So much of art-making, I find, involves deep and focused listening. When we are hyperaware of the environments and people around us, we pick up on the intricacies of existence and articulate our discoveries to others more effectively. Such intense awareness is a skill to be practised.
I also wonder if the most effective listening requires courageous introspection. Perhaps the better we get at understanding our own perspectives, the better we can connect with others.
In my own efforts to pay attention I’ve noticed one constant, and that is, of course, change. Everything is always in flux. When I say “understanding our own perspectives,” maybe what I really mean is that we are always trying to come to terms with the fact that our perspectives change. Our brains are malleable. We are always growing, learning, changing…
A deep awareness of ourselves and the world around us leads to the understanding that our current states are temporary, which in turn requires further focus in order to capture what happens next. Since important cultural phenomena are always in flux, an artist’s job is to pay attention at all times.
