TED Talks Daily How art helped me grapple with grief | Navied Mahdavian
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May 2, 2025 
Navied Mahdavian is a talented New Yorker cartoonist and writer who channels emotions into art. He shares his deeply personal journey of grief after losing his grandmother, Homa. Through drawing, he distills complex feelings, capturing the beauty of life and loss in simple lines. Mahdavian explains how his cartoons allow him to express and navigate his grief, transforming pain into creative expression. His reflections illustrate the powerful connection between art and emotional healing, showcasing how humor and heart can coexist in times of mourning.
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Drawing to Process Grief
- Navied Mahdavian shares a personal story about drawing his dying grandmother's hands to preserve his memory of her.
- His art helped him process grief by focusing on sensory memory instead of just appearance.
Cartoons Convey Emotion Simply
- Cartoons convey complex emotions with minimal lines, serving as blank canvases for viewers to project themselves.
- This face pareidolia is an evolutionary survival mechanism that helps us connect emotionally.
Embracing Complexity in Grief
- Families often caricature the deceased, avoiding their complexity and true flaws.
- Cartooning lets Mahdavian represent his grandmother fully, embracing both beauty and imperfection.