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I borrowed this title from Alain de Botton’s book “Art as therapy”. He advocates in the book “Novels of Jane Austen, paintings of Titian and Botticelli, poetry of Matthew Arnold, can fill in the gap of departure of religion.” “Museums and galleries can be new Cathedrals.”

I believe in the healing power of art. I have experienced a hard time feeling sorrow and loss every day. After a month’s sleeplessness, I fianlly found comfort and calm in an adult Ballet class. I’ve been grateful that dance and music dragged me out of endless painful emotion.

During 2019 Evolution Meeting, I spent a couple of hours in RISD museum to appreciate some 18-18 Century landscape paintings, my favourite genre. During that short while, I felt like being in the Garden of Eden — time stops, happiness is eternal, no pain, no trouble, only peace and harmony.

I pursue the plesant and pretty aspects of art, and I reject the art reflecting the darkness of society. Regarding this, I think I can’t be an objective art critics, because I have such a preference and inclination in art.

I heard about this place during a random chat with my colleagues.  It is a 11 meters cliff located in South west Alberta where aboriginal people had been hunting buffalo for 5500 years. This is basically a hunting trick: Buffalos were driven to a lane by human-dressed-up coyotes and wolves.  Then at full gallop, the buffalos would fall from the weight of the herd pressing behind them, breaking their legs and rendering them immobile.   

I doubted the story at the beginning: why the behind buffalos did not stop running when they observed the front-line buffalos fell?    Today, I did a little research. I think the reason is the behind buffalos were forced by other buffalos to jump, even they did not want to.

This made me think of the importance of thinking independently.  “Follow your heart but with your brain”. Do not blindly follow others, even they are authorities.  I’ve seen many people trying to follow the “mainstream norm” to make sure they are on the right track. However, each individual is different. What suits others may not work on me.  We have to be level-minded and understand what really suit us in a certain situation.    

Now, another question arises:  Do we really understand ourselves? Do we know what we want?

I’ve given a lot of thoughts on science, art and humanity recently, thanks to this damn COVID-19. I’ve always been confident about the power of science. However, the outbreak and risk of Coronavirus make me realize science and technology are not solutions to any problem.  Human beings still suffer from pain, loss, disease and disaster. At this time, only art, beauty of nature and religious faith can bring a little comfort and peace to the sufferers.