But not all art is interested in offering that kind of reassurance. Some art does the opposite. Instead of calming us down, it pokes us in the ribs. Sometimes it even grabs us by the collar and says, Look at this. This is art that confronts.

There is a particular kind of art we seek out when things feel off—not disastrous, necessarily, just…off. The kind of art you don’t have to argue with. Art that doesn’t ask you to unpack your beliefs, confront your biases, or explain why you feel vaguely uneasy while looking at it. It simply says, It’s okay. Sit down. This is art that comforts.

"Most believe that a satisfactory future requires a return to an idealized past, a past which never in fact existed."- Leto II, God Emperor of Dune, Frank Herbert.