I can’t begin to express the shock and upheaval we all feel at the onset of the Coronavirus and subsequent societal shutdown. Like every other artist on the face of the planet, this is impacting the work I’m doing and how I do it. As someone interested in photographing the life of people, my photographs will of course be affected by the changes in those people and our society, and we’re already seeing big changes. My methods will need to adapt to new constraints such as social distancing and the difficulty of socializing with the people I’d like to photograph. New topics will present themselves, too, as the crisis spawns artistic creativity around the world.
One example of that is the Willamette Valley PhotoArts Guild’s “Socially Distanced Photo Excursions” project, which challenges PAG members to find ways to create photographs under the constraints of social distancing, bans on travel, and shelter in place measures. This project has resulted in hundreds of photographs and gained local press attention.
“Friends’ Houses (I cannot visit)” is a photo collection I created as part of the PAG’s Excursions project. In this collection I portray the sense of loss and isolation felt when I go by friends’ houses but cannot visit them.
Isolation In the Age of Pandemic
Although art galleries are closed world-wide, many of them are hosting limited viewing or online exhibits, and Coronavirus-inspired themes such as “Isolation” and “Social Distancing” are hot topics right now. Such is the case with LightBox Photographic’s “Isolation In the Age of Pandemic” exhibit. This is a “jury of peers” exhibit, where people submitting photos vote on which pictures are included in the show. My photograph was one of 20 images selected for the physical exhibit.
“Isolation” opened May 15 and can be viewed online. Access to the physical show in the gallery, located at 1045 Marine Drive in Astoria, will depend on the evolving status of the state’s social-distancing rules. The gallery hopes to be able to hold a reception in June or July. The exhibit runs through July 11.
Solitary Outlook