in the same way that scientific researchers will articulate their research questions, i’ve been working as an artist on articulating the artistic questions that i investigate in my work. here are the five themes that keep resurfacing in my work, that i can’t seem to get away from—all under the umbrella theme of deep caring.
[0] DEEP CARING
- what do we care about deeply, and why?
- what is worth tremendous sacrifice for, and why?
- when do we “fail to care,” or fail to live in accordance with our values?
[1] TRANSCENDENCE
- “significance” “meaning” “beauty” “the sublime”
- how might we build connection with something larger than ourselves?
[2] TRUTH
- why do we believe what we believe?
- how do good people come to believe in such conflicting perspectives?
- how might we build a more nuanced understanding of what is true, what is good?
- and how might we do so without being overwhelmed, inundated?
[3] PRIVILEGE
- how do we coexist, given the various privileges, injustices, and differences that we carry?
- how does caring for others intersect with caring for ourselves?
- what stories do we tell ourselves about our privilege?
- how might we use the privilege we have?
[4] STORYTELLING
- what makes a story satisfying is different from what makes real life satisfying. so, how might we create stories that help us face reality more than they let us escape it? how might we create stories that expand empathy more than they encourage crippling expectations?
- how might created stories fit into a person’s total “information diet”?
[5] COMMUNITY
- how do we meaningfully connect? how do we meaningfully gather?
- how might we create spaces where people feel like they belong?
- how might we navigate the tension between the vibrancy of individuals and the “sheepleness” necessary for collective action?