The Artidote

Info

Launched in 2015 as a virtual space where to story-tell, empathize, bond and heal through art, today The Artidote community has become a global support group that has saved lives through social media. Created by artist Jovanny Varela Ferreyra

Geschichte

I enjoy throwing onto the world these wonderful seeds that I come across, with the hope that they grow & blossom elsewhere in another body. Another motivation is the cultivation of empathy. I'm convinced that with an increase in empathy there's an increase in understanding and a decrease in conflict—a condition that allows for love to be transferred more fluidly between individuals & societies.
As an artist, I've discovered that art (whether in painting, dance, poetry, music etc.) carries empathetic power— it increases our ability to relate to each other and, possibly more importantly, to ourselves. But art is often difficult to "get," so I rub together art forms like poetry (words of wisdom) and visuals with the hope to start a little fire in someone else's chest.

We're constantly bombarded with the struggles that come with life and sometimes those are the only things that people know. Fortunately, there are individuals that burn creative and intellectual energy to show us another point of view—and often a point of view makes all the difference.

I'm motivated by the superficiality/distractions that social media is seemingly pushing us towards; the pointless news articles in the media, the unimportant information so many of us share on this never-ending feed. I want to bring something refreshing into the feed. —Jovanny Varela-Ferreyra, Founder of The Artidote