It is so easy for one to become trapped and stand too close to the picture. In this instance one becomes myopic to their greater surroundings. When I think of identity I think of a tangled red tape maze of labelling and a neglect or disconnection to a more meaningful unifying permanency.
An important question one must ask is, ‘Who Am I?’.
Do I define myself by my race, social class, nationality, politics, culture or subculture, my external looks, fashion style etc ?
Or do I transcend any of these superficial identities and connect more with my heart, mind and soul?
In a more universal context, identity has no currency or power. The matter and energy in the universe is bereft of any labels or boxed confinement. It is that and nothing else.
For example, when I refer to myself as an artist, I am already putting myself in a box by creating an identity. I would severely limit and sell myself short if I were to solely think of myself as an artist. With my paintings, I strive to transcend identity. The inspiration for my paintings derives from what I like to refer to as ‘the eternal source’. By this I mean an eternal spirit or consciousness, which is permanent and will outlive me. I find it a challenging task to explain this in words, hence why I create the paintings I create. Through my paintings, I project and get closer to this eternal source much more than I would through words.
I believe focusing on identity creates a great deal of unnecessary anxiety, stress and friction. We become like spread-out and jagged fragments of broken glass; sterile and running on empty. We become our own worst enemies.
When we drop identity, the concept of something such as likes and dislikes melts away. We become more in tune, connected and empathic to our greater surroundings. We become more, dare I say, enlightened.
By Nicholas Peart
(c)All Rights Reserved
Image source: Pixabay
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