The Lockdown Chronicles #1

INTERVIEW WITH FIONA GRADY

Where and with whom are you during this lockdown?

I’m staying with my family in Leeds; I was visiting for Mothers’ Day when the lockdown was announced, I hadn’t intended to stay for more than a week! However I’m really happy to be with them.

Have you found a new daily routine?

It’s more relaxing than I’d expected, I’m used to working constantly as a freelancer so it’s nice to have a routine and daily walks in the park. I make a point of working during the week and taking weekends off, it does make me realise how busy I was before now.

What effect does the lock down have on your art practice? What are you currently working on?

I’ve had to slow down! As an installation artist I’m used to making large works: with lots of advanced planing and physically demanding installs. Currently, I’m creating lots of small works on paper and researching new ideas, it’s quite a luxury to have time to think without the pressure of deadlines.

Who/What do you miss the most? What are the challenges you are dealing with right now? 

There’s a quite a few people I miss in London. Mainly, I miss my artist studio with Tannery Arts and Sonsoles Screenprinting Studio in Peckham where I’m a member. Both are lovely communities of people where I gain lots of inspiration and they enable me to develop new work. I’m restricted with what I can make at the moment as only have limited materials and am working from a kitchen table, but I could be a lot worse!

Have you found a hidden gem in this unprecedented situation?

Zoom – I can be quite shy so I’m not keen on using video calling. However I’ve found it’s made me feel really happy to be able to see my friends. We’ve had a lot of fun doing virtual studio meet ups and dinner parties – I hope that this will continue with my friends scattered around the world. 

Do you think something good for artists can come out of this? What could it be?

I hope that it will help to level the playing field. I think this experience has reminded us that we are all the same; particularly in the arts we need to support each other. It’s highlighted how vulnerable freelancers are, so let’s hope that the government will offer more long term support to enable to cultural sector to thrive. 

What will be the first thing that will do when the lockdown ends?

Get the first train back to London!

www.fionagrady.co.uk
www.instagram.com/fiona_grady

The Lockdown Chronicles #2

INTERVIEW WITH TING-TING CHENG

Where and with whom are you during this lockdown?

I am in Taiwan. I live with my partner Fabio. My mum and my grandparents live within 3-minute walk.

Have you found a new daily routine?

IIronically, not much. Currently there are 300+ cases among the 23 million population of Taiwan. The life here is relatively ‘normal’. Of course, Fabio and I have been trying not to leave the house since late January. But this is more of our choice rather than a compulsory measure. As an artist, I have been mostly working from home for the recent 10 years, so the current life style doesn’t seem too different for me. The only difference is that I usually go to movies, exhibitions, restaurants at evenings or weekends, and now I don’t. But those places are still open these days, just that I decided not to visit. We mostly cook at home or buy takeaways for food. We are meeting our grandparents every Saturday for lunch, so we are being extra careful.

What effect does the lock down have on your art practice? What are you currently working on?

I am currently working on my project for the upcoming Tokyo Biennale. I am at the research stage, so it’s totally fine to work from home. I only need my laptop and regular visits to the local libraries (to collect the books, and read them at home).

Even though working from home is the norm for me, the current international situation does affect my practice. I was going to participate in a group exhibition in CFCCA, Manchester in late April (i.e. now), which was canceled due to the situation, unfortunately.

And apart from Tokyo Biennale, I am also scheduled to have an artist in residency in Paris from early August. Both projects are currently scheduled to carry on. However, we are preparing for the plan B if it’s needed. Fingers crossed.

Who/What do you miss the most? What are the challenges you are dealing with right now? 

I miss travelling a lot. I know it’s a luxury, not only for the time like this, but also in general. As an artist, I am very used to life not staying in one city for more than six months with regular artist in residencies or exhibitions. I was really looking forward to my trip back to UK in April. (I left in March last year.) I think I haven’t been away from UK for that long since I moved there in 2008. So I guess what I miss the most is London, even though I can imagine that it would raise some questions at this moment.

I also miss sashimi. People are saying it’s better not to eat uncooked food these days, so I haven’t had sashimi for months. Another luxury thing that I miss. Again, fortunately things in Taiwan are relatively calm. 

Have you found a hidden gem in this unprecedented situation?

I realised that my balcony is amazing, and so is the park nearby. I have always loved them, but now I appreciate them more than ever.

Do you think something good for artists can come out of this? What could it be?

I think something good can come out of this for everyone. But we also need to be very careful. Personally, I am concerned with the polarized opinions and the situation of individual blaming. I hate to see our society becoming this spying community, that we report our neighbours for going out, accusing people who got sick for ’spreading the virus’, discriminating people if they come from the countries with higher confirmed cases…etc. I see the rise of nationalism everywhere in the world, which is scary. However, I feel quite powerless about this these days. I still haven’t figured out what to do.

What will be the first thing that will do when the lockdown ends?

Travel.

Do you have an inspiring quote for the world / fellow artists?

“Be the best person in the worst time.” It’s from Albert Leung, a lyricist from Hong Kong. I read it in an interview of him. I found it inspiring. I hope I can be one.

I’ve attached a picture of my balcony taken before our lunch there.

www.chengtingting.com

The Lockdown Chronicles #3

INTERVIEW WITH JENNY KLEIN

Where and with whom are you during this lockdown?

I’m at home in South East London with my husband and the dog.

Have you found a new daily routine?

Usually I get up early and walk the dog and then into the spare room/studio. I’m also trying to catch up on various books I’ve always meant to read…..

What effect does the lock down have on your art practice? What are you currently working on?

I work in a range of media. This should have been the last term of my MA in Fine Art at Central St Martins. So I was working very hard towards the final show and assessment, developing a series of large scale photographs. When lock down started I felt lost and then there were all these posts about how this was an amazing opportunity to ‘respond’ which made me feel even worse – I didn’t feel like I had an artistic response. What got me started was just rummaging through some old boxes of materials – I found some acrylic paints and some (literally) mouse eaten old canvases. So I just started painting and that’s pretty much what I’ve been doing. I don’t know if it will come to anything but I’m enjoying it. I often work with text and I’m putting text into the paintings. I’m also working on a couple of stitched pieces.

Who/What do you miss the most? What are the challenges you are dealing with right now? 

I miss so many things, family and friends the most. Getting out of London for walks on the Kent coast. And everyone on the MA course – students and tutors – they’ve been such a great, supportive, inspiring group. The MA show is now postponed indefinitely, which has been very disappointing after two years of focused work. And now the assessment will be online which feels weird – we actually have a mass online meeting with the tutors later today to see what will happen.

Have you found a hidden gem in this unprecedented situation?

Time to think, reflect, reassess. Being reminded that you can make plans but…..!

Do you think something good for artists can come out of this? What could it be?

I would hope that this kind of event can remind people about what is important in life – and art can be a huge part of this.

What will be the first thing that will do when the lockdown ends?

See family and friends and then go out to the countryside for a long walk.

Do you have an inspiring quote for the world / fellow artists?

At the end of Ode to the West Wind, Shelley writes ‘If winter comes, can spring be far behind?’ I’ve always liked that, it feels hopeful.

