“But the flu did not go unnoticed by artists. Rather, the outbreak magnified the absurdity of the moment, according to art historian Corinna Kirsch. For many, World War I and the flu combined with political upheavals (such as the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the rise of newly-formed communist governments) and social issues (such as gender and income inequality) to create a perception of the universe as chaotic and hopeless. A sense of meaninglessness spread and people started to lose faith in their governments, existing social structures and accepted moral values. Everyday life felt ridiculous. The art movements that came out of this period explored this hopelessness, tried to fight against it, and showed the ways in which everyone was trying to cope.”
Anna Purna Kambhampaty, Time Magazine, May 5, 2020
I recently read this fascinating article on how the Spanish Flu affected the art movement of its time, 100 years ago. This Flu wreaked havoc on the world in the same way the Coronavirus is wreaking havoc on ours. The 1918 flu changed life and art just as Covid-19 is affecting both today.
I know I am not alone when it comes to this change. My work has indeed shifted to something more akin to therapy and the theme I am obsessing with deals with the meltdown or breakdown of society as we know it. Being engrossed in my work is therapy, I find I am more at peace and calmer when I’m working. I set a goal for myself to paint 1 painting per week of our quarantine. Setting this goal and working diligently towards it is my way of coping with the gravity in our lives and the world today.
Being connected on social media with other artists I started seeing that I wasn’t alone. These artists are also being driven by this force and being pushed into unforeseen creativity. The Spanish Flu brought on the Dada Art Movement. I am interested to see, after this is over, what our art movement will turn out to be and how others coped and interpreted the issues of our day through art.
The work you see on this page is driven by the world of Corvid-19 - grasping onto beauty in a hyper-realistic way while at the same time feeling on the edge of losing all that is precious and beautiful; a world starting to unravel. These canvases embody that uncertainty while at the same time trying to hold onto what is beautiful, hence the Meltdown Series.
