Now that the world is changing order, and new measures are being introduced in our everyday lives, the world of art and visual culture is also evolving to make art happenings available for viewing. It is said that artists have the most sensitive soul of all, their creativity tends to be a window – opening to social circumstances surrounding us all. In the wake of the pandemic COVID-19 a number of artists have been busy trying to make sense of and give us a vivid expression of the whole situation at hand, through performance and artistic interventions specific to their creative niche. Read on to find out how three different artists, in three different countries, with three different backgrounds bring on screen their interpretation of the one same debacle – COVID-19.
Bibo Keeley
Artist Bibo Keeley, an Aberdeen based performance artist who works in sculpture, photography and live art in combination, has recently produced a video under lockdown. The video was sent as course material by Professor Amy Bryzgel, to post-graduate students of MLitt Film, Visual Culture and Arts Management. I first met Keeley when she was invited to one of our tutorials, as a guest artist where she spoke of her work. I was immediately drawn to the ingenuity and skill of her work. Therefore, I clicked the link to the video as soon as I read the email. The sheer brilliance and poignancy of the content to current circumstances compelled me to share it with others. Titled ‘The New Normal’, the performance sets into focus how time today requires a selfless sacrificing from us all, to deal with nature’s onslaught. Not to give away any spoilers – the performance’s hero is the hair. In many cultures hair is considered as the most sacred part of the human body: for example, Muslim women keep it wrapped up out of sight as an indication of piety and virtue. The Christian nuns have it tucked away as a sign of holiness and devotion to Christ. Whereas, inmates in American prisons have their hair shaved off from the start of their incarceration. The artist depicts all these stances, leaving the viewer with a spine-tingling sensation filled with emotions only a person under lockdown would understand, hence me and you!
Amin Gulgee
Amin Gulgee is a well-known Pakistani art connoisseur, who works in performance, sculpture, painting and theatre to name a few. I contacted him recently to find out what creative expressions are taking place in Pakistan in the wake of the pandemic. I was pleased to find what I was looking for – The Trojan Donkey! ‘Yes Reema we have done quite a lot of work in the lockdown – please see this link to view’, said Gulgee in his typical to-the-point style, as he sent me the direct link on WhatsApp. Online curated art happenings, performed by a number of seventy-nine artists participating from over twenty-five countries, titled Trojan Donkey – the compilation is a viewer’s delight to behold. Taking cue from the Greek myth of the danger within, the Trojan Horse here is replaced by the Donkey, because the animal is a regular sight on the streets of Karachi, working hard carrying burdens double its size, and is also seen flying across the city in chariot racing as a form of entertainment. Running over a period of three hours filmed live, the artists depict their take on isolation, economic and financial deprivation, and the twilight zone we are witnessing. The performances can be viewed here: https://www.facebook.com/TheTrojanDonkey
May Murad
Visual artist May Murad is a recent but most delightful treasure find in my course of studies. Born and raised in Palestine, Murad is a phenomenally gifted artist, who has studied and worked under life-threatening pressures to become an artist. She has recently started an art residency in the artist’s paradise, Paris. Most recently, she has produced work which focuses on the stark reality of the virus and what impediments the new social structure has brought with it. Using laser technology on her paintings, the digital mix with nature’s bounty as background is a most pertinent yet shocking revelation of truth. All the pictures depict beauty with restraints. Murad’s paintings can be viewed on https://www.facebook.com/artist.may/ or her webpage artistmaymurad.com.
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