Make Noise or Beauty

Today, I want to talk about art. Specifically, the importance of art. And by art I really mean anything that has been born out of creativity, like creative writing and poetry, drawings and paintings, novels and comics, music, and stage and television productions. Now, I know this is something that lots of different people, probably smarter than me, have already talked about, but as a poet and creator, I really feel the need to explore this idea for myself.

Sometimes, when I’m going through a period of writing or creating a lot of different things (or even when I’m not), it’s easy to start doubting myself, to wonder if any of it is worth it, or if what I’ve made is of any value to anyone. These thoughts come even when the work is easy, but they hit really hard when the work is difficult. In those moments, I struggle to remember my “why.” So really, I’m writing this to remind myself why I keep creating, and if any of you reading this are creators and artists, I hope it will remind you, too.

As per usual, here’s a poem I love that I feel contributes a lot to this discussion: Please Stand a While Longer in the Vast Amazing Dark by Wendy Xu:

So – why do we make art? And why do we consume it in such vast quantities?

I love one line in particular from the poem above, that strives to answer these questions, at least in part:

“Most things want to be around other majestic things that make noise or beauty.” – Wendy Xu

If you think about it, and take the time to really see it, the world around us is filled with beauty. The photo above this post is of a sunset I saw one summer when I was living in Tasmania, and it was breathtaking to see it in person. On a clear night in the middle of nowhere, the night sky also puts on quite a show, one I would be happy to fall asleep to. On a smaller scale, the fact that flowers of all shapes, colours and sizes exist makes me incredibly happy. And all this beauty exists for nothing and no one else. It simply is.

Based on my own experiences and observations, we turn to art for entertainment, for comfort, for company, for understanding, for enlightenment. In a way, art brings us back to our roots. See, we too have come from the earth, the same earth that creates so much beauty. Art also reminds us of our own humanity, of our smallness, of the significance of existence, of our place in the world. Art brings us back into ourselves, like a light in the dark or a hand held out to guide you.

Art is truth. Trust and believe in it. Let it in. It won’t let you down.