A Way to Escape

Everyone needs to find their own way to escape themselves and see the world as something more than just a place to live. Sometimes it’s a person, sometimes it’s a story, and sometimes it’s a particular place. For me, one of the places is the Detroit Institute of Art. Seeing all the art and the various times and places they come from helps me to connect with the world and see all the beauty and ugliness within it. This world is more than just me, it is a society of millions of people with billions of ideas and never ending possibilities. I find it truly beautiful to see all the diverse artwork in a single place. This where I can truly find the world outside of myself.

I had a very powerful moment in the DIA the last time I visited. I went to my favorite exhibit, the Islamic Art collection. I love this part of the museum because the exuberance and detail that they put into their masterpieces. My favorite display is this absolutely gorgeous Qur’an with colored pages and flecks of gold. I find it stunningly beautiful. This piece is my favorite part of the entire DIA, it is what I think of first when I think of the DIA. This is what connects me to the rest of the world. Through this Qur’an, I see the history of mankind, our struggles, our triumphs, and the incredible beauty that we try to infuse in our everyday lives. This was an incredibly powerful moment for me. It’s a little embarrassing, but I was honestly on the verge of tears. The recent tragedy at Chapel Hill did not help in this matter either. Through this incredibly art, I saw the beauty that mankind can make, but I was also reminded of the horrors that we inflict. I was no longer myself at this point; I was part of a collective of minds that survived until today.

Through this art, I was able to leave myself. I think this is a necessary for every person to experience and be able to return to. It is incredibly helpful to leave yourself and see the world outside of your personal struggles. So find the thing that makes you see the world and not just its parts.

The Qur’an: http://www.dia.org/object-info/edae52d5-4d47-4321-be4a-e99ee48f0f10.aspx?position=53