Instagram @jennykleinthread

The Lockdown Chronicles #4

INTERVIEW WITH ANDREW JAMES

Where and with whom are you during this lockdown?

I’m in my studio in north London.

Have you found a new daily routine?

My son is with me so the day is a little different in that we have coffee and lunch together which is something we haven’t done for some years.

What effect does the lock down have on your art practice? What are you currently working on?

It’s effected my practice in as far as I am not able to get some materials I needed making me use up what ever I can find, which has been interesting, I’m working on some prints and drawings.

Who/What do you miss the most? What are the challenges you are dealing with right now? 

I work in a kind of self Isolation anyway so I haven’t missed very much, the biggest challenge is to not look at the news every 10 minutes and control my anger at Trump.

Have you found a hidden gem in this unprecedented situation?

I don’t know about a hidden gem, I’m just carrying on but is does feel like anything is permissible at present, a kind of time out.

Do you think something good for artists can come out of this? What could it be?

Some good things will come out of this and some of the same old shit, after this we must focus back onto the environment which is the real disaster.

What will be the first thing that will do when the lockdown ends?

After this ends (which it never really will…) A pint with some mates would be nice.

Do you have an inspiring quote for the world / fellow artists?

My mum used to say, ‘It will turn up…’ when she had lost something, I always liked that.

https://www.andrewjames.website

The Lockdown Chronicles #5

INTERVIEW WITH CAROL WYSS

Where and with whom are you during this lockdown?

I’m at home in South East London with my husband and two kids.

Have you found a new daily routine?

The most regular thing is that getting up and going to bed has moved to at least two hours later – I love it! The rest is a mix of the usual admin, my work for an artist organisation, art teaching, doing an online osteo-archaeology course and my own research. Then with everybody at home there are more family and household tasks, like trying to get the kids involved in cooking and cleaning (mildly successful), making sure everybody gets daily fresh air and some outside physical activity – attempting to do the Couch to 5k running challenge…

What effect does the lock down have on your art practice? What are you currently working on?

As for most artists, the lock down and the uncertainty of when and how it will go back to ‘normal’ has put all of my on going and future projects on hold. My solo show in Brantwood Museum, John Ruskin’s former home in the Lake District, which was due to happen in August, has had to be postponed to next year due to uncertainty as to when the lock down will finish as well as some of the materials not now being available plus limited access to the print workshop I use. Initially it left me feeling in a bit of a void but realising that the deadlines were looming, it is a relief to suddenly have more time. I’m working on the research and preparations for my show, but without
printmaking workshop equipment it is limited.

Who/What do you miss the most? What are the challenges you are dealing with right now? 

What I found hard was that I had to cancel my trip to Liechtenstein to be with my very frail mum for what might be her last birthday. I miss seeing friends and art events and it is tricky to motivate the kids to do their school work, especially my 15 year old who has had their GCSE’s cancelled and has now descended into proper teenagehood.

Have you found a hidden gem in this unprecedented situation?

Fresh air in London, quiet skies and calmer roads, still evenings – but most importantly I realise how little time I had before, how packed every day of the week had been and how I could not appreciate a lot of it.

Do you think something good for artists can come out of this? What could it be?

Serious artists tend to do a lot of reflection within their practice; now in this exceptional time everybody is forced to look more deeply at their lives, jobs, relationships, habits and routines which may lead to a more real and less superficial engagement with the arts.

What will be the first thing that will do when the lockdown ends?

Visit my mum, meet, hug and have a drink with friends and go to see some art events.

Do you have an inspiring quote for the world / fellow artists?

“I can’t understand why people are frightened of new ideas. I’m frightened of the old ones”. John Cage
I have always liked this quote, but find it especially valid now because I hope that a positive rethinking of old ideas will come out of this extraordinary lock down time.

www.carolwyss.net

The Lockdown Chronicles #6

INTERVIEW WITH CHARLOTTE C MORTENSSON

Where and with whom are you during this lockdown?

I’m on my own in North London and my studio is in my home. 

Have you found a new daily routine?

I used to swim in Highgate ponds every morning.  Whatever the weather or time of year, it’s magical and I use the time to think projects through.  The ponds were closed in March because of the virus.  Instead, I’m now getting up at 6.30 – much earlier than I used to – to go for a run in the local park before there are too many people about.  It’s a good stand-in, but I really miss the energy and clarity that swimming outdoors gives me.

What effect does the lock down have on your art practice? What are you currently working on?

My art practice normally revolves around architectural photography in Kingston, Jamaica where I’ve been spending 2 or 3 months a year since 2006.  I also curate for a gallery in Switzerland.  Obviously, these things are out of the window for now. I was due to fly to Kingston on 8th April to document the reconstruction of a specific building in Trench Town and to interview the people working on it.  The building will be completed long before I can get there.  The trip took a lot of organising and I’m very disappointed but, in relation to everything else that’s going on, I tell myself that it’s not so important.
During lock down I’ve been taking more photographs locally, especially of the architecture along Kilburn High Road which is just five minutes’ walk from me. The area has a powerful political and social history.  I have a favourite tree in front of the Argos shop in which hundreds of pigeons roost.  The woman who’s been feeding them for years has disappeared. She’s elderly and is probably not allowed out during the lockdown. 
My daily art practice now includes interviews with friends in Jamaica about how the lock down is affecting them.  They live in areas which are so densely populated that social isolation is out of the question. There is often no running water, making the official hand washing advice pointless and frustrating.  Curfews are in place and anyone on the road after hours is arrested.  The number of virus victims is relatively low at the moment, but it is rising daily and I worry a lot about people I know and about how the country will cope.  These diaries will eventually be part of a collaborative art project.  In the meantime, I’m reminded that people are coping with much more frightening situations than I am.

Who/What do you miss the most? What are the challenges you are dealing with right now?

The person I miss most is my mum.  She lives in Norfolk and has underlying health conditions. I have not been able to see her for weeks.

Have you found a hidden gem in this unprecedented situation?

The good thing that has come out of the lockdown in London is less cars and cleaner air.

Do you think something good for artists can come out of this? What could it be?

I’m sure amazing art will be created by others, but for me personally the worry about when I will see my mum again, about the possibility of losing friends and the feeling of being trapped, are constant distractions. 

 What will be the first thing that will do when the lockdown ends?

My anticipation about what I’m going to do when the lock down is over is keeping me going!  My dear friend gave birth during the lockdown and I have only seen her new baby from six feet away.  I can’t wait to hug that little baby for the first time. I will swim in the ponds, spend time with my mum, have very drunken evenings with friends, go to exhibitions, see live bands, and I will return to Kingston, Jamaica as soon as possible.

Do you have an inspiring quote for the world / fellow artists?

All I can say is that we human beings are amazingly and beautifully resilient.

charlottecmortensson.com

The Lockdown Chronicles #7

INTERVIEW WITH KATE MURDOCH

Where and with whom are you during this lockdown?

I’m at home in South East London with Pete, my husband and our family pet cat, Maisy.

Have you found a new daily routine?

I’ve got more organised as time has gone on, have managed to create a makeshift studio in my living room and to make work everyday. Having a project that requires a daily online posting has helped in that respect.

What effect does the lock down have on your art practice? What are you currently working on?

