Artful Inquiry for Uncertain times

This article introduces artful inquiry as a transformation process supporting mental health and thriving in the designer while empowering her to contribute to the creation of sustainable futures. Designing in turbulent times and tackling large-scale challenges such as climate, biodiversity, and energy crises require new measures both for what we design and our engagement in the design process. When witnessing the current destabilizations in the world, we may find ourselves individually and collectively stressed by events. Met with increasing uncertainty, there is a tendency to look outside of ourselves for solution—for instance, to new technology. However, this carries the risk of bypassing collective and individual blind spots such as the inner place and state of mind from which we operate and lead ourselves. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines mental health as “a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community. It is an integral component of health and well-being that underpins our individual and collective abilities to make decisions, build relationships and shape the world we live in.” This highlights the importance of mental health as an inner foundation, not just for facing instability and stressful times as individuals but also for taking actively part in transforming our society.