The emotionality of our lives can be lost through words, as words are oftentimes not enough to express the complexities of our perceptive reality. Miles Johnston, a UK-born artist trained at the Swedish Academy of Realist Art, uses surreal and symbolic distortions of the human form to convey the intangibilities of the human experience.

His artwork ‘Loss’, shown below, depicts a somber woman seemingly engaged in a desperate attempt to hold on to what appears to be a dissolving human-shaped figure. All the while, said figure melts away into the shallow pond the woman is kneeling in.

The creation of artwork can often give not only a voice but a beautiful voice, to emotions that are difficult to express and experiences that are painful to relive. In a video on his Instagram (@miles_art), Johnston shares part of the creation process for this piece. He derived inspiration from a lecture on non-attachment, wherein he describes that when it comes to many things, such as possessions, letting go can be easy. However, it’s extraordinarily heart-wrenching when it comes to those we love, as they are often our deepest attachments in life.

Furthering the fear of losing someone you love, he expresses the seemingly one universal rule of impermanence, and how from those thoughts ‘Loss’ developed into a metaphor about the futility of grasping at water. Johnston recounts the catharsis he underwent in the creation of this artwork. As for him, part of making art is about the attempt of trying to turn arduous experiences into something not only beautiful but useful in the message it conveys and the healing it gives.

I myself find the creation of art is a crucial way to process hardships. Whether they are lived experiences or feelings lodged within us, being able to turn them into something beautiful, something that people want to look at, is a part of the healing process. To be able to go over old wounds with different eyes and share them with others can help mend the hurt.

In true fashion of the sincerity of our subjective realities of life, Johnston states in his biography the meaning of his artwork is, simply, whatever it means to the individual who views it. Thereby allowing for a space for each and every one of us to become in touch with the emotional parts of ourselves and our lives. This experience of connection with our internal selves through any medium is what I find to be the true purpose of art.

When you look at his art ask what parts of yourself it resonates with, and what emotions it brings to the surface. If to tell no one else, have a dialogue with yourself, and allow yourself to be heard.

Image Credits:

Feature Image: K. Mitch Hodge, Unsplash

Body Image: Miles Johnston, Used with artist’s permission