The abrupt ending to a group show I currently have work in impacted on me and albeit temporary, the sudden halt to the talks and events built around the show, the opportunity to meet up with other artists and the chance to engage with my work again, has left a big gap. One positive aspect of the lockdown has been having long stretches of time, enabling me to sort more thoroughly through materials from my huge collection of stuff, easily accessible in my garden shed. I’m currently working on ‘Connected’ every day, gathering together objects that are similar but different and posting them online.

Who/What do you miss the most? What are the challenges you are dealing with right now?

I miss my sons – very much! In a global pandemic of this scale, I think it’s understandable that my worries about them have magnified and only natural that my instincts as a mother have been to want to gather them in and bring them home. I read somewhere that it doesn’t matter if your children are 5 or 45, a mother will always worry about them and want them safe. The challenge for me has been to rein those feelings in and to respect my sons’ decisions to be where they want to be. And thanks to the wonders of social media and especially FaceTime, I can see that they’re actually fine! Another challenge has been being unable to visit my elderly Mum, though once again, FaceTime in this respect, has been a godsend – I’m proud of her for her determination to get to grips with social media.

Have you found a hidden gem in this unprecedented situation?

I’ve found the Thursday, 8pm doorstep #clapforcarers gatherings very moving – firstly, because it demonstrates a real appreciation for our beloved NHS and key workers who for too long, have been poorly paid and completely unappreciated. And secondly, because it reinforces a sense of community – being united and connected and looking out for each other in ways that we might not otherwise have done.

Do you think something good for artists can come out of this? What could it be?

I hope that we can hold onto the lessons that the lockdown has taught us in terms of heightening our appreciation for people we might otherwise have taken for granted – family members, our neighbours and local communities, our friendships and of course, the key workers who form the backbone of our society; to be more mindful of the true value of people and the rich, diverse communities we can create together and their infinite worth over material things.

What will be the first thing that will do when the lockdown ends?

Go and see my soon to be 90 year old Mum and give her a big hug after weeks of social distancing, arrange to see my sons asap, visit Olive next door to thank her in person for the beautiful ‘I love the NHS’ rainbow she painted for us to put in our window –  and simply, enjoy the freedom.

Do you have an inspiring quote for the world / fellow artists?

In an era in which there’s potential for real change for a better, fairer world, I love this recent quote from the brilliant Frankie Boyle:

‘There is no normal to go back to. People sleeping in the streets wasn’t normal; children living in poverty wasn’t normal; neither was our taxes helping to bomb the people of Yemen. Using other peoples’ lives to pile up objects wasn’t normal, the whole thing was absurd. Governments are currently busy pouring money into propping up existing inequalities, and bailing out businesses that have made their shareholders rich. The world’s worst people think that everybody is going to come out of this in a few months and go willingly back into a kind of numbing servitude. Surely it’s time to start imagining something better.’

www.katemurdochartist.com

The Lockdown Chronicles #8

INTERVIEW WITH RATH CHUN

Where and with whom are you during this lockdown?

I flew back to Thailand a day before things started to be complicated. The Thai authorities was introducing strict regulations for oversea Thai citizens coming back to Thailand. I had to ask for medical support documents. At that time many flights had been either overbooked or cancelled. Now I live with my parents and my brother.

Have you found a new daily routine?

It took me about 2 weeks for the transition to really integrate into family life again. My new routine is being at the table with my family. I found myself to do more group activities rather than spending time alone.

What effect does the lock down have on your art practice? What are you currently working on?

I planned to travel to Laos for the shooting of my new documentary film. All had to be cancelled and I also left lots of my gears in Paris, where I was planning to live and work there after the film shooting. This new documentary film is about a French pastry chef born Laotian, who had the famous pastry shop in Bangkok for several years. He moved back to France with the new project in mind of starting a pastry school to give knowledge and pass on his legacy and passion onto the new generation in the hope to build up the community.

Who/What do you miss the most? What are the challenges you are dealing with right now?

I would say collaboration. I do miss brainstorming, being inspired, sharing ideas with teammates who has similar DNA. I also miss the creative solitude that I had living aboard. I miss going to the cinema.

Have you found a hidden gem in this unprecedented situation?

On the second week back home, I had the idea of making a short film which can be the message of hope. This film documented life of a housemaid who works away from her homeland, the only way to connect her with her husband & her toddler is through video call. It reflects the situation we’re all facing right now during the lockdown.

Do you think something good for artists can come out of this? What could it be?

I see the importance of being with people face to face that I have taken that for granted.  Things that we are not able to do through zoom, the importance of human touch the feeling of being alive. Artists express human touch through their art in different forms. My life in quarantine, I seek the feeling of being human through reading heartfelt books or watching author films. Being quarantined at home can bring frustration and fear however I believe that the these feeling of suffering and loneliness can inspire artists. I see lots of artworks that will interpret hope, encouragement, compassion, humanity and humility. 

What will be the first thing that will do when the lockdown ends?

I will continue my project of shooting film in Laos.

Do you have an inspiring quote for the world / fellow artists?

“For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face…” 1 Corinthians 13:12

https://vimeo.com/rathchun
https://rathchun.myportfolio.com/

The Lockdown Chronicles #9

INTERVIEW WITH VALERIO GUADAGNO

Where and with whom are you during this lockdown?

I am in Vicenza. Actually I’m not completely alone as I share my apartment with my Strelitzia reginae (a.k.a. Bird of Paradise plant) which sadly isn’t in a very good shape at the moment.

Have you found a new daily routine?

Not really, because every day is scheduled according to my mood which is very variable during this lockdown.

What effect does the lock down have on your art practice? What are you currently working on?

I would say that my art practice had some effect on my lockdown: for sure it helped me to distract from all the negative thoughts I had during the first days. Anyway, the amount of free time encouraged me to complete some unfinished works I had almost forgotten, like for instance a papiermache mask I started eight years ago. In the meantime I’m currently painting a big sculpture and I also have to decide whether to partecipate in a forthcoming collective exhibition with a new work of mine.

Who/What do you miss the most? What are the challenges you are dealing with right now?

To say the least, I’m not a big fan of video calls, online meetings, social networks events and so on…I really miss meeting people in real life, I mean especially the ones I love. In this moment, our present condition looks like a bad sci-fi movie and the future is quite unpredictable not to say scary, so a big challenge is just to keep my mental balance.

Have you found a hidden gem in this unprecedented situation?

Not a single hiddem gem but I see a lot of things from a different perspective: no need to say we are learning the real value of what we gave for granted.

Do you think something good for artists can come out of this? What could it be?

Lynda Barry once wrote that creative ideas come from three key elements of discovery: loneliness, uncertainty and boredom…well, I couldn’t disagree more, but of course I can’t speak for all the artists. On the other hand, I can imagine that being forced to stay home means having much more free time to explore creativity in many ways. This is a big advantage if you find the right enthusiasm.

What will be the first thing that will do when the lockdown ends?

I prefer not to think about the end of the lockdown: in my opinion it only increases anxiety.

Do you have an inspiring quote for the world / fellow artists?

