I’ve been thinking about how art builds community. How does art connect us? I read an article by Eric Jones in Connections: Arts in Mission. He wrote about traveling to a remote village in the Caucasus mountains to record local traditional songs.
“I have come to appreciate how local art distills the essence of a people – their values, longings, dreams, fears, sufferings and celebrations. Art is not only a window into a soul, but a treasure of a people. When we really take time to get to know the art of a people, and not simply to analyse it or to use it for our own purposes, but to celebrate it with them and help reflect it back, we engage in an act of love.”
His “act of love” was to return to the village with copies of the dvd he had made. That dvd reflected the hopes and treasures of the people. It honoured and celebrated their traditions. In doing so, it showed how Eric had taken a genuine interest in what made them who they are. In this way perhaps, we can start to see people how God sees them, for who they really are.
Cross-cultural art exchange, even when it happens in your own back yard, is not about what you can bring to the table. First, it must be about entering into another’s worldview and celebrating what they celebrate and hold dear. For someone who often doubts her artistic ability and what she has to share with others, this is a relief. The most important thing I can bring is my openness to celebrate with you those things which are special to you. May my eyes be opened to wonders anew.
Let’s celebrate together. What, in your artistic traditions, do you consider worthy of sharing and celebrating?
the jumping cat 