Title: We Fly In the Future

Medium: Digital Illustration

Follow the artist on Instagram @kalapotatoart

What does art mean to you? How does art heal?

To me, art is being able to express one’s ideas or feelings in a way that transforms the world as we know it. Art is kind of versatile that way. It encompasses all types of forms, topics, themes, and everything in between. It can move the body, stimulate the mind, and unify a community. Art ebbs and flows with the times and is a way we can study our history and our culture. To me, art is so important that I dare not think of a world without it, especially when art has the capacity to heal!

I cannot count the times in which art has been a source of healing for myself or for my community and culture. It’s how we cope with a world that oftentimes doesn’t give us the grace and comfort we truly need. It’s how we connect with our ancestors, and there’s nothing like seeing art that reflects back to you your lived experiences. Art heals because I’ve seen how art can bring communities together; how art can make space for those who truly need it. Art heals because it can inspire joy, bring catharsis, and shift attitudes all in the same breath. Art heals because it can be made accessible or at least it should be. I’ve processed grief, depression, and anxiety through my own art experiences; helping me express the often complicated feelings I’ve felt as a Black Woman simply existing.