“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning how to dance in the rain.” (Vivian Greene)

I’m sending a portrait of me, as a part of the project “COVID-19 Webcam Portraits (Italians)” by Veronica Mariani.

https://www.instagram.com/rabbit_eye_movement/

The Lockdown Chronicles #10

INTERVIEW WITH AUDE HÉRAIL JÄGER

Where are you and who are you with during this lockdown?

I am sharing my home in East London with my husband.
ACME continues to give access to the studios. I walk from home to the studio in eight minutes, meet no one on my way and am more or less the only artist in the entire studio building.  

Have you found a new daily routine?

I have found it difficult to establish a routine. Somehow, I find myself more involved with housework as if a neat and ordered home gives stability. We also cook more often.
Going to the studio is a blessing.

What effect does the lock down have on your art practice? What are you currently working on?

I have experienced difficulty to stay focused, my concentration has changed. I believe it is caused by the ambient stress and uncertainty.
I am plagued with worries about visibility and selling the work. I am very vigilant about thoughts such as ‘is it worth the effort?’ and ‘who will see this work?’ and kick them out of my head as soon as I notice.
I need time to consider new work and directions. I am continuing the work that I was involved with before the pandemic, and experience a sense of calm in deepening it, without the stress of deadlines.

Who/What do you miss the most? What are the challenges you are dealing with right now? 

Both my husband and I lost our last parents in recent years. It is a small consolation that they will not suffer isolation, loneliness, illness from the virus and general distress from this collective trauma. At the same time, I am thinking of them very often – maybe like a child in distress who turns to her parents for safety.
My husband works for the NHS. He has been going to work as usual until now and is exposed. Regular updates about the virus and the pandemic show that we still know little about the pandemic’s long-term consequences here and in the world and about the extent of the virus’ pathology. These are frightening and distressing times.

Have you found a hidden gem in this unprecedented situation?

The relationship to my husband became more tender than ever.
I always knew how much I need and love my studio. And at the moment I smile in relief and gratitude when I open the door and come in.
Another hidden gem is appreciating small things such as a shadow on the wall or notice new things like the silence at times and the clearer London air.

Do you think something good for artists can come out of this? What could it be?

Artists by trade look at and respond to whatever situation they are in.
The current commercial art market is not viable anymore and that can only be a good thing for artists. Sue Hubbard wrote recently in Artlyst.com: “ […] What will (we) be left with? […] with luck, Art that re-engages us with the personal as well as the aesthetic, the ethical and the emotional, Art that respects the planet as well as what is fresh, new and innovative […]”

What will be the first thing that will do when the lockdown ends?

I cannot wait to go back to museums, exhibitions and see in situ fellow artists’ work. A couple of days before lockdown I organized my birthday party. It was a very special event with most of my dearest and closest friends and a comforting memory for all. It would be nice to organize a twin party with them to celebrate togetherness.

Do you have an inspiring quote for the world / fellow artists?

One breath at a time.

Image title: ‘Sentinel XII – preparatory drawing
(Drawing-book 51, p.99)’
Graphite on moleskine paper
20.8cm x 12.8cm

www.audeherailjager.com

The Lockdown Chronicles #11

INTERVIEW WITH ERNESTO TORRES

Where are you and who are you with during this lockdown?

Im currently spending the lockdown in Spain with my mum , grandad and my husband. We moved back to Barcelona from New York City in December for Christmas. Sadly my dad passed away late January, so we stayed to support my mum and help out with my 90 years old grandad. And we still here.

Have you found a new daily routine?

My life has completely changed lately for obvious reasons and so have my routines. My parents live in the country side in a Catalan farm house, so I have new daily chores such as feeding the chickens, watering plants and vegetables, etc.. I have also taken the responsibility of going out for shopping, pharmacy or essentials. All in all I keep  myself pretty busy.

What effect does the lock down have on your art practice? What are you currently working on?

Being locked down has put all my work and projects on hold. My ceramic practice and all plans we had for this year have suddenly froze and paused. Not being in the studio or not having materials and tools to work at home makes me explore my creativity in other contexts. 
First few days was just watching tv sitting next to my mum while she was doing crochet. Slowly I started to get a bit more curios and getting interest about what she was doing and how she makes the nots until I asked her if she would teach me.  We found some balls of wool in the attic and she taught me how to do the basic nots. I started by knitting a jacket and a blanket for my dog but then I moved onto making some fun projects such as teddy dolls. It’s my fourth week now spending the evenings in front of the tv watching depressing news but creating fun teddy bears. Crocheting is helping me a lot getting through this confinement. It’s very therapeutic and mind distracting. Try it!

Who/What do you miss the most? What are the challenges you are dealing with right now?

I do miss going having access to the studio and materials. Build and create with clay, experiment with glazes. Bringing ideas and projects to life. Succeed in some, fail in many. Having the chance to fail.  The creative process. And I miss the bars.
I see the future the most challenging thing right now. We’ve spent the last three years building and creating a life/work project here in Barcelona. Our business plan, our careers, our lives were all planned to start up during this year. The current situation has stopped all these dreams. The uncertainty of the future makes us look and consider different ways to look and project our lives in a medium and long term. Staying in Barcelona or moving back to London or New York is the biggest challenge we are facing.

Have you found a hidden gem in this unprecedented situation?

Spending this quarantine in the countryside has definitely made me appreciate nature a lot more. Having a big garden at your door step with some farm animals and vegetable garden to care for, it’s a gift to me. Interacting with all these elements on a daily basis is very comforting and pleasant. Also the weather. Mediterranean weather is definitely a gem that I used to take for granted.

Do you think something good for artists can come out of this? What could it be?

I don’t know if something good can come out of this for artist, but we are an expression of a time. Artists minds are constantly working on expressing and visualising what is going on around us, portraying life, concepts and society in general. So many Art Movements were born during times of crisis and revolutionary difficult times, so I’m very optimistic in that sense.

What will be the first thing that will do when the lockdown ends?

Have a beer in a terrace, go to the beach and support small businesses. They will need it the most.

Do you have an inspiring quote for the world / fellow artists?

You won’t last long, so leave a legacy. 
Somali proverb

@elputoamo_ceramics

The Lockdown Chronicles #12

INTERVIEW WITH DANA LAMONDA

Where are you and who are you with during this lockdown?

My name is Dana LaMonda and at the present time my location is The Netherlands where we are in an “intellectual lock down” due to the Corona pandemic. Public places, museums, schools, bars and restaurants are closed except for take-out food. Stores are allowed to be open if they apply the protocol of distance, space and hygiene. The Dutch government decided that we have to take our own responsibility during this era and we are allowed to go outside if needed. Feeling lucky regarding this by the way

Have you found a new daily routine?

5 minutes walking distance from my house where I live with my boyfriend Bram and the cats Jack & Jill is the beach. Daily I find myself strolling along the tidal waves. This has become a bit obsessive because maybe tomorrow the beach access will be off limits. I added swimming to my daily routine, although at the moment it’s more a quick dip in and out of the ocean. The North Sea is close to freezing at this time of year but I’m building up my cold endurance by adding a few extra seconds each day. Being in the cold helps me to get rid of thought forms that aren’t getting me anywhere and it builds up the immune system.

What effect does the lock down have on your art practice? What are you currently working on?

