art and the human condition

Yesterday I posted a clip of Science of Sleep. I love that movie because it explores that world between reality and dreams.  When I was younger, I would often have what I called "live dreams." I could be in any situation and concurrently an entirely different situation would also be playing out. It could involve the same characters that were in the room but they would be acting out a completely different scenarios. I could distinguish the two and my made up reality was for my own entertainment - a way to satisfy an active imagination.



Michel Gondry, who directed Science of Sleep (and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind- another gem!), also directed some of my favorite music videos. His art has always made me feel more comfortable about my imagination and the way I see the world. To me, the best thing about art is that it helps us realize that we are not alone.



When I am in a museum, looking at a painting from two hundred years ago and it is able to invoke an incredible feeling in me, I feel connected to the artist and feel that I am a part of a continuum. It calms me to know that centuries ago, someone felt the same things I feel and was able to capture it in a way that I could understand and relate to.



I feel the same way with music and books. I think good art has the ability to capture something universal and show it in a way that anyone can see it and say, that was for me, that speaks to who I am and how I feel. Michel Gondry does that for me.