Grief and the arts

Summer is still underway and individuals are looking for meaningful and fun ways to spend their time. Some are venturing into socializing while navigating their grief, while others seek more introverted ways to cope. One of the benefits of participating in a support group is sharing works of art that validate the grief experience for members. The exchange of books, podcasts, films, and television shows that speak to one’s grief often leads to deeper conversations about loss and the grieving process.

Sometimes conversations arise because art has done an amazing job of capturing the rawness and complexity of grief. Equally compelling is the way artists portray how people express their grief and navigate the social settings around them. Many individuals can relate to the boundaries protagonists establish in their grief and reflections of their own changed relationships with family, friends, and colleagues.

There is something incredibly comforting about seeing the breadth of human experience, especially grief, portrayed on the big screen or reading the words of someone describing how profoundly their life has changed. When grief is the central theme in visual art, literature or the performing arts, it also helps destigmatize the experience of the grief journey. Just as in support groups, a heartfelt chapter in a book or powerful scene in a film can help broaden one’s understanding of grief. It can also aid and reassure the griever themselves when they can relate to a character.

In support groups I have led, we discuss not only the cathartic experience of seeing grief portrayed in art but also the moments when music, literature, or film can be unexpectedly triggering because they resonate so deeply. In many cases, comforting and nostalgic artforms can take on new meanings after an individual has their own personal grief story. There are books that remain unfinished or podcasts left incomplete because grievers are waiting to be in a place where they can better process.

If you are a griever and ready, consider engaging with an old artform or trying something new that helps you feel seen in your grief experience. Whether it is watching a Disney classic, reading the poetry of someone experiencing bereavement or walking in a museum and taking note of how loss shows up in the artwork. You might also recommend a meaningful book or music to a family member or friend, helping them gain a deep understanding of grief and the experiences of those who live with it.

“The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.” -Aristotle 

© Anchor Grief, 2026