Inflation, Daily Life, and the Role of Art

Inflation, Daily Life, and the Healing Role of Art

These days, when I go grocery shopping, a hundred dollars hardly fills the cart. Often, even with the bottom still visible and only a few essentials inside, the total already surpasses that amount. It is a reminder of how much prices have risen in recent years. Inflation does not only affect the numbers on a receipt—it shapes people’s moods and expressions. I notice that faces around me are more tense, less lighthearted. In fact, during the pandemic, when life was uncertain in so many other ways, people somehow seemed more openly cheerful.

It has now been almost twenty years since I first left my hometown. That is nearly the span of one generation—long enough for a child to grow into a young adult. In that time, I have moved, studied, and built a life abroad. I spent half a year in Germany, and then settled in the United States, where I have since gained citizenship. Slowly but steadily, I have grown accustomed to the rhythms of this place. My friendships, my daily routines, my work, and the growth of my family have all come to define life here.

And now, I am experiencing my first real encounter with inflation—not as a news headline or an economic concept, but as a lived reality. I hope this is temporary, but the uncertainty lingers.

In times like these, I find myself asking: What role does art play in the midst of hardship?

History gives us one answer. Even during times of war, exhibitions were held. Paintings continued to be sold. Artists traveled from place to place, sometimes in hiding, yet they painted portraits for people who wanted to preserve the image of a loved one in the midst of chaos. Art was not a luxury—it was survival, a thread of continuity in the most unstable of times.

As I continue to paint and teach, I see this same truth revealed in smaller, everyday ways. Art softens the heart. When I pick up the brush, I feel strength return, a readiness to face the world again. Painting is not only the act of making an image—it is a moment of meeting myself fully, of being honest, calm, and whole. That is why I paint every day.

The world may be difficult, but I hope that art never ceases. I hope that even when times are uncertain, young people will continue to choose the path of creativity, and will walk it with courage until the end. Because art is not just a career or a hobby—it is a way of carrying the human spirit forward.

This is also why I write daily on my blog. Beyond painting, I believe artists today must cultivate passive forms of income, so that their work can be sustained without being crushed by financial strain. It is not an easy task, but I want to set a good example. I work diligently in many areas, not just painting, to build a life that is both creative and stable.
​
For me, each day lived with sincerity, each day given to both work and reflection, is a form of art itself. And my hope is that this way of living—steadily, creatively, with open hands—can inspire others who are navigating their own difficult times.