On May 1st 2020, I debut a collection of work via Instagram Live. The invitation was public and the invitation included dressing up to have a ‘night out’ at home. During the beginning of Covid, the isolation was incredibly palpable. It hadn’t been deeply politicized yet, and the need for interaction was deep. I allowed people to show off their fancy threads on my feed and share some of their quarantine experience. Some had lost jobs, others had finished their Ph.Ds and others just felt terribly alone and grateful for some Friday night plans.
Unusual times call for unusual experiences.
The series was created during the beginning of the Covid-19 Quarantine, and was centered on the experience of all of life being shrunk into the confines of our living spaces.
The show, hung throughout my humble apartment. All works were created with materials I already had, and sized to fit in an envelope. The Outside had four visual components:
The actual views from my patio of our courtyard and sky. Each was drawn from observation and from my limited perspective. (3.5x5)
The shadows from different times of day in the colors I missed due to Quarantine, like the colors of the ocean, desert, sunsets, and billboards. (3.5x5)
The same views from the original set of apartment views, but this time overrun with a wild jungle. (5x7) The idea being that our normal has changed, even if our location has not. The world is now different- both dangerous, and perhaps within deconstruction and growing pains, also making room for new life to begin.
Personal handwritten letters telling stories from my time during Quarantine. Each purchase is paired with a quarantine letter.
Much of the show is sold, but there are a few remaining works available.
Working on The Outside was an incredible experience. It was very personal, which is unusual for my work. Usually I am discussing global environmental concerns, not my own experience in my art. The process of making this show stretched me to be present, honest, to continue to look for hope and to observe. I am so grateful to all who attended the virtual opening and who purchased works.
It was a very special experience that I will always treasure.
