Art doesn't stop for anyone, not even a pandemic

Art, in all its forms, has been something that brings people and communities together,  but what happens when we have to remain socially distanced? As we all know, we have had to adapt how we live and interact because of the pandemic we are experiencing right now. So what has happened to art?

Everyone remembers their first concert. The flashing lights, people screaming, the sound vibrating through your whole body, and the excitement of seeing their favorite band or artist walking to the center of the stage. Now imagine not being able to experience that for a long time. That may sound awful, but with the alternatives technology has given us it's actually not that bad. In this tricky time, live streams and drive-in concerts are a viable option to still get some of that emotion and rush that live concerts gave us without the risk of contracting the virus and spreading it around. An example of this is the fundraising live stream that One World organized called “Together at Home.” Many well-known names in the music world participated such as Lady Gaga, Billie Elish, Lizzo, and Paul McCartney among others. Drive-in concerts are one of the most innovative solutions for still being able to enjoy live music. Third Eye Blind, GWAR, Snoop Dogg, The Chainsmokers, and many other bands and singers have been opting for giving drive-in performances where you can still enjoy music while being able to buy food, drinks, and merch all within security measures. 

Humans give importance to legacy, and we have manifested that throughout history in the form of painting and other visual arts. Thanks to these representations we know about the people that came before us and others will know about us in the future. This is why it is more important than ever that we display our feelings and emotions so that people can look back and get an idea of how it was like to live through a pandemic. One of the many representations of pandemic art has been created by Canadian painter Jean Huang, who interviews people, and with the help of traditional mixed mediums, represents the emotions and colors that they describe to her. She asks questions like what colors and textures come to mind when you think of uncertainty and of calmness. She then draws the uncertainty feelings on a blank page and on a transparent one the calmness, when they come together they create a new piece of art.  

Since we are making art we need a way to share it. Traditionally art has been shared through galleries and art shows but these, like concerts,  are dangerous events to participate in with the covid virus going around. Our society has adapted by moving this content online and offering events such as drive-through galleries. Due to galleries and museums being shuttered a Brazilian art gallery owner opted for adapting the culture of drive-in cinema and inaugurated the first drive-in gallery in Sao Paulo. This limits social contact to a minimum and makes it more accessible to the public. If you are interested in the topic you can learn more about it here.  

Some other innovative ways to make and share art have been implemented. The Washington Post asked their readers to share art they have created during the pandemic, they never expected to receive art from people all around the world, from Washington to Germany and even Guatemala. You can see the winners here. Graffiti artists and muralists are using their form of art to send messages of hope and support to people struggling with the side effects of the pandemic. You can learn more about these artists here.

We hope you learned some ways to still enjoy art in these complicated times and remember to stay safe and creative.