RARE THOUGHTS
A call to introspection though the art of collage.
Our current environment is overstimulating. Ads, and notifications keep us on high-alert. We are walking, talking, eating, working and living at a fast pace. We have surpassed our cognitive load – 30% of teens use multiple media platforms at once, unable to focus on one single piece of information.
Thoughts are rare; rare thoughts are rarer. In our virtual echo chambers, we recycle the same opinions that have been algorithmically served to us to confirm we were right all along.
Call for Introspection
Perhaps, the rarity of unique thoughts is not a new phenomenon. In “Thus Spoke Zarathustra”, Friedrich Nietzsche addresses the loneliness and rarity of truly independent thinkers.
Nietzsche believed that true thinking is rare, not because people lack intelligence, but rather because they lack the will to face difficult truths. He saw most people as clinging to inherited beliefs and societal norms, which offer safety yet suppress our freedom of thought.
He recognized our tendency to choose comforting illusions over unsettling truths. Today, in the era of advertising and political slogans and social media echo chambers, facing uncomfortable realities is a necessity.
In a world that rewards speed, noise, and visibility, introspection has become a quiet rebellion. Stillness is a requirement for introspection and original thinking, so is being comfortable staying quiet with one’s thoughts.
Evoking Ideas Through Collage
"We have art lest we perish of the truth."
- Friedrich Nietzsche
Another way one can face uncomfortable thoughts is by coming into contact with art. Artforms explore ideas and perspectives that are not expressed through arguments, but through brushstrokes, paper cuts, photographic layers, or musical notes.
Collage art, in particular, is a great medium for contemplating uncomfortable, rare thoughts. Layers upon layers of motifs, colours, and textures reveal a truth - individually and combined.
Manuela Menzi Studio has dedicated a collage design on these uncomfortable, original thoughts. It combines colours that are both bright and soft, intertwining vibrancy with gentleness. The shaded areas call for a pause; a quiet moment to examine each detail and find comfort in facing uncomfortable realities. Rare Thoughts is a gentle reminder to cherish these moments and to infuse the art of giving with a sense of wonder and delight.
