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How I Use Art as Therapy For my Racial Imposter Syndrome: Ways to Channel your Dysphoria
I have discovered that one of the most effective ways to channel feelings of cultural or racial dysphoria is to connect with personal background through art. Although this may, at first glance, seem trivial or futile, actively exploring the ancestral narratives that comprise your biological makeup may bring a satisfying feeling of connection to your roots.
Traditional art from China, Scotland, England, the Netherlands, and Indonesia
Connecting to Your Roots Through Art
At the core of imposter syndrome, in any form, is the feeling of not fitting in. The only way to begin to overcome this feeling is to find ways to relate with the thing you feel excluded from. Diving into art that has been inspired by culture and history can allow you to understand your ancestors in their lives, their joy and their struggles. Think about how you can empathise with, and relate to them. Giving yourself time to deeply ponder over your similarities and differences will form a sort of closeness that you may not have experienced before. Create an emotional union between your present and your past in a way that goes beyond the superficiality of skin, hair or language.
We are all human beings, and we do not need to be defined by any given label. What makes you YOU is not how you look, or how you speak; it is the extraordinary thread that weaves together your individuality.
Art Surpassing Language
If your elders have ever given you that look of disappointment over not knowing the language that supposedly preserves the connection between you and your family, you are not alone. However, not sharing a mother tongue with someone is no reason to feel disconcerted. Contrary to the belief of the majority, there are ways to communicate outside the limits of language, one being art. The language-less nature of art grants us access to interact with others through creativity in a more intimate and profound way.
Shifting your mindset to see the world through a creative lens can demolish the barrier that limits your experience of life, one that you might not have even known was there. Once these new possibilities are opened up to you, you can enjoy the world a little more.
I view the use of a creative lens in almost the same way a person with dyslexia might adapt their approach to reading. Let me explain: remembering a word as an image, rather than a solvable combination of letters is a frame of mind that anyone can apply to any language. Seeing the beauty in the stroke of a character, or arrangement of letters, that is so dissimilar to your own, releases a new capacity to appreciate languages that you do not understand. Looking through a creative lens marks the difference between self-isolation and artistic appreciation
"If I could say it in words there would be no reason to paint." - Edward Hopper
There is no need to feel pressure to understand or speak your culture's language fluently; this path of learning is possibly just not for you. Perhaps, what works for you is to understand language i n a different way, by connecting with the shapes of the characters, or the vibrations, inflections and dynamics of the speech. Appreciating dialect as an art form is a concept to cherish.
Art is universal. Art is for everyone. You can communicate through your art, and transcend beyond the restrictions of language.
"I found I could say things with colour and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way—things I had no words for." - Georgia O’Keeffe
Creating Alone is Creating in a Non-Judgemental Space
The minute you make the choice to stop judging yourself, you let yourself create from a place of joy, and forge connections to your history without feelings of imposition. Being humane to yourself means that there is no-one judging you when you are alone.
If no-one is there with you while you create, no judgement being cast over you, nobody can tell you that you are not allowed to feel connected to a certain part of a certain culture. As, Picasso said,
“Painting is just another way of keeping a diary,”
and if we interpret painting as a private discovery of true nature, then artistic expression becomes each individual's method to connect to their background, free from the worries of others' opinions. Not every artwork has to be displayed on the walls of a gallery for thousands to see; this journey to a feeling of belonging is an independent adventure.
Go ahead and recreate some ancient artworks, or revamp them in your own style. Feel the movements of the brush, pen, whatever your tool of choice may be, and channel your history by putting yourself in the great shoes of history's most creative inspirations.
If you're looking for a good sketchbook to use to start seeking out some artistic therapy, here are a couple that I recommend:
At the end of the day, we all think that people give more thought to our actions than they actually do. Everyone has their own things to worry about, and your pursuit of fulfilment, if found via connection to culture, is no one else's concern.
Enjoy what makes you YOU
Have fun in getting to know yourself; get to know what events in history have miraculously led to the creation of the specific, utterly unique individual that you are. Observing life with a more imaginative perspective makes each day a lot more worthwhile.
As a disclaimer, being in touch with heritage may not be important for everyone, but whatever level of connection that YOU choose to have with your background is your own choice. Following this decision, grant yourself the same forgiveness and understanding that you give the people you love.
Some extra information...
I recommend navigating through different eras, styles and traditions within the culture, or sub-culture you are looking to connect further with. During the production of my latest art piece, I researched traditional Chinese and Indonesian art. Through doing this, I learned more about ancient clothing and dance, as well as some fascinating insights into my link to Hakka culture.
A great podcast to listen to:
Some interesting articles to read:
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