Art and vulnerability

Art has always been a medium for communication and expression. Others have used it for teaching while others have used it to convey messages of hope to mankind. In whatever way one chooses to look at it, art still remains a very powerful medium that can even shift culture and challenge worldviews.

Growing up, I always found myself drawn to rap music and spoken word poetry like a magnetic attraction towards an opposite end; my attraction became more evident the more I chose to immerse myself in works of art. One thing really struck me about all the artists I listened to, and this was their vulnerability. They often shared their life experiences, good and bad and seemed not to care what other people would think. They boldly displayed their scars which usually remain concealed during normal everyday conversations. They divulged what most are afraid to even share in their social and peer groups.

When I started writing my own works of art back in 2014, I found myself battling to open up about all the struggles, fears and battles I had faced and was facing. Maybe I was afraid people would look at me different or maybe I was not ready to publicly share my scars. At face value, everybody looked fine but the more I learnt about how messy we humans can be, the more I realized the need for a message of hope that implicitly sent the message “I can relate.” This message goes a long way because when we do face internal battles ourselves, we face them alone because only we know the magnitude of the very battles.

After this realization, I had to make my art vulnerable and palatable. I had to become an open book. It was therapeutic, it helped me vent and certainly provided seasonal words to others. It is important to note that not everyone does this with their artistry and that is okay. I just prefer writing and sharing art that reflects the reality of the fallen world we live in, to only writing and sharing what I think people should hear. As an observer, I have also noticed how drawn people are to authentic vulnerable music because they not only hear but also feel what the artist is saying. It is as if somebody somehow got inside their minds and hearts and put those parts in verses in a fashion pleasing to the ear and real to the heart.

An artist can make something personal and therapeutic, but find that other people can also connect to it. People truly connect to hope, transparency, honesty and vulnerability when presented in an artistic way because art can reach hearts deeply. Also, as people, we are drawn to the authenticity in what is being communicated. The authenticity comes from how “real” something is to you. This realness in art can be based on experiences. When somebody addresses something you have gone through and gives direction in the end; that can touch you in ways different from a person saying it plainly. Thus, I write for everyone as brokenness is something we all share and hope is something we all need. I write to show people a need for something and someone beyond us to provide the necessary healing and direction. Art is truly a blessing from God.

Grace and peace!