Art has long been an important way for society to comply with difficulties and tragedy. And as the world goes through the third wave of COVID-19, art, for most people, has become a tool for education, self-expression, and even recreation.
In the following article, I invite you to explore the pieces of artwork that have evoked feelings during the global pandemic.
Rene Magritte, The Lovers
At the beginning of the global lockdown, Rene Magritte’s famous work The Lovers became a key element of all social media platforms. And no wonder – viewers noticed the ability of this work to show the complex emotions of people going through this tense time. The 1928 painting depicts a couple kissing, but their heads are covered with a white cloth, representing their inability to communicate. As this photo was reposted thousands of times online, it became clear that this photo made such an impression because of the analogy associated with the feeling of wearing masks, isolation, and separation.
Banksy
We all know the street artist Banksy, who’s known for his satirical street artworks painted upon buildings around the world. His socially driven paintings make him easily recognizable, as he’s become one of the highest-selling artists.
His recent work called Game Changer was created during the first wave of the pandemic. The black-and-white artwork depicts a little boy playing with a mask-wearing nurse-doll. In a basket near him, the recognizable superheroes are disposed of, meaning a boy chooses a nurse as his superhero. “Not all superheroes wear capes” – this work shows recognition of key worker’s value.
Banksy_Game_Changer
The work first appeared in May 2020 in the emergency room of Southampton Hospital. The painting was accompanied by a note, “Thanks for all you’re doing, I hope this brightens the place up a bit, even if it’s only black and white.”
C215
The infamous Parisian graffiti artist C215, who’s been described as France’s answer to Banksy, is well known from New Delhi to the West Bank, from Paris to New York for his colorful and meaningful murals.
During the lockdown, he created an artwork, Love In The Time of Coronavirus, where a couple was kissing through the masks. C215 has also created a stencil of the first supermarket checkout worker, Aïcha Issadounène, who died of the virus in France.
David Brandon Geeting
David Brandon Geeting is a New York-based conceptual photographer and artist who brings nostalgic images with satirical social undertones.
In 2020, together with his girlfriend, Lina Sun Park, they created the Self-Quarantine Residency Series. This exciting project stores a collection of aesthetic photos created in quarantine, expressing their domestic situation and connecting people.
Sammy Slabnick
A Belgian collage artist and re-animator, Sammy Slabnick, created a vintage-style collage called Stay Home Stay Safe Stay Sane. The artwork features a woman with an explosive head, sitting in the house surrounded by different household products.
As the title stays, the art clearly shows the psychological effect of quarantine, showing us the need to take care of our mental health during this difficult time. The exploding head just summarized the chaos and frustration that many people experience.
Juan Delcan
Juan Delcan, an artist and animator, created a piece of art that also served to raise awareness during the global pandemic. Making a short video clip Safety Match, Juan showed the importance and effectiveness of social distancing and reminded everyone of our responsibilities to keep others safe. The video features a long queue of matches catching fire until one match steps out of the line and helps the fire stop spreading.
Tschabalala Self
A less visible reference to the pandemic and the virus itself – Telephone by the infamous artist Tschabalala Self. Created after the worst period of international lockdowns, the artwork represents social habits during the quarantine. The image shows a subject sitting on a chair and speaking on a retro-styled telephone.
Since the artwork’s background is minimalist and blank, we can assume that the subject is living alone with limited social contact. However, the act of talking over the phone for a long time represents the fact that people didn’t prioritize long conversations before lockdown.
Nichelle Dailey
Pandemic was chronologically overlapped by another important issue. A New York-based photographer, Nichelle Dailey, decided to show these problems in terms of fighting for social justice during the global health crisis.
In summer 2020, the murder of George Floyd by a police officer took place, sparking hundreds of protests across the US and other countries. As Dailey was present at the protests, she created the People Against Brutality NYC photo essay. By displaying images from these exact protests, she demanded justice but also showed society the effect of COVID-19 on African American people in the US – as even during these harsh moments of anger, protesters were wearing masks and showing gestures of unity.
Unity
As we struggle from the third wave of COVID-19, it is important to stay together as a unity. Artists worldwide are spreading their words through their pieces in order to inspire, incite, inform, and help people survive this harsh time – something desperately needed in the time of uncertainty.