I am a member of the contemporary art collective Quartair. We run our own gallery that was fully booked for this year and we had several international expositions planned in Hong Kong, India, and Milan. Obviously there has been a change of plans. Our studios are located above the gallery. I made a humongous storage unit which I named M.C.C.  (Short for:  My Corona Closet). My studio has never been so organized in my life. I can find anything I need in a blink of an eye, absolutely wonderful this is.     

I make pictures for the newspaper and galleries. I cover art openings, festivals and public events that are happening in the city.  As I miss being the press photographer right now, I’ve started a new project called: “Space 1.5”.  I am trying to capture the surrealistic time we live in. The empty roads and streets, people who talk to each other through closed windows, the way they sit on opposite sides of the street bench, how we pass each other along the way on the path/store/supermarket, the masks and gloves that are being worn, even while driving around in the car. It looks like a Sci-Fi movie to me, and we are living it.

Who/What do you miss the most? What are the challenges you are dealing with right now?

My dear Mom Gloria turned 77 last Wednesday.  I made pasta sauce and we spent her birthday together within the required distance. Not being able to give her a hug is heartbreaking to me. My Papa Rene is in total lock down. He lives on the first floor of a care center and we do balcony visits. I stand on the ground floor while he is on the balcony. Being imprisoned is squeezing the life out of him. There is not much I can do for him at this moment and this makes me furious and I cry a lot. It’s challenging for me to keep my hopes up.

Have you found a hidden gem in this unprecedented situation?

I like to think that Catching our breath, Slowing down and Realizing what is important in life are the hidden gems behind it all. Keeping my fingers crossed that we will remember this when we pick up again the speed of life.

What will be the first thing that will do when the lockdown ends?

The first thing I will do on; “The Day That It Is All Over,” hold and hug my parents, go to the museum, get a funky new hairstyle, wine and dine with friends and dance in the streets until the early morning.  And that day will be a flannel day starting with a hung-over breakfast that the English kitchen is famous for and watching the telly.

Do you have an inspiring quote for the world / fellow artists?

Wanted to end this with a quote I live by: “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.”

Stay safe, sane and health

www.DanaLaMonda.com

Image title : Space 1.5 – i live on the second floor

The Lockdown Chronicles #13

INTERVIEW TO MAURIZIO CAMPOSEO

Where are you and who are you with during this lockdown?

I’m in Vicenza (Italy). That’s the city where I work and live with my family.

Have you found a new daily routine?

My life isn’t changed with the lockdown because I work in a food store, so I never stopped working. Anyway, my emotions are changed because my customers are disoriented and worried about the coronavirus. Working with the face mask  limits the human contact and I miss it.

What effect does the lock down have on your art practice? What are you currently working on?

In this period I think about the existence of humans and their purpose in this world. Probably every artist thinks about that and transforms his thoughts in a particular form of art. Actually I’m not working in something because I don’t think there are a beginning and a finishing line. There are periods of great energy and inspiration and periods in which I prefer thinking about new projects. When the brain accumulates a lot of thoughts, that’s the right moment to paint emotions on a canvas.

Who/What do you miss the most? What are the challenges you are dealing with right now?

Now I miss joy and energy of people. I miss their smiles that are now covered by masks. Anyway I try to mantain relationships with friends and other artists. Technology helps us in this difficult situation so we have the possibility to keep in touch with people we love most. That’s not properly the same thing of having human contact but we need to adapt ourselves to this situation.

Have you found a hidden gem in this unprecedented situation?

Each of us has got a special gem. That’s the sentiment. It’s in our heart but sometimes we keep it hidden. This is the chance we have to discover our emotions and demonstrate them to the people we love. Art is a particular form of sentiment. With a painting we release our emotions. Now it’s the time to transfer emotions person by person.

 Do you think something good for artists can come out of this? What could it be?

Each artist has to observate the world around him and use that feelings to create art. This job requires discipline and meditation. This situation can change the way we have seen the world so far. So we will change the ideas that conduct us to create art.

What will be the first thing that will do when the lockdown ends?

When the lockdown will finish I think that I will appreciate the simplest things: handshakes, kisses and hugs. Internet changed our life. We think to have all in our hands but that’s not true. Life is made of human contacts, not social contacts. After this situation we have to learn what’s really important for us.

Do you have an inspiring quote for the world / fellow artists?

I’m 54 years old. I suggest people to follow their passions and emotions. Let’s grow personal interests and don’t lose curiosity about the life. See the world through the eyes of a child!

www.mauriziocamposeo.com

The Lockdown Chronicles #14

INTERVIEW TO CLIVE BURTON

Where are you and who are you with during this lockdown?
– Lockdown Tour

video

Have you found a new daily routine?
– l – so – lationed

What effect does the lock down have on your art practice? What are you currently working on?
– smARTphone Practice

video

Who/What do you miss the most? What are the challenges you are dealing with right now?
– Shopping Challenge

video

Have you found a hidden gem in this unprecedented situation?
– Lost then Found

video

Do you think something good for artists can come out of this? What could it be?
– Meditation  Revelation

video

What will be the first thing that will do when the lockdown ends?
– Ocean’s Call

video

Do you have an inspiring quote for the world / fellow artists?
– Alone by A.Lone

video

The Lockdown Chronicles #15

INTERVIEW TO SHADI HABIB ALLAH

Where are you and who are you with during this lockdown?

I’m in Palestine staying with my family.

Have you found a new daily routine?

When I visit Palestine I tend to stay for a period of two months where I have a specific work routine.

What effect does the lock down have on your art practice? What are you currently working on?

The lockdown hasn’t affected it much. I have recently finished filming a project and was planning to edit it around this time.  But I decided to leave it for now. I feel there are many things to reflect on instead of carrying on as if nothing has happened.

Who/What do you miss the most? What are the challenges you are dealing with right now?

At this point I miss anything beyond the neighborhood which I guess is normal. The challenges are being with everyone in the house 24/7. These stretches of time can become challenging even with loved ones. They are still good moments to learn things about myself and everyone in the house.

Have you found a hidden gem in this unprecedented situation?

Some years ago a neighbor moved to my family’s neighborhood. He was an elder man. A few times during one visit I heard him sing folk songs loudly in the morning. I went to ask him one day and he insisted that it wasn’t him. No one from the neighbors heard him sing again.

In the past few weeks, I’ve been hearing his voice from behind his garden fence singing folk songs again. Somehow it feels like a calming voice of a wise man as if to assure the neighbors that things will be fine.

Do you think something good for artists can come out of this? What could it be?

I hope something good will come out of this for everyone including artists in the sense of more collaborative efforts and caring for each other. I hope it will also teach us how to slow down our pace and appreciate what we have.

What will be the first thing that will do when the lockdown ends?

Try to catch some of the green covered mountains up north before they dry from the summer’s heat.

Do you have an inspiring quote for the world / fellow artists?

Someone dear to me sent me this recently and it’s resonating with me deeply.

“Lose something every day. Accept the fluster of lost door keys, the hour badly spent. The art of loosing isn’t hard to master”.

From Elizabeth Bishop: One Art

The Post-Lockdown Chronicles #16

INTERVIEW WITH DAGMARA BILON

How was your experience of the lockdown?

I have been experiencing the lock down in about three stages so far 

liberating
awakening 
challenging.

