Imagine a World Devoid of Art

Yayoi Kusama

The world would be a desolate place, no painting or poetry, films or music.

My paintings surround me. I worry about what will happen to them when I die. I have an image of myself buried beneath my paintings, wrapped In them like a cocoon or mummy.  They shield me. I hide behind them. I filter the world through them. When I die, maybe I will be buried with my paintings like the Pharaohs in Ancient Egypt or maybe they will be put out in the trash.

I do worry about this. 

History is told by artists. Artists give a visual description of how life was in the past. They use materials from their time in history. Artists predict the future. In the time they are alive, oten, their message is not understood, but many get “discovered” after they die. Sometimes they invent the future. They have a vision of something before it comes to be.

Creativity is the life-force. Art is more a calling than a job. I think of it like this. I eat, sleep, breathe and create. It is my work but not my job. Someday I may retire from teaching, but I when I stop creating, I think I will die.

I’ve learned much from teaching art to older adults. One thing I learned is that everyone is creative.  Sometimes it is dormant for many years, but can be awakened. My students came from all walks of life, and from different cultures. Most are retired, some live on Social Security. Many never even were interested or thought of doing art, but now they are becoming artists. They see things differently now. Creativity is awakened. They are inspired.

I teach a class called “At the Museum” where we see films about different contemporary artists and have virtual museum trips.  I’ve learned that many artists live a very long life and they create right up until the end.  Many of them don’t become recognized until they are old or after. Kusama is in her 90’s, Jasper Johns also.  Grandma Moses started painting very late in life. Creativity is not agist. 

I’ve been told my paintings are “nice” or “beautiful”. Sometimes people ask me to “draw them a picture”, or “do a pretty painting” to match their couch. Art making is not a hobby and it’s not always pretty.

I pour my soul into creating paintings.  I’m not trying to be dramatic. I hope my friends and family will keep them and put them on their walls and look at them. I poured my life into them. They are sacred objects.