Welcome back to The Art Idiot!
“The older you get, the faster they go.”
While it was my intention to end the year with strong recommendations, sometimes the universe has other plans. However, it would fill me with dread to not write to you one last time in 2022. I write to express my gratitude and adoration to each of you who have supported me and The Art Idiot, these past 9 months. There is so much beauty and intimacy in being a small publication.
2022 was my first full year of “complete adulthood,” and it is easy to simply label it as “hard,” yet it is so much more. The autonomy of adulthood is endless; there is no one to answer to except for yourself. I am entering the new year with several intentions, but most importantly, I hope to step more into my autonomy and do things for myself, as opposed to doing things out of “obligation.” It is exceptionally difficult to carve out the time to do it all: my music consumption increased slightly, yet less intentionally; movies watched decreased significantly; books read were embarrassingly low. It is exceptionally effortless to focus on what wasn’t accomplished, but stepping back to realize that I returned to writing, began teaching, and much more, it seems that I successfully fulfilled my 2022 goal of being actively, rather than passively, involved with my passions.
If you have not done so already, I strongly encourage you to physically write out your hopes and goals for this next calendar year; there is so much power in willing these things to be when they tangibly enter our reality.
The Art Idiot’s 2022 Year-End Lists
The selection of works that make the year-end lists are based on technical greatness, cultural significance, and their overall likeliness to withstand time and ability to remain relevant in years to come.
Films…
(in order of viewing)
The Batman by Matt Reeves
Everything, Everywhere, All At Once by D. Scheinert & D. Kwan
Top Gun: Maverick by Joseph Kosinski
Nope by Jordan Peele
TÁR by Todd Field
Bones and All by Luca Guadagnino
The Woman King by Gina Prince-Bythewood
Decision to Leave by Park Chan-wook
Aftersun by Charlotte Wells
The Fablemans by Stephen Spielberg
(newly added) Fire of Love by Sara Dosa
Albums…
(in no particular order)
Renaissance by Beyoncé
Few Good Things by Saba
HEROES & VILLAINS by Metro Boomin
Ivory by Omar Apollo
SOS by SZA
Un Verano Sin Ti by Bad Bunny
Recommendations and quick critiques have been the main content for each issue of The Art Idiot; I hope to include more thoughtful, educational essays in issues to come. I am eager for The Art Idiot in 2023, and I hope you are, too. Cheers!