The Pandemic's Impact on Art
Self-quarantine has been a universal experience during the pandemic, with a large influence on people's mental and physical health. One aspect of its influence is on modern art and creativity. A study in April of 2021 found that there were about four different types of ways people during the pandemic coped while using art as an outlet. This included designing, music, crafts, and reading. However much someone engaged with these crafts they found was based on how much social support they were receiving at the time and their age. Art was used as an avoidance tactic while also assisting a person's self-development. Another part that the study noticed was the opportunity to engage in these crafts virtually.
Music
The pandemic hit the music industry hard as many concerts and tours in 2020 had to be rescheduled or canceled. Fortunately, this sparked a new way to engage with fans. Many artists have hosted online concerts in which fans could watch their favourite in real-time from the comfort of home.
Image is courtesy of cdn.filestackcontent.com.
Painting
Lona Mody, is a co-director of the University of Michigan, created this piece to reflect on her overwhelming experience with the pandemic. To create this, she took inspiration from the lifeless natures of the buildings in major cities, and it is hung in her department as a reminder of their experiences of this historical event.
Image is courtesy of media.nature.com.
This painting depicts art made by Khushboo Laguri called Frontline Heros. This piece shows all the roles that those working in the ICU and ER had to face while working during the pandemic. These roles might have included infection control workers, healers, scientists, and in many instances the link between families losing their loved ones.
Image is courtesy of goodhomes.wwmindia.com.
This piece is made by Jessica Johnson who works as a data scientist at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. They have used art as a means to cope during the pandemic and commissioned this piece to her school for a COVID research symposium. The goal of the art was to show every piece of research into the virus, and the huge support, time and effort put into studying the virus by those in healthcare.
Image is courtesy of media.nature.com.
New Books
Some people have spoken about their experiences in not being able to create at all during the pandemic; however, some have been able to use their time to write about it. It’s safe to say that many of the books that are written in the past 2 years are going to have been influenced by COVID-19 whether it be in content or giving writers time to finish or start new projects.
Some books that are coming out or have yet to be released include:
Fiction
Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult
COVID Chronicles: A Comics Anthology by Kendra Boileau and Rich Johnson
Children's Books
Outside, Inside by LeUyen Pham
Paula and the Pandemic by Dorothea Laurence
Poems and Essays
"Alone Together: Love, Grief, and Comfort in the Time of COVID-19" by Jennifer Haupt
Non-fiction
Apollo's Arrow: The Profound and Enduring Impact of Coronavirus on the Way We Live by Nicholas A. Christakis,
How We Live Now: Scenes from the Pandemic by Bill Hayes
The Premonition: A Pandemic Story by Michael Lewis
Article author: Idil Gure
Article editors: Sherilyn Wen, Stephanie Sahadeo