Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time. - Thomas Merton
Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time. - Thomas Merton
This quote by Thomas Merton highlights the dual power of art as both a reflective and transformative experience. On one hand, art provides a means for self-discovery, allowing individuals to explore their inner thoughts, emotions, and identities. Through engagement with art—whether creating it or experiencing it—people can confront and understand aspects of themselves that they might not have recognized before. On the other hand, art also offers an opportunity to transcend the self, inviting individuals to immerse themselves in beauty, imagination, and new perspectives. In this way, one can momentarily escape the confines of personal identity and experience a sense of connection with the broader human experience. Thus, art acts as a vehicle for both self-exploration and liberation, creating a unique interplay between finding oneself and losing oneself.