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Love Can Save The World Slimy Oddity
Events, Conferences, AwardsLOVE CAN SAVE THE WORLD
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by Kyla Estoya
ark forces make us feel like we can’t go on anymore. We call it quits. We’re done;
Dwe don’t want to be part of this anymore. But even when we have these miserable moments, somehow we make it through—coming out resilient and always better than we were before. We fi nd glimmers of light again, and maybe even be the glimmer of light to someone else.
An even darker force started wrapping around the globe during the pandemic, leaving most of us feeling helpless and hopeless. But if there’s one thing this global crisis taught us, it’s that humans need one another. Artists like Slimy Oddity are a great example that some of us must be that glimmer and beacon of light to someone’s dark times—to remind them they’re not alone and that everything will be okay.
From their sheer need to create, the anonymous duo behind these colorful (and adorable) illustrations share wisdom with the mission to help people through their life’s journeys. “I was at a time in my life where I had just emerged from my ‘Dark Night of the Soul’ and I desperately needed a creative outlet to express everything that I had been through,” Slimy Oddity shared to me. Telling me they live in a small and busy city in Asia, I’m amazed their works have this strong infl uence in people’s lives—especially during the pandemic. “I defi nitely felt the responsibility of being a voice of love, positivity, and hope during this pandemic. There was so much darkness going around in the media and in social media, so I wanted each and every Slimy Oddity post to serve as a short rest stop from all that madness.”
Slimy Oddity intentionally made this project anonymous. One of them draws, and the other one writes the captions. “We were well aware of the dangers of the trappings of the Ego. Creating anonymously helps to create some distance between the Art and us as people,” they said.
Most of what they post on social media deals with awareness with oneself. They even created a playlist on Spotify, Slimy Oddity’s Way of Being Vol. 1, helping people with their cosmic journey of Here and Now. Their set of songs not only worked for me, but it also became an anthem throughout writing this article and curating the rest of the pieces in this publication. I’m fortunate that there are people like them who use social media for the greater good. “It makes me feel
WRITER’S CORNER Artist Profi le Events, Conferences, Awards I COULDN’T BELIEVE THAT SO MUCH OF
really happy to know that the art and messages that I share are resonating with a lot of people around the world. I’m thankful to have this platform to connect with like-minded souls regardless of geographic location.”
Constantly trying to absorb everything like a sponge, Slimy Oddity gets inspiration from the best place—everywhere: “It could be a conversation with my partner, a random slogan I saw on a t-shirt while crossing the road, an out-of-context phrase muttered by a stranger, etc. I try to note everything down on the Notes app in my phone so that when I sketch out ideas, I can intuitively link these ideas to the sketches.”
If you notice, the aesthetic for their artworks comes from an even more familiar and nostalgic scene—Sesame Street, Dr. Seuss, Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared, McDonald’s Characters, Richard Scarry, and Pee Wee’s Playhouse. Bright colors and lovable characters radiate in every piece. “However, I am also wildly inspired and intrigued by the artist Hilma af Klint and her story,” Slimy Oddity adds. “She was a revolutionary artist and mystic whose works only came to be known 20 years after her death. She was deeply involved in
spiritualism, and worked as a medium, while articulating mystical views of reality. I strive to convey that similar aspect of reality into my work—that which is unseen but felt.”
Slimy Oddity “adopts a psychedelic and awakened insight into spirituality, philosophy, and the human experience, often inspiring hope and catalysing inner change for all our followers.” Since philosophy plays a huge role in their creations, they look up to Alan Watts, Ram Dass, Adyashanti, and Joseph Campbell: “They are all great teachers who have expanded my mind and heart innumerably and I could not be more grateful for them.” In fact, according to Slimy Oddity, their name is taken from the term ‘Universal Oddity’ which was coined by Alan Watts. “It is described as a special kind of enlightenment to have this feeling that the usual, the way things normally are, is odd—uncanny and highly improbable. It encapsulated the feeling I had when I fi rst experienced my satori moment. I was absolutely in awe of Life, and everything took on this magical and surreal quality. I couldn’t believe that so much of everything existed, where it could so easily have been nothing at all!”
Spending a lot of time at home, it’s easy to just grab my phone and scroll through social media, particularly Pinterest, and fi nding gems of artists like Slimy Oddity. I’m like a moth to fl ame when it comes to art and literature, except my wings don’t burn, they just sparkle. But fi nding pieces that are pleasing to the eyes and simultaneously giving out positive and calming energy? This is one of the best gems yet.
“It almost feels like if I didn’t create, I would combust into pure energy!” Slimy Oddity shares, “I’m constantly motivated to transmute messages of Wisdom downloaded from my awakening process, and turning them into joyful pieces of art because I strongly believe that it’s what the world needs right now in these dark times that we’re in.”
