The Body Beloved. The Body Betrayed.

Artists Exploring the Relationship between the Mind and Body

The Body Beloved The Body Betrayed explores how the mind impacts the body. Participants examine the tangible effects of emotion through literary and visual art, including music,  dance/performance art, photography, paintings, essays and poetry.

​When the skin we’re in harbors and hides physical pain and emotional trauma

​We all curate our lives on some level, deciding what to share, what to hide from view. This extends from what we choose to post on social media to saying that we’re “fine” when someone asks and we’re crumbling inside, to pulling our sleeves down to hide that we are bruised or that we cut.​ Consider the perceived boundary between physical and spiritual. Could these realties be more fluid than assumed?

THE BODY BETRAYED: How does the body illustrate/hide states of mind? How do we punish bodies, intentionally or unintentionally? 

What hides inside? Does your body reveal it? Explicitly/implicitly? Being real with each other is how to truly be connected; and it’s the medicine that we need. Look beyond the curated life of social media and superficial interactions. Personal experiences are welcome.

THE BODY BELOVED: How do we celebrate sensations and exalt in bodies?

We are miraculous creatures. We are built for joy, pleasure and awe. Let us make art that reveals what we've forgotten to celebrate. Walt Whitman exalted in the body and existence in his seminal work, Leaves of Grass. Using the medium of visual and audio art, essay and poetry, let us share these truths with each other.

“I celebrate myself, and sing myself, 

And what I assume you shall assume,

For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.” 

― Walt Whitman

​

It is time for a reckoning

We are living through a pandemic, an era of emotional extremes, dangerous climate conditions and deadly aggression. The time we pass through will leave its mark on us. Even if our compass is spinning, let us slow down and gather our bearings to find our true north. Let us walk side by side with trust, compassion and empathy. But first, let us unfist our fingers and open up our palms so that we can hold each others' hand.

I welcome you all to the virtual exhibition. My hope is that it will speak to you, open dialogue, shine a light onto painful secrets so they are not as painful, and honor this miracle of life we are all gifted.

​

That you are here—that life exists, and identity; 

That the powerful play goes on, and you will contribute a verse.

― Walt Whitman​

Further reading:

Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl

The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van Der Kolk, MD

Figuring by Maria Popova

The Happiness Trap by Russ Harris

Mind Over Medicine by Lissa Rankin, MD

Blue Mind by Wallace J Nichols

Keep Moving: Notes on Loss, Creativity, and Change by Maggie Smith

Finding Your Way: A Guide to Building Hopes and Dreams by Justin Teerlinck