What would you like to hold on to that you have discovered in these times?

Growing Vegetables

How do you want the world to change after this?

This quote resonates with me right now

“The world we see that seems so insane is the result of a belief system that is not working. To perceive the world differently, we must be willing to change our belief system, let the past slip away, expand our sense of now, and dissolve the fear in our minds.”

William James

What effect has the lockdown had on your art practice, is there something that you will change or something that is worrying you?

The experience of the lockdown is not something that is entirely new to me. Since becoming a parent I had to learn how to adapt working from home and being in a sort of ‘lockdown’.

Being a parent has affected my practice and steered my art making into new directions. It has made me more flexible, working with the feelings present in the moment and not be too ‘pushy’ to achieve anything, but enjoying the process of solitary making-being.  

However, knowing that most of the world is in a ‘stand still’ with me has been selfishly soothing as opposed to feeling the world around me moves on produces produces produces and its just me that has to stop has left me feeling isolated/disconnected in the past.

I experiment with performance ideas in the living room, write, draw and share material with close collaborators. Some of these ideas grow and flourish in the world and some of them go back to sleep, just like thoughts. I trust  ‘the universe’ and believe if there is a need for something to manifest that it will and it does. And I know that for things to take shape in the world I can not do it alone. Partners and collaboration are very important for me.

My children are 10 and 15 now. I have enjoyed having that extra bit of time with them.

How do you feel about your artwork not being accessible to the audience probably for a long time other than digitally?

I was meant to start rehearsing and shortly after performing a new production with The Purple Ladies in April, which due to the circumstance- got postponed. With the help of the emergency Arts Council grant we were able to ‘turn’ our performance into an interactive visual audio book. We are in this process of making it right now and I have to say its been very exciting so far. I have had the opportunity to work more with photography, video, editing and writing guided movement journeys that are extremely joyful. Taking up the challenge on how to interact with an audience through a little screen  has been exciting.

However,

I think there is much more scope of sharing art other than digital. Sight specific/responsive live action, window art, one on ones solidare experiencing, going into exhibitions one by one or in small groups (once the lockdown eases) , phone art, nature art, mountain art, long distance viewing and so on……

In my practice I’m especially interested in dialogue between inner experience of a person in relation to outer curated actions, forms and spatial dynamics and vise versa. This can take place in so many various contexts that art making has not been restricted by the lockdown and art sharing has become more exciting to explore.

Is there something you would like to see (or saw) happen that could help artists and people connect and reach out?

M e d i t a t i o n. Connect IN to connect out.

Do you have an inspiring speaker, book, talk, instagram account that helped you in these challenging times or you want to recommend to other artists and creatives?

Experimental Futures

https://youtu.be/aNFvM5XqF8g

https://youtu.be/qnzzNF6zLC8

www.dagmarabilon.com

The Post-Lockdown Chronicles #17

INTERVIEW WITH GAYLE CHONG KWAN

How was your experience of the lockdown?

I was on my own in Leytonstone in London with my sons, aged 4 and 10, as the schools and nurseries were closed. It was exhausting, fun, and bonding – an intense together-time of baking, cooking, painting, playing, making, drawing, eating, and long walks and cycling everyday in Epping Forest. I had to stop all work projects and focus entirely on my sons. My 4 year old son would not be able to wait in long queues at supermarkets so I had to find online organic local deliveries, which really reduced the amount of plastic and packaging from shopping. Our time together in the forest became the focal point of our days. Landscapes and markers were familiar friends that changed with the rain, sunlight, and time of day we were there. We now have our climbing tree forest, our snake-winding-stream forest where the boys take their shoes off and play in the water, the fallen tree trunk bridge to the island of adventure, and many more. Birds, caterpillars, spiders, all took on significance. One day walking in the forest I had what felt like an epiphany of physical connectedness to the trees and that night had an intense dream of trees moving around like people around me.

What would you like to hold on to that you have discovered in these times?

The importance of spending time with people you love.

How do you want the world to change after this? 

I live on a busy main road in East London and the shift to quiet during lockdown was remarkable. From my garden I could hear birds sing. The dramatic reduction in traffic, movement, and flights has lowered emission levels and the earth’s hum, and has returned some over-touristic areas to local inhabitants again. I am working (remotely) with Ca’ Foscari University in Venice, and people who work there have described how clean the canals have been, how quiet the tourist sites have become, the way the aquatic life has returned to the city.

I hope the appreciation of the NHS develops into more concrete and financial support for it. I hope that the disproportionate BAME deaths from Covid-19 are properly investigated.

From the Black Lives Matter protests and demonstrations after the murder of George Floyd, that are occurring in the US, in the UK, and many other places, I hope that something profoundly changes. I hope that there is an acknowledgement, education, and discussion, along with concrete changes. Racism seeps into so many parts of lives. I vividly remember as a child witnessing racism against my father, who was a Chinese-Mauritian immigrant, in the UK.

What effect has the lockdown had on your art practice, is there something that you will change or something that is worrying you?

I stopped work during lockdown as I had to focus completely on my sons. My work, and projects I was developing started to enter into my dreams, which became vividly visual and intense. When I started working again when my youngest son returned to nursery, it was like re-joining a core part of myself that I had had to put away. I realised that I had been thinking and processing many parts of my work without actually directly doing anything, so I was ready to go on.

How do you feel about your artwork not being accessible to the audience probably for a long time other than digitally?

Much of my work is processual, sensory, and experiential, with less focus on art as discrete objects. I am currently developing a work, Dream Tapestry, where I am inviting people to contribute words and images of a vivid or intense dream they have had during the Covid-19 Emergency, which I will embroider into the inside seams and folds of clothes, to make a communal dream tapestry, to be exhibited online and eventually donated to charity shops in Waltham Forest. I am excited about works that that reach beyond the usual outlets and spaces in which art is experienced. 

Is there something you would like to see (or saw) happen that could help artists and people connect and reach out?

The connection with and support from my neighbours and local community during the Covid-19 Emergency and lockdown has been really special.

Do you have an inspiring speaker, book, talk, instagram account that helped you in these challenging times or you want to recommend to other artists and creatives?

I have been reading ‘Non-Representational Theory and the Creative Arts’, edited by Candice P. Boyd, and Christian Edwardes, Palgrave Macmillan, 2019, to which I also contribute an essay, there are so many rich and rewarding texts, which I have found inspirational to think differently about how we approach creativity and experience.

www.gaylechongkwan.com
Insta @gaylechongkwan
Twitter @Gayle_ChongKwan

The Post-Lockdown Chronicles #18

INTERVIEW WITH SABINA TUPAN

How was your experience of the lockdown?

I’ve rewritten the answer to this question so many times because of it’s lack of positivity and now it’s starting to become funny- almost. Yes, it’s been quite unique I guess, filled with questions, concerns, creativity bursts and blocks…some days I would be a self proclaimed baking queen and other days I would stay in bed the whole day. Oh, and don’t forget those ice cream moments! 

When the pandemic hit Romania, I was living in Bucharest in a minuscule studio flat with my partner and cat. There was barely any room for moving about so I mostly worked on digital illustrations on my tablet. We remained in this tiny space for about a month during lockdown until we had to vacate the property and moved to Bacău, the home city of my partner. The apartment is much more spacious than our previous home so this allowed me to return towards the physical part of my practice, resume large scale painting and modeling various objects. 

