Art Heals All Wounds
Do you think art can change the world? So do I! We’re at a pivotal moment when scientists, medical practitioners, and creatives are coming together in recognition of the ways that art plays an indispensable role in our well-being, as individuals, communities, and societies. In each episode we hear from artists and creatives who share their inspiration for their work and its wider impact. These conversations about transformative artistic practices show the ways that art can be a catalyst for healing and change.
How do we change the world? One artist at a time.
Art Heals All Wounds
Art, Healing, and the Human Experience : Voicemail from Filmmaker Ken Paul Rosenthal
In this episode I share a voicemail from Ken Paul Rosenthal, a filmmaker reflecting on the transformative power of art. Ken explores the theme of art as a healing force, both in his own life as he edits films and in the broader human experience. I love how Ken expresses the intrinsic link between personal conflict, trauma, and creative expression, and that these elements are part of the human experience.
Thanks for listening!
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Ken Paul Rosenthal, Filmmaker
- Joni Mitchell's interview on Fresh Air from 2004
- Ken's documentary about the late poet Julia Vinograd:
betweenspiritandstonethefilm.com
Call to Action:
If you have a story about how art and creativity have impacted your life, Pam would love to hear it. Leave a voicemail on her website, arthealsallwoundspodcast.com, and consider signing up for the newsletter to stay updated on the podcast.
Don't forget to go to my website and leave me YOUR story of belonging to feature on a future episode!
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Connect with Ken!
- Website:
betweenspiritandstonethefilm.com
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Pam Uzzell [00:00:12]:
Do you believe art can change the world? So do I! On this show, we meet artists whose work is doing just that. Welcome to Art Heals All Wounds. I'm your host, Pam Uzzell .
Ken Paul Rosenthal [00:00:47]:
Hi, Pam. It's Ken Paul Rosenthal calling. And when I received your notification that there was a new season of Art Heals All Wounds, I began reflecting on how much I love the name of your podcast and what that meant to me and how as a filmmaker when I'm editing, that experience of art healing all wounds is a deeply felt experience, especially when I'm editing. Because when I'm editing, it's not just putting together different pictures, different visuals, different sequences. It's really about making a connection with something that was formerly broken within myself. So when I make that edit, there's this amazing euphoric charge when I get when I find that perfect edit, because I know I've reconstituted something within myself that was trying to find a place within the movie of my life, if you will. And then coincidentally, right on the heels of that, of my, you know, hearing about your new season and reflecting on the title, I came upon a interview on Fresh Air with, Joni Mitchell from 2004. And you can find that on YouTube.
Ken Paul Rosenthal [00:01:58]:
And what she was talking about was how she only began writing music when she lost her daughter. And she lost her daughter at a very, very young age. She was a teenager. There was a time when you didn't have the same access to your own child. It was just wrested away from you if you were young and unmarried. So it was very traumatizing for her. But, decades later, she was able to finally reconnect with her daughter. And once she did, she stopped making music.
Ken Paul Rosenthal [00:02:35]:
And that was just another example of how when that fundamental wound of losing her daughter when right after its birth when she was a teenager, how reclaiming that lost connection, well, there was no longer a need or an urge to make the work anymore. And then I was sort of reflecting on that some more, and I thought, well, that's sort of a cliche in a way, but like all cliches, there's a great foundation of truth that, you know, the artists must suffer or they have some sort of wounding, that generates their work or a way of mitigating the wound, or the trauma. And, you know, it's not just an artist thing. I think it's that way with all people, whether or not you call yourself an artist. I just think there's more transparency with artists, between their wounds and, and what they produce. And, but in even greater, greater scale or stage, I think that it speaks to difference, you know, you don't have to call it a wound, just any kind of conflict, any kind of difference within yourself or between people, that's essential to human experience. I mean, we don't seek conflict. We don't want it.
Ken Paul Rosenthal [00:03:50]:
We don't ask for traumas to be perpetrated upon us. But a lot of times we inherit these things. And I think in a way, it's part of being a human being and that these differences are where our creative potential emerges. And I really think that difference, like our wounds, are intrinsic to our humanity. But, if we have some sort of creative way of navigating our relationship to our wounds, be you an artist or not, or be it in the context of art or not, there is a means to transcending our wounds if we bring creativity to them. Okay. There you go. Happy to offer something for you and your listeners.
Ken Paul Rosenthal [00:04:31]:
Love what you do. Keep on keeping on.
Pam Uzzell [00:04:36]:
You're listening to Art Heals All Wounds. Thank you, Ken Paul Rosenthal, for this beautiful voicemail. Ken is a filmmaker and was a guest on the podcast back in the first season. He's currently working on a documentary about the late poet, Julia Vinograd. You can find out more about his film at betweenspiritandstonethefilm.com. It's a really beautiful, beautiful tribute to her and her work. I'll put a link to that in the show notes. Do you have a story to share about the role that art and creativity play in your life? I'd love to share it on this show.
Pam Uzzell [00:05:40]:
Just go to my website, arthealsallwoundspodcast.com, and click on the widget that says, leave Pam a voice mail. You can also sign up for my newsletter while you're there. I don't send out the newsletter often, so you won't be bombarded in your inbox. But I do like to reach out every now and then to share what's happening with the podcast, and I love hearing back from those of you who have been kind enough to subscribe. Thanks for listening.