Design Language
August 16th

05
Resilience

Each week, we explore a concept and provide our thoughts, inspiration and context in the world of art and design.

This week’s word is Resilience.

Resilience is the innate ability to recover from setbacks, adapt to change, and keep going in the face of adversity.

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Musings

The Finnish concept of 'Sisu' encapsulates a certain kind of resilience that's deeply woven into the character of a person.

There's no perfect English equivalent, but 'Sisu' embodies the essence of a person who is strong, authentic, and filled with tenacity. A trait revered across ages in Nordic literature and traditions.

Over the past few years, the world has experienced a collective lesson in 'Sisu', reinforcing the power of resilience. As individuals, we've adapted to profound shifts in circumstances, and as communities, we've learned to lean on each other more and more.

Resilience isn't just a human characteristic, but a principle embedded within nature's own design. Indigenous cultures have recognised and taught the resilience embedded in our ecosystem. Their understanding centres around the concept of interconnectedness, where every element plays a part in maintaining the whole, akin to the role each species plays in a tree's ecosystem.

Picture an age-old tree. Its roots burrow deep, drawing nourishment from the fertile ground, a ground enriched by countless microorganisms. Its branches serve as a haven for birds that, in turn, scatter the tree's seeds across the landscape. This cyclical harmony has unfolded over millennia, with every element - the tree, the organisms, the birds - participating in a dance of mutual support.

However, disrupt one part of this synergy - and the system begins to falter. The tree, though sturdy and resilient, depends on the support of its ecosystem for survival and growth.

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Music

Dylan Henner's "You Always Will Be" is an exploration of resilience, echoing the cyclical nature of life – from birth to the inevitable end.

As a spiritual successor to his 2020's "The Invention of the Human," this album traverses themes of nostalgia, the interplay of innocence and hardship, the profound bond between parents and children, and the poignancy of love and loss. Reflecting on the album, Henner shares;

​Listen to the album on Spotify here​

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Art

In Patricia Piccinini's "Bodyguard (for the Golden Helmeted Honeyeater) 2004", resilience is shown through a genetically-engineered creature designed to shield the endangered Golden Helmeted Honeyeater from urban encroachment in Australia.

This blended creature, amalgamating features from armadillos, monkeys, bats, and goats, embodies the adaptability of nature when nudged by human intervention. Piccinini's work asks us to reflect on the extent of adaptation and the unforeseen consequences of our fight for survival in a rapidly changing world.

​Read more about Patricia's work in "Curious Affection" by Peter McKay​

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Thought

Resilience is the silent strength that roots us to the ground, yet allows us to reach for more.

It's the fire that, instead of burning us, forges our character, our sisu and illuminates our path forward.

How do you bend without breaking?

What stories of resilience inspire you, and in which corners of your soul do you find that untapped well of endurance?