How Can Art Help Us Reclaim, Heal, and Connect?

Throughout history, art has been a tool for reclamation—a way for individuals and communities to reclaim their stories, spaces, and identities. Whether through ancient traditions like kintsugi, large-scale murals, or deeply personal tattoos, art allows us to turn wounds into wisdom and adversity into beauty.

In this post, we’ll explore how different art forms have served as powerful tools of healing and self-expression, and how art therapy continues to help justice-involved youth reclaim their futures.

Kintsugi: Mending Brokenness with Gold

In Japanese tradition, kintsugi is the art of repairing broken pottery by filling the cracks with gold. Rather than hiding imperfections, this practice highlights them, embracing flaws as part of the object's history.

Much like kintsugi, healing is not about erasing past pain but about transforming it into something beautiful and resilient. For those who have experienced trauma—whether due to incarceration, systemic oppression, or personal hardship—art therapy offers a similar opportunity: to piece together fractured identities and emerge stronger.

How can we apply the philosophy of kintsugi to our own healing?

For many, creative expression is the gold that fills life's cracks—turning scars into stories rather than erasing them.

Murals: Reclaiming Public Spaces Through Art

David Alfaro Siqueiros, 1932, "America Tropical", Los Angeles, CA.

Murals have long been a symbol of resistance, community, and cultural identity. From the political street art of Diego Rivera to the pandemic-era murals honoring frontline workers, public art transforms blank walls into messages of empowerment.

‘Super Nurse!’ painted as an ‘ode’ to all healthcare professionals around the world. @iamfake/Instagram

For marginalized communities, murals are more than just decoration—they serve as a collective voice, reclaiming space that may have once felt unwelcoming.

Mural in Minneapolis, MN by PiM Arts High School Students.

In cities worldwide, we see murals celebrating social justice movements, Indigenous sovereignty, and the voices of the unheard. These works turn oppression into art and give communities the power to reshape their own narrative.

How does reclaiming public space through art mirror the inner work of reclaiming personal identity?

For justice-involved youth, engaging in mural projects can be a form of healing and reintegration, allowing them to contribute something meaningful to the very communities they may have felt disconnected from.

Tattoos: Marking Identity and Transformation

Tribal tattoo by Ben, Tribe Tattoo Denver.

Tattoos have been a part of human culture for thousands of years, serving as rites of passage, marks of belonging, and symbols of survival.

For some, tattoos tell a deeply personal story—a way to reclaim a body that has been harmed, objectified, or controlled by others. Survivors of trauma, including justice-involved individuals, often turn to tattoos to rewrite their own narratives—whether that means covering old scars or marking a turning point in their lives.

In what ways does reclaiming one's body through art mirror the emotional process of reclaiming one's identity?

Art therapy often incorporates body mapping—where individuals illustrate their own healing journeys. Like tattoos, this practice allows people to take ownership of their bodies and their stories.

The Role of Art Therapy in Personal Healing

While murals, kintsugi, and tattoos are examples of artistic reclamation, art therapy takes this a step further—guiding individuals through a structured healing process.

For justice-involved youth, art therapy serves as a bridge between past struggles and future possibilities. It provides:

• A safe outlet for self-expression

• A way to process trauma and difficult emotions

• An opportunity to build confidence and resilience

• A sense of belonging and community

At restART Studio, we believe that art is more than just an activity—it’s a lifeline. By engaging in creative therapy, young people can rewrite their stories, seeing themselves not as "broken" but as beautifully transformed, just like kintsugi pottery.

How You Can Support Artistic Reclamation

The power of artistic reclamation isn't just for individuals—it's for entire communities. Here’s how you can get involved:

🎨 Support art therapy programs – Organizations like restART Studio provide free creative therapy for justice-involved youth. Consider donating, volunteering, or spreading the word.

🖌 Engage in community art projects – Many cities have mural-painting initiatives that allow people to reclaim public space through art.

💬 Share your own artistic reclamation story – Have you used art as a tool for healing? Your story could inspire others to do the same.

By embracing art as a tool for healing and reclamation, we transform not only our own lives but the world around us.

👉 Learn more about our work at restART Studio and join us in using art to create a future filled with resilience, identity, and hope.

Written by Julia Coulson, restART studio Administrative Assistant

Sources:

(1) The Compassion Museum. "Compassionate Art".

(2) Discover Los Angeles. “América Tropical: The Story of an LA Icon.”

(3) Yyson Mitman, The Conversation. “Coronavirus murals: inside the world of pandemic-inspired street art.”

(4) Amy Olson, Wellcome Collection. “A brief history of tattoos.”

(5) Ella Tennant, Telegraph India. “How Japanese art form of kintsugi can help navigating failure.”

(6) Ben, Tribe Tattoo Denver.

(7) David Wojnarowicz, The Art Story. “Street and Graffiti Art Movement Overview |TheArtStory.”