Body Painting Therapy
I do not have scientific proof for the benefits of body painting therapy. I do know that body painting can be therapeutic in many ways. The process of transformation is a long and tiresome process but despite this it is very relaxing and soothing for the person becoming art. It allows for a time of disconnect. The real world starts fading away as a new reality emerges in which the model is the main character. This also brings an effect of amusement to those who are observing the process. Believe me, looking at the product of the body painting doesn’t compare to witnessing the process.
Body painting allows a person to see something about them that is often hidden deep inside. I try to design and paint on a person something that I see in their personality or character. “More than meets the eye” is often said but how often we allow to dig deeper inside ourselves to see what others see in us? It is easy to look inside someone else and see what we don’t see. By painting on someone, I aim to allow them to see what I see about them so they can see it too. It is art even when I paint a generic design on someone, but it becomes therapy when the vision of the artist is linked to the person being painted.
As you may know by now, I don’t just do things for the sake of art or entertainment. I am looking for something else of deep value in everything I do. I am looking for some way to impact the lives of those who encounter my art in some way. The Art of Iván Tirado LLC is much more than just traditional painting and sculpting. Paintings and sculptures are dead if they have no connection to people. The value of speaking and teaching about these things abides in what people can use to make even a slight difference in their lives. It is no different with body painting.
What if I could see in a person what he or she stopped seeing about himself or herself? What if that vision serves a purpose of healing? What if transforming a person in what is not seen with the naked eye allows to grow and boost self-confidence and a new appreciation of the self? What if body painting is used to help people as a form of therapy?
The Deal with Self-Promotion
A while back I was having a conversation at an art gallery with the curator and another artist. As I am trying to explain my vision and technique the artist said in a sarcastic tone: “You like to talk about yourself a lot”. Although I wasn’t talking about myself I replied: “Yes, I do. You are not going to promote your work for me, are you?”.
I came across an article by Nathan Hangen, The Art of Shameless Self-Promotion. Hangen stated the difference between self-adulation and self-promotion. The first is when people exalt themselves and their accomplishments in a prideful manner. The second is when people share their vision, concepts, and ideas. The last inspires something. It is important to share the ideas when people fit into them.
It is not about you or what you know. It is about what you do with your knowledge. Powers don’t define a hero. Superman and Zod have the same powers. Each one decided what to do with them. Ideas, vision, and knowledge are like superpowers and part of who you are. What you do with them is up to you. I won’t mind wearing a symbol of hope on my chest. I will wear it shamelessly not for my own sake but for the sake of others. Finding some enemies on the way is just part of the deal.