Fourteen year old Anoushka is a schoolgirl from India, currently in lockdown, reflects on how art and culture can get us through this difficult time...
Anoushka says:
The days seem to blur into one, distinguishable only by the sheer number of hours that we spend wondering whether the world as we know it will ever be the same again. As each day in isolation passes, we try to reflect on ourselves, become better people even. The role of art in this process is vital.
Whether it’s a TikTok meme or a heartwarming video of Italians singing from their balconies, there’s no denying that art is everywhere. Especially now, where we look to art for comfort like an old friend, weathered down by the tediousness of life in isolation. We pick up new hobbies, like baking or starting a book club, things that we’d never do on normal days. We find ourselves coming back to timeless movies and shows that never get old.
I recently saw a video of a pianist and a saxophone player performing a duet of ‘My Heart Will Go On’ from their balconies.... no matter how tough the situation is art can unite us all. Some neighbourhoods put rainbows in their windows so that kids on walks alone with their parents, know that this is a safe place and the situation isn’t going to last forever. The simplest of things can have a long-lasting impact on us. A new grandfather seeing his grandson for the first time through a window. A little girl, finished with her chemotherapy getting surprised by all her friends and family in a wonderful, socially distant parade from their respective cars as she drives by.
These times have forced us to be creative. Time spent finishing passion projects, working on an aspect of ourselves that we never knew existed, even learning more about our family. I find myself gravitating towards content that makes the situation lighter, urges us to make the best of what we have. The infamously terrible celebrity-infused cover of John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’ started by Gal Gadot was widely criticized as being privileged and out of touch with the severity of the current worldwide reality. But a YouTuber and musician, who happened to have a jazz degree, took that video and made it into something truly admirable. He arranged the song as the celebrities had sung it (albeit with 75 different key changes) and made a piece of art from something barely salvageable. A drummer created a song from a particularly impassioned speech by an Indian news anchor.
Art lends itself to a sense of authenticity within us. With late-night talk shows halting filming due to coronavirus restrictions, many are going online with special at-home editions. There’s something so genuine about these talk-show hosts when they’re not surrounded by a flood of cameras, lights and an ever-responsive audience. They’re at home, where they also have to deal with their children interrupting them constantly and are free to be their best, unfiltered selves. Here, they’re at their most vulnerable and most relatable. A heartfelt cover of ‘You Will Be Found’ from the Broadway musical Dear Evan Hansen by the original and current casts of the show on the Late Late Show felt deeply personal. It resonated with many, as we all seek to be found, maybe sometime, days, weeks or even years from now, but, for now the best thing for us to do is to be ourselves, with art to guide us through these dark times. And till then, art is what we can depend on.
Photo thanks to Pexels.
Cathy says:
I agree with Anouska that art and culture can get us through the tough times... not just by keeping us busy but also by offering an outlet for anxiety and difficult emotions. Has art helped YOU to cope with lockdown? COMMENT BELOW to tell us more!
The days seem to blur into one, distinguishable only by the sheer number of hours that we spend wondering whether the world as we know it will ever be the same again. As each day in isolation passes, we try to reflect on ourselves, become better people even. The role of art in this process is vital.
Whether it’s a TikTok meme or a heartwarming video of Italians singing from their balconies, there’s no denying that art is everywhere. Especially now, where we look to art for comfort like an old friend, weathered down by the tediousness of life in isolation. We pick up new hobbies, like baking or starting a book club, things that we’d never do on normal days. We find ourselves coming back to timeless movies and shows that never get old.
I recently saw a video of a pianist and a saxophone player performing a duet of ‘My Heart Will Go On’ from their balconies.... no matter how tough the situation is art can unite us all. Some neighbourhoods put rainbows in their windows so that kids on walks alone with their parents, know that this is a safe place and the situation isn’t going to last forever. The simplest of things can have a long-lasting impact on us. A new grandfather seeing his grandson for the first time through a window. A little girl, finished with her chemotherapy getting surprised by all her friends and family in a wonderful, socially distant parade from their respective cars as she drives by.
These times have forced us to be creative. Time spent finishing passion projects, working on an aspect of ourselves that we never knew existed, even learning more about our family. I find myself gravitating towards content that makes the situation lighter, urges us to make the best of what we have. The infamously terrible celebrity-infused cover of John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’ started by Gal Gadot was widely criticized as being privileged and out of touch with the severity of the current worldwide reality. But a YouTuber and musician, who happened to have a jazz degree, took that video and made it into something truly admirable. He arranged the song as the celebrities had sung it (albeit with 75 different key changes) and made a piece of art from something barely salvageable. A drummer created a song from a particularly impassioned speech by an Indian news anchor.
Art lends itself to a sense of authenticity within us. With late-night talk shows halting filming due to coronavirus restrictions, many are going online with special at-home editions. There’s something so genuine about these talk-show hosts when they’re not surrounded by a flood of cameras, lights and an ever-responsive audience. They’re at home, where they also have to deal with their children interrupting them constantly and are free to be their best, unfiltered selves. Here, they’re at their most vulnerable and most relatable. A heartfelt cover of ‘You Will Be Found’ from the Broadway musical Dear Evan Hansen by the original and current casts of the show on the Late Late Show felt deeply personal. It resonated with many, as we all seek to be found, maybe sometime, days, weeks or even years from now, but, for now the best thing for us to do is to be ourselves, with art to guide us through these dark times. And till then, art is what we can depend on.
Photo thanks to Pexels.
Cathy says:
I agree with Anouska that art and culture can get us through the tough times... not just by keeping us busy but also by offering an outlet for anxiety and difficult emotions. Has art helped YOU to cope with lockdown? COMMENT BELOW to tell us more!