What would you like to hold on to that you have discovered in these times?

I’d really like to keep up with my self care routine, it’s something I wasn’t really into before. The self care routine meant that I should do something for myself on a daily basis and acknowledge it, give thanks for it, even if it was a quick beauty treatment, making and eating the dessert of my liking or resting on the bed with some soothing music in the background. 

How do you want the world to change after this?

The world will change as it’s always done and this  “going back to normal” statement seems dangerous to me, at least. The pandemic, the current protests that concern society on a global scale and the increasing pollution raise serious concerns regarding our understanding of “normality”. 

How I see things, cultivating solidarity is a much needed change and by doing so we could actually cure a lot of our society’s diseases. 

What effect has the lockdown had on your art practice, is there something that you will change or something that is worrying you?

I thought of experimenting a bit more in my practice during lockdown so I introduced different materials and techniques in an attempted to escape the illustrative aesthetic I’ve been using a lot lately, due to the number of digital illustrations I was commissioned to do as a freelance illustrator. 

So, for me, this was really an opportunity to try something new and reintroduce play in my art, refocusing on the process rather than the outcome. Oh, in this regard I also produced a series of objects called “therapy clay work series”- and yes, the title is very much self explanatory. But why I wanted to mention this series… to point out the healing role that art played in households across the world during this time, even for artists in need of tlc. Art making is indeed a job but in times like these artists should remind themselves that it doesn’t always have to be all that serious (there is a possibility I might be just talking to myself here). 

How do you feel about your artwork not being accessible to the audience probably for a long time other than digitally?

Here it’s a bit tricky because I’m not really a social media wizard when it comes to promoting my work successfully via these platforms and since the pandemic started I found myself overwhelmed by the amount of online content. My work definitely requires public interaction and a physical space- both my work and myself if I think of it. Until that moment comes, I’ll just keep making work, contribute to some digital open calls (a selected few) and closely observe my relationship with social media.

Is there something you would like to see (or saw) happen that could help artists and people connect and reach out?

I’ve seen a lot of support networks emerging during these times and I’ve witnessed a lot of solidarity amongst individuals. This is something I really appreciated and, at the same time, I wish supporting one another would become a common practice amongst artists, even if we’re not going through a pandemic. 

Do you have an inspiring speaker, book, talk, instagram account that helped you in these challenging times or you want to recommend to other artists and creatives?

Francisca Silva, aka Framacho (https://instagram.com/framacho?igshid=73unkpe8bftr  ) is a tattoo artist that I love and have been following on Instagram for years, her work is essentially visual poetry and carries empowering and healing messages.  During lockdown, Fra organized a conversation with psychotherapist Asher Pandjiris regarding the various challenges one might face over this period, how we could offer support to each other in a healthy way online, the does and don’ts on Instagram and other useful and comforting information. 

I remember the day the conversation was posted I was going thought some heavy emotions and watching the interview actually helped me get out of that bubble.

www.sabinatupan.net
www.instagram.com/sabina_tupan/

The Post-Lockdown Chronicles #20

INTERVIEW WITH EMMA ROPER-EVANS

How was your experience of the lockdown?

Busy, I have been involved in two workshops: One for visually impaired and blind artists which is run by Gzillion Artist and a theatrical one for disabled people. My Zoom skills are improving day by day. The artists are making work about Lockdown, some of them are very isolated and have been told to stay at home until July so they are documenting their experiences in amazing and unexpected ways. Whilst the theatre group are working on a play, which will have to be performed on Zoom, so has loads of pitfalls but also means we have to think on our feet to come up with ways to perform without actually being in the same space. So both are teaching me new skills, opening new doors and making me new friends. I was writing the second part of my novel but found I didn’t have the concentration required, so I have been writing more poetry and doing a series of Lockdown artists’ interviews myself for the Sunday Tribune. I showed a work ‘Scorched Lands’, at a video conference for OMSS (Oxford Migration Studies Society) on a project I did with migrants in Atina, Italy, at the residency there last summer. I am also involved in COVIDEO with fellow artists, which has been really exciting, about the current situation here in the UK.

What would you like to hold on to that you have discovered in these times?

How, by having to avoid each other, we have become more aware of each other. I am constantly chatting to people I would never have exchanged a word with before, as we are in this weird situation where we have to physically avoid each other on pavements, in parks etc. I think that is interesting and something I want to explore.

How do you want the world to change after this?

Less pollution, more awareness, less inequality, more tolerance, but am very afraid, given the poor leadership we have in the big economies the world over, it will fall back as before.

What effect has the lockdown had on your art practice, is there something that you will change or something that is worrying you?

I am up and down, sometimes I am all anxiety, the next moment I feel calm, so happy the sky is blue and plane-less. I swing less now but at the beginning I was much more manic.

How do you feel about your artwork not being accessible to the audience probably for a long time other than digitally?

I am more concerned with artists having a place, after all is over, to present work both on Covid and BLM. It seems our government wants to shut both those down asap, so we must keep working.

Is there something you would like to see (or saw) happen that could help artists and people connect and reach out?

I rely on my artist friends for most things, from inspiration to laughs, criticism and praise, I think we need artist led digital platforms such as my friend Veronica Shimanovskaya created in San Fran https://www.ephemereye.com/ which promotes and connects artists from across the globe, we need more global conversations. What are artists in Wuhan doing for example or Mumbai, Moscow?

Do you have an inspiring speaker, book, talk, instagram account that helped you in these challenging times or you want to recommend to other artists and creatives?

Yes an amazing video which totally gripped and inspired me and made me cry, it was posted by Melanin but has been taken down now, it was an American black woman talking straight at the camera without pause for six or so minutes about the BLM protests. It was so brave, so passionate, the last line was to the effect “ You’re lucky all we want is equality, not revenge!”. We need to overcome this struggle with words, actions, courage and perception, to achieve precisely that!

Emma’s “Scorched Lands” can be seen in Routed Magazine
Insta account roperevans

Photo from COVIDEO

The Post-Lockdown Chronicles #20

INTERVIEW WITH FREDERICA AGBAH

How was your experience of the lockdown?

I tried to embrace the lockdown and take it for what it is, an opportunity for the world to stop, to stand still and take stock. 

What would you like to hold on to that you have discovered in these times?

I’m active politically and volunteer in my local community but this has been redefined due to the lockdown. Instead of my usual volunteer duties I’ve taken on more responsibilities in the micro community around me. It’s been great getting to know my neighbours, collecting medicines and food for the shielded, even swapping house plants. I’ve started growing food on my windowsills, peas, runner beans, peppers, tomatoes, ginger, I’m too scared to plant them out in the garden in case they get eaten by the birds!

I used my daily walks to meditate on the stillness of the world and to try to clear any challenging emotions. These walks have extended to up to 10 miles a day as lockdown has eased and I have found them to be increasingly therapeutic.

How do you want the world to change after this?

The events of the 25th of May shook the world and rightly so. 

