Get permission to be unproductive at new art show
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Claire's plans this weekend. Photos: Courtesy of Kate Tova
Needing rest is normal, not a weakness. That's the message behind a new exhibit at the Oceanside Museum of Art opening this weekend.
Why it matters: Basically, everyone feels mentally exhausted these days, and local artist Kate Tova's art explores why and how to feel less drained.
Zoom in: Tova's paintings show people planted face down in fields of flowers in "A Place to Rest (My Tired Mind)."
- "They're surrendering to these wildflower meadows," Tova told Axios.
- The fact that you can't see their faces reflects our shared exhaustion, she said.
- "When the face is hidden, the figure is more of a mirror," she said.
By the numbers: California was the fourth most "brain-rotted" state in the country, according to a recent study.
- It looked at factors such as social media use, video gaming engagement, internet access and search behavior and assigned each state a score.
- California was 94.5 out of 100, behind Utah, Louisiana and Texas.
Digital brain rot contributes to the never-ending feeling of having things to do and the fatigue that brings, Tova said.
- "You have these lists and you check one thing off and then there are three more to add on," she said.
Case in point: Creating an exhibit to combat exhaustion was exhausting for Tova.
- Her biggest piece is 7x7 feet, which required a lot of physical work.
- "Constant ladder climbing, constant heavy lifting, stretching the canvas, nailing, cutting wood," she said.
- And then lots of computer work to get ready for the show.
Yes, but: Rest is a human right, it shouldn't just be a reward, Tova said.
- She hopes viewers will leave feeling permission to be unproductive.
- "Tiredness is not a flaw, but a signal that we should return to ourselves and care more about our bodies and mental health," she said.
Flashback: A lot of art depicts physical labor, working in fields or farming, but Tova said her work explores the hidden labor in the modern mind.
- That means emails, messages, social media updates and everything on our digital to-do lists.
"So this series is a signal for me to figure out what it means for me to rest," she said.
- That can be small, simple things, like going outside and just looking at trees and birds.
- Painting is also amazing for mental health, she noted.
If you go: The exhibition opens Saturday and runs through Sept. 27.
- Tova's work will be in the museum's grand stairwell.
- It will lead visitors to the gallery, where more work will be displayed.
Plus, a surprise, Tova said, "I'm making an actual place to rest in the gallery."