented friends. I think of the films and shows which moved me, which ask us to view the world through different eyes. Now, more than ever, people need art. They need beautiful things: things that make them laugh and cry and think and feel.
The world right now is uncertain, and this past year has changed and affected everyone in some way. But what has not wavered is humanity’s desperate need for art, light, and imagination. It seems almost inconceivable that, at a time when we are being physically kept apart, so many communities have been brought closer together, united in tragedy and in a longing to express ourselves. So, once the turmoil of the world has settled, please, keep creating. Keep crafting beautiful things, and pouring your soul into your music, photography, and paintings.
