TED Talks Daily - How art transforms brokenness into beauty | Lily Yeh

Episode Date: December 4, 2024

Lily Yeh calls herself a barefoot artist: she travels the world with a suitcase full of art supplies, working with whoever wants to join her. In an inspiring talk, she shares the fruits of her collaborative art projects that bring color, community and beauty to public spaces often seen as “broken."

You're listening to TED Talks Daily, where we bring you new ideas to spark your curiosity every day. I'm your host, Elise Hwu. A truly inspiring talk today from a public artist. Lily Yeh's 2024 talk shows how places that we might casually view as broken or run down can be transformed by art and help grow community. She introduces us to the village of arts and humanity after a short break. Support for this show comes from Airbnb. As 2024 comes to a close, I've been reflecting on my travels this past year, and of course

the highlights include several great Airbnb stays you've heard me mention. Palm Springs, Sedona, Tokyo. In 2025, perhaps it's the year I finally host on Airbnb. With the amount of time I spend away from home, it just seems like the practical thing to do. I love the idea of looking back this time next year having hosted several great stays and enjoying the extra income I saved. Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at airbnb.ca host. And now our TED talk of the day. I remember when I was young,

I liked to make pictures of beautiful places, but I didn't know that would become the passion of my life. I was born in China and grew up in Taiwan. When I was seven, my family had to flee to the island because of the communist takeover of the mainland. And at 15, I began studying Chinese landscape painting.

And through the studies, I came in contact with a very special place, which is often described as the dustless world in Chinese culture. It is a place of this world, yet it reveals the mystery of the other. It is a place of pristine beauty and poignant serenity, without the mental pollution of self-centeredness and greed and ignorance. And eventually, it's a place I call home.

Upon graduation from college, like many people of my generation in Taiwan, we left because of tight political control then and also the desire for further education abroad. And so I came to the States to study art and the state ever after in the country. Then, when I received my MFA, I had a busy and flourishing life for some time. I had a family,

and I became a food professor, and I exhibited in fine galleries, and yet I felt something essential missing in my life. Then I met Arthur Hall, a preeminent dancer and choreographer, and he invited me to do a project in an abandoned lot next to his headquarters in an inner-city neighborhood in North Philadelphia. And to tell you the truth,

at the beginning, I was so afraid. And actually, I wanted to run away. What could a little Chinese woman do in this neighborhood, basically overtaken by poverty, crime and violence? Then, the little voice in me spoke, and it says, you must rise to the occasion, otherwise the light in you will die.

And so I began small. At the beginning, only children came to help. They were attracted by the spades and brooms and shovels that we set up. And slowly, with donated materials, found materials, we began to make murals and sculptures and mosaics. And children's laughter and joy were infectious and gradually drew in adults. And see, that's how we set the baits to lure people in.

And then everybody became happy. Over the years, we created a series of parks and gardens. created a series of parks and gardens, (*Applause*) tree farms, a performing arts program, festivals and the Rites of Passage program,

and many more. And eventually, the Little Summer Art Project evolved into a non-profit art organization called the Village of Arts and Humanities. What was surprising to me was that what the world found broken in this community actually is a treasure land full of resources, energy, talent and creativity.

And through working with people, I found what was missing in my life. I knew I had to leave my tenured professorship in order to step into my life. And the wisdom, compassion and endurance of the community guided me home to the dustless world, the wonderful place of enchantment and profound beauty. I stayed at the village for 18 years.

Then I felt the calling to bring what I have learned at the village to places in need in the world. I established another organization called the Barefoot Artists. Then in 2004, I met Jean-Brasco Musana from Rwanda in a conference in Barcelona. We began working together right away until now. Upon my first visit, he told me to see the genocide memorial near his city, Gizini. And the site looked so forsaken and forlorn.

I wanted to help. Then one thing led to the other. First was the design, and then the children, and then adults came, and then a construction team, and then a series of mosaic workshops, and then the completion of the genocide memorial.

(*Applause*) And here, I want to express my deep gratitude to the survivors and their families who participated in the project despite their deep grief. And also to the China Road and Bridge Construction Company and its team whose whose help was essential in converting my design into reality. Then in the early spring of 2007, we dedicated the memorial to the people and the government for its safekeeping. Then, April 7th, the day of national mourning,

and thousands of people walked in silence for miles to the site. Then they would line up and descend into the bone chamber, and that's where they mourn their dead. A survivor told me that our loved ones can come home now in dignity, when with beauty we see hope. And now, back to the episode. I wanted to work with the migrant community in the countryside in China for some time. And in 2006, I was lucky enough to join Dandilang Middle School. Its purpose is to serve the most vulnerable, the children of migrant workers.

The school was converted from an abandoned factory, and it looks basic and bare and rustic. But then, it's a perfect place for me and the school community to turn dilapidation into color and abundance. And through the process, we had such fun, and we have learned so much. Fifteen years later, facing demolition, the school relocated, and the new place is grand and modern, but cold and harsh. And so students felt estranged and unhappy.

So I stepped in and created a design reminiscent of the gentleness in the old school. And together again with the students and teachers, we brought color, joy and intimacy to this new setting. During COVID, I created this design, the rainbow and the tree of life for Dandelion. Just last fall, in a period of 59 days,

and with the participation of 913 teachers, students and volunteers with our unskilled hands, but with utter dedication. Together, we made something beyond our own expectation and something magical. And then the process, when the day is finished and we've become drunk with exultation and happiness.

And the process... (*Applause*) And the process unified us into one. What a deep experience. And over the years, I have come to see myself as a barefoot artist. My method is very simple. I have a bag full of art supplies,

and I would go to places in need and work with whoever come and join me. Together, we play and create. And over the different projects and experiences, I come to realize that broken places are my canvases, and people's stories, the palette, and people's imagination and talent, and the tools for new inventions. Together, we envision and transform. and talent and the tools for new inventions.

Together, we envision and transform. And I also come to realize a fundamental truth. People need beauty. Not the superficial beauty, but the profound and transformative beauty. It is like fire in a dark winter's night. It is the beauty that our soul yearns for. Our world is so broken today, with the violent wars, and we need this vision and energy to beauty now more than ever. And we need this vision and energy to beauty now more than ever.

And we need this vision and energy to beauty now more than ever. And we need this vision and energy to beauty now more than ever. And we need this vision and energy to beauty now more than ever. May we rise to embrace the broken. When we act together, I know we will have the power to transform far and wide the brokenness into beauty. Support for the show comes from Airbnb. As 2024 comes to a close, I've been reflecting on my travels this past year. And of course, the highlights include

several great Airbnb stays you've heard me mention. Palm Springs, Sedona, Tokyo. In 2025, perhaps it's the year I finally host on Airbnb. With the amount of time I spend away from home, it just seems like the practical thing to do. I love the idea of looking back this time next year having hosted several great stays and enjoying the extra income I saved. Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at airbnb.ca slash host. That was Lily Yes speaking at TED 2024. If you're curious about Ted's curation, find out more at ted.com slash curation guidelines. And that's it for today. Ted Talks Daily is part of the Ted Audio Collective. This episode was

produced and edited by our team, Martha Estefanos, Oliver Friedman, Brian Green, Autumn Thompson, and Alejandra Salazar. It was mixed by Christopher Faisy-Bogan. Additional support from Emma Taubner and Daniela Ballarezo. I'm Elise Hue, I'll be back tomorrow with a fresh idea for your feet. Thanks for listening.