Like many other people I struggled to come to terms with the shocking brutality of George Floyd’s death. The usual channels for expression, getting out into the streets, were denied to most of us. If you’re black in America you are three times more likely to be fatally wounded by police.

The murder and subsequent events left many of us feeling powerless to protest the injustices against black people in America that just seem unending. 

I invited people to join Distanced Resistance a virtual protest I set up on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

I want the world to change; to really change.

I have concerns around the extension of police powers, prolonged austerity, further decreases in social mobility and inequality.

My hopes are that the esteem we have for the most vulnerable in our society is increased, that the renewed respect we have for our key workers is not diminished.

I hope that people remember the businesses that let us down in our hour of need and realise that change is possible through the decisions we take on where we choose to spend our money.

I hope that we continue to fight for those in coercive, controlling and abusive relationships, who have borne the brunt of being imprisoned by lockdown.

I hope that workers rights are once again placed high on the political agenda, where they belong.

I hope that the clamour for normality does not mean we return to the mindless hamster wheel of consumption; that we don’t forget the clearer skies, quiet roads, the sounds of nature no longer drowned out by the cacophony.

These have been unprecedented times and for the human race to ignore the lessons learned would be as much a tragedy as the pandemic.

What effect has the lockdown had on your art practice, is there something that you will change or something that is worrying you?

My photography practice tends to involve working with human subjects and of course, the pandemic prevented that interaction. Even outside of that, I didn’t feel that I could take my camera out on my daily walks as it wasn’t appropriate to be outside for anything more than necessary. 

How do you feel about your artwork not being accessible to the audience probably for a long time other than digitally?

I’m embracing the challenges of not being able to show work in public at this time but looking forward to when this changes. I’ve been thinking a lot about time based practice and this is something I hope to explore after the lockdown.

As a photographer and filmmaker, my work can be seen online, so audience access isn’t as prohibitive as it might otherwise be.

Is there something you would like to see (or saw) happen that could help artists and people connect and reach out?

During the lockdown I participated in a film made by Blake House Film Collective. The work is for a new global initiative called Progressive International which aims to bring activists together in order to support international discourse and collaboration. It’s great to see an online resource that will allow likeminded artists and activists to come together for the common good. I’d advise anyone who cares about the planet to take a look and sign up.

https://progressive.international/

Do you have an inspiring speaker, book, talk, instagram account that helped you in these challenging times or you want to recommend to other artists and creatives?

I’ve been doing a lot of reading, revisiting work that I’ve found useful in the past. This time period has given books like The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle a new perspective for me. I’ve also found that journaling, which is something that I haven’t been able to remain consistent with in the past has had a really grounding effect on the seesaw of emotions that I’ve been trying to balance throughout this period. 

I use an electronic journal to help ground me and it’s also helped me express gratitude on a daily basis. I store a daily image or photograph in the journal which gives me a visual reminder of the last few months.

Joining the Artists Support Pledge set up by Matthew Burrows helped me to support other artists during this challenging time. I bought a piece by the painter Patrick O’Donnell and also bought work from an inspiring women only outsider art project called Fierce Women Art, take a look at their Instagram account, it’s amazing!

Artists Support Pledge 
http://www.matthewburrows.org/artist-support-pledge

Patrick O’Donnell-
http://www.patrick-odonnell.co.uk/

Fierce Women Art
https://instagram.com/fiercewomenart?igshid=2jpyhw4d8k90

Five Minute Journal by Intelligent Change Inc.
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/five-minute-journal/id1062945251

Photos by Frederica Agbah

The Post-Lockdown Chronicles #21

INTERVIEW WITH HELEN ROSE HAMILTON

How was your experience of the lockdown?

Up and down, definitely! I was working right up until lockdown was announced, and waking up the following morning suddenly working from
home and unable to go anywhere or see anyone was very surreal. I’ve struggled with not being able to see my parents or my closest friends for 3
months and I have often felt quite isolated. On the other hand, having the time to just sit in the park and read, or go on a long walk to explore my
local area, or rediscover old hobbies has been really nice in many ways.
I’ve been trying to find positives throughout the whole experience, though I can’t say it hasn’t been difficult.

What would you like to hold on to that you have discovered in these times?

I’ve always thought I was the type of person who needs to be busy, and this experience has forced me to slow down in many ways. I’m looking
forward to being able to make plans again, but I think from now on I’ll try to ensure I have some time off for myself. Also, the joys of a long bath!

How do you want the world to change after this?

I’d like to think lockdown has made people think about their consumption – I’ve barely bought anything for the last 3 months, and I don’t really feel like I’m missing out. Hopefully we’ll see more awareness of consuming more sustainably, more consideration for the environment, and more appreciation for the people we care about that we’ve been separated from.
There’s been a lot of talk about solidarity and coming together between people throughout lockdown, and I’d like to see this translate into political change too.

What effect has the lockdown had on your art practice, is there something that you will change or something that is worrying you?

For the first month or so of lockdown I really felt unable to work at all; I couldn’t access my studio or most of my materials, and I didn’t have a space at home big enough to use temporarily. I also had a residency I was in the process of preparing for postponed, which threw off a lot of my plans and thinking.
After those weeks I started picking up my sketchbook again, at first just to think about what I would work on once lockdown was over, but then
began drawing and painting as a way of making work in itself. I’ve never been particularly invested in 2D making, previously always using it just as a way of planning or visualising sculptural pieces, so it’s been interesting to explore that in much more depth. I doubt I’ll ever stop having a predominantly sculptural practice, but I would like to incorporate more drawing in my practice post-lockdown. Luckily my studio building has been reopened and I’m able to access my space again, though it’s still a little difficult to think about my practice whilst there’s so much still on hold. I’m currently working on ideas for the postponed residency, though I’m unsure when this will be able to happen.

How do you feel about your artwork not being accessible to the audience probably for a long time other than digitally?

I haven’t thought about this too much if I’m honest. Aside from exhibitions, open studios, and the occasional workshop I don’t have a particularly public-facing practice anyway, so lockdown hasn’t changed much in this respect – I’m still updating my website as normal, and I’m unsure digital exhibitions would fit with my work. I’d probably feel differently if I’d had more events cancelled, so I guess I’m lucky that I didn’t have anything really crucial planned and managed to show work at the beginning of the year. What I’m missing much more is the art scene activity here; being able to visit my friends’ studios, or have people in mine, as well as attending shows, events, and crits.

Is there something you would like to see (or saw) happen that could help artists and people connect and reach out?

I think there’s been a lot of solidarity shown in the arts community, and people have made a real effort to find new ways of connecting. My Instagram feed has seen some really interesting ideas for lockdown practices, and people have been really open about how things have changed for them, as well as offering support. I thought the Artist Support Pledge in particular was brilliant. It’s also been great to see galleries and arts groups give over their feeds to artists, and how people have showcased their work digitally. I’d really hope this level of engagement and sharing carries on somehow.

Do you have an inspiring speaker, book, talk, instagram account that helped you in these challenging times or you want to recommend to other artists and creatives?

I recently reread Evocative Objects: Things We Think With by Sherry Turkle. It’s a great exploration of peoples’ attachments to things they own, but seems especially pertinent now we’re all spending so much time at home around our belongings.

www.helenrosehamilton.com
instagram @helenrhamilton