"Unseen Beauty"

This small piece from the 10x10 series came about from the question of whether we can truly recognize beauty at all.

Recently, I watched a short clip from a lecture by Vera F. Birkenbihl about the topic of love. In it, she asked whether we often confuse love with something else, namely with expectations. When they are fulfilled, we call it love. Even though it might actually be more like attraction or affection. But what happens when those expectations remain unfulfilled? Is that the moment we tend to question everything and stop talking about love altogether?

That clip inspired me deeply to take a little mental detour when it comes to beauty as well.

Beauty, especially inner beauty, as the saying goes, is supposed to be far more valuable. Who hasn't heard the phrase "it is only inner beauty that counts"? And who hasn't felt unattractive, ugly, or inadequate at times, thinking that this phrase is total nonsense because it doesn't help you in that moment at all?

So, how do we actually recognize beauty? Outer beauty, from my perspective, is fundamentally a matter of taste. Is it the same with inner beauty? Is that also just a matter of taste, or does everything ultimately depend on our own perspectives and views? On our ego beliefs? What do you find beautiful? Externally, I mean, and why is that anyway? What shaped that image in your mind? Is it really as unbiased as we might think, or is it actually rather superficial? Does a trend decide what you consider beautiful?

When it comes to physical beauty, nowadays it often feels like you have to be so many things. We strive for a measurable perfection and optimize ourselves to infinity. Wrinkles? No, absolutely not! Growing old is treated almost like a disgrace. 

Wow... I feel immense empathy for anyone who feels they are not allowed to age. Yet, what an absolute honor it is to get to grow old. When did we lose sight of that perspective?

Returning to inner beauty, I find it far more intriguing. I perceive it as something untouchable. It exists within every single human being and every creature on this earth. Every single one is unique and pure at its core. Perhaps that state of being can be altered by external factors, but I believe that deep down, it remains untouched. On our earthly journey, we might lose touch with it every now and then. But if you find that connection again, I believe you become so much more capable of perceiving the beauty of the world around you, right alongside your own.

"Perceiving your own beauty" – that might sound self-centered at first glance. Yet I see it as increasingly vital, because it means meeting yourself and your own imperfections with an open heart. It is by no means about adopting a narcissistic attitude. I often notice a hesitation in society where anything approaching itself with goodwill gets quickly labeled as narcissism. But maybe things are not always just black and white.

What if inner beauty is tied to conditions just like the love Vera F. Birkenbihl talks about? Have you ever asked yourself why you find a person beautiful on the inside? I imagine it might be a similar dynamic to physical beauty. What makes a person internally beautiful to you? Is it because they share your views, offer you support, or simply align with the majority of your worldview? And how about your own inner beauty? Do you attach conditions to it as well, or do you simply allow yourself to feel and experience it?

Can you let go of all that for a moment? Can you step out of your own center and beauty to meet another kind of beauty without judgment? Can you see the goodness, the beauty, and the love in a person whose worldview is completely different from your own?

Depending on who I picture in my mind, I find that incredibly challenging. Yet perhaps that is precisely where the art lies within the art itself. This painting here, titled "Unseen Beauty", might be beautiful to some and not appeal to others at all. If you happen to be someone who does not find it beautiful, I invite you to take another look and ask yourself, "Why, actually?" What specifically do you dislike? And once you can pinpoint it, look again. Look as if you were completely unbiased, like a blank sheet of paper, simply curious to discover this thing. Even if you still aren't a fan of the whole piece afterward, I am certain you will find one small part, a corner, a detail, or a color that speaks to you. An element that carries beauty within itself and makes it accessible to you.

Perhaps all of this sounds a bit cliché to some, or others might find it naive. Personally, I am convinced it would be a wonderful daily practice. If we all neutralised our views every now and then, opened up, and looked at life with curiosity, there would be so much more understanding, love, and peace in this world, simply because there would be fewer burdened, narrow minds.

On that note, I wish you clear vision :)

Thank very much for reading!

These posts are part of my artistic journey, sharing the stories behind the canvas.

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