BIOPHILIC ART AND THE POWER OF NATURE TO RESTORE US

If there is any silver lining to Covid, it must be that we have been thrust out of our urban amnesia and back into Nature. For many of us, the result of new, socially distanced work habits has meant more meetings from park benches, but also extended forest dog walks and lunchtime paddle excursions. According to the Biophilia hypothesis, we feel at home in Nature because we evolved there. Covid-19 has been a good reminder of how restorative Nature is – That the aesthetics of nature is the rhythm we evolved to.

So what is the connection to Art? Everything. I don’t see any distinction between Art and Nature, but rather that they are one in the same. Art’s purpose has always been to engage our senses; teach us to find stimulation and pleasure in different arrangements of elements; equip us with tools for experiencing beauty and understanding the world through different lenses; and to cultivate empathy. Art has the potential to fill voids and help us find balance in our everyday – Just as Nature does.

I encourage you to keep this in mind when choosing the next piece for your home or office space. More than ever, it is vital to give thought to your space/s and how to optimize it for Restoration. Living with artworks that in some way signal Nature is a good starting point.  Don’t hesitate to reach out if you would like some suggestions.

The artwork shown here (right) is from Ditte Ejlerskov’s Dream Gradient series. I can’t imagine anything more beautiful to wake up to.