We are meaning-making machines, constantly interpreting and reinterpreting the world around us. We see faces in the foliage, craft stories from the mundane, and infuse every narrative with a piece of ourselves. This intrinsic drive to find meaning is central to our human condition.Â
Much of this meaning-making happens in isolation, confined within our individual minds. Yet we all crave connection and belonging. We yearn for our personal narratives to intertwine with those of others, to find resonance and reflection in a collective story.
"Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time." - Thomas Merton
Community artworks serve as collective stories, encapsulating our identities, ideas, and sense of belonging. They transcend the individual, weaving together the threads of personal experiences into a tapestry of communal identity. At their best, these artworks speak of our shared sense of time and place, of who we are and where we belong.
Some communities have thrived for millennia, rooted in religious or national identities. Others are defined by the project they are working on, or an event attended. Regardless of their foundation, each community is made stronger and more coherent through creative expression. Art-making, in its many forms, provides agency; it allows us to shape our world and assert our presence within it. This act of creation is a form of power, a declaration of existence and significance.
When art-making becomes a collective endeavour, it amplifies this power, weaving a sense of belonging into the creative process. It's akin to the collective experience of being part of a crowd at a stadium, where the shared energy and unity are palpable. Football songs, with their raw and visceral nature, exemplify this form of community art. They are more than chants; they are affirmations of identity and belonging, resonating deeply with those who sing them. In these moments, we do more than proclaim the superiority of our team; we articulate who we are collectively. These 'songs'--whether literal or metaphorical--carry forward our sense of belonging, power, and expression. They help shape the world we inhabit and aspire to create.
I aspire to make meaning on this level, that binds purposeful communities closer together, making them more powerful to shape our world, in all its malleable form, into something richer, more connected, more meaningful.
By engaging in community art, we contribute to a collective narrative that is greater than the sum of its parts. We reinforce our identity and values, building a shared vision of the future. This collective creativity not only strengthens our bonds but also propels us towards a world that reflects our collective aspirations.
I am building CoCreated to enable communities, teams and events to make meaning together, making them stronger. CoCreated is being built as co-owned organisation, if you are interested in contributing to its growth let me know.
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ChrisCoCreated
I agree. I'd be interested to get your take on this piece I wrote on the subject. https://paragraph.xyz/@cocreated/collective-meaning-making
I'm looking for any content on any topic of community building. I'm creating a mega resource for all of us looking to learn more. I'll share all the resources with everyone who chips in (everyone else needs to jump through hoops 😅). I already have 70 videos mostly crypto conferences between 2022-2024. Content can be article, video, podcast/audio. Looking for everything - onboarding and offboarding members - questing, quests, rewards, incentives, gamification, airdrops - stakeholder management (how to deal with founders, CMOs and other team members) - metrics, analytics, making sense of data - governance-stuff - communities for community builders, career path, who to follow on FC/Lens/X etc - moderation, conflict resolution - event management - prepare for big events (mainnet, airdrop launch) - security, keeping community safe, dealing with spammers/scammers - growing: getting more members, getting more posts, more, more, more
A piece I wrote on this. https://paragraph.xyz/@cocreated/collective-meaning-making And We Are The Art is an art experiment in community building wearethe.art
thanks. included.
On Collective Meaning Making; or community art. exploring the space that I'm working in with /cocreated, and what I aspire to achieve. 🎈 love to hear the thoughts it prompts for you, and any work it makes you think of. https://paragraph.xyz/@cocreated/collective-meaning-making
tip 1000 $degen
damn thanks Tudor - appreciated! as much for the encouragement as the recognition.
I think you've hit this right on. Much could be said. For now, one thought: Community artworks as collective stories. Would love to hear more. I think songs and team affiliation is more obvious collective stories (at least for me). I'd like to think about/discuss how art reveal collective stories that aren't esoteric.
this is really interesting qustion and provocation. thank you 3000 $degen. I just shared an example. would love to have more visual arts based, I'm sure there are many, interesting research topic. Also I think often the purpose is esoteric, and that is fine
I'll probably be back...that's just my starter thought.
IOW, I (& others) inherently understand the identity & collective story of a World Cup team singing the anthem w/ tears. Or a group writing a song that reveals identity and story. It's rarely clear (in my judgment) what the story or identity is in the art. That's a barrier to connect.
this is an example from the context I come from - community theatre. (forgive me working with chat to remind myself) https://chatgpt.com/share/b9506877-0bd0-4bec-b447-9ca069a1654e
I guess I was thinking of pieces of art that a community makes. This is interesting---but you get to explain it. What was in my head was a community that makes images and can't explain them. For example photosynthesis is probably an example we have in common. It's hard to know the collective story being created.
Pretty much every art channel I see, I think my question applies. In communities, there is a "meme theme" that tells me much about the story. In genuine art communities, the collective story and identity is hard to discover.
Beautifully put Chris!
thanks Davo!
Just read an insightful blog by @chriscocreated on how our intrinsic drive to find meaning is central to the human condition. Community artworks embody this, weaving personal experiences into a collective narrative that strengthens connection and belonging. Learn more in the full post!