CREATING FROM THE INSIDE
Whether by embracing new hobbies, adapting to working from home, or discovering new ways of staying connected, we have all had to reevaluate our relationships to the home spaces that have come to hold most of our daily lives. The galleries below feature interview clips of pandemic creators- meme and content creators, artists, activists, and community members -each of whom were interviewed from their homes.
Where's Lightfoot?
by DANNY MARTINEZ
Chicago Content Creator
Chicago native Danny Martinez created a series of memes on his Instagram profile, @whereslightfoot. Inspired by the famous illustrative series Where's Waldo? by British author Martin, Handford, Martinez photoshops Mayor Lori Lightfoot watching over the city, monitoring how well people are following Coronavirus social distancing guidance. He hopes, at the very least, to put a smile on people's faces as the pandemic drags on.
Talking to Youth About Coronavirus
by VICKO ALVAREZ
Chicago Activist/Artist
"Our lives have been flipped backwards and sideways. If you’re feeling confused or uncomfortable then so are the young ones. Take a minute (or several) to talk to them about what’s going on and to ease them into our new normal in light of #covıd19. This comic doesn’t cover everything, it’s just a conversation starter, so if you have more tips just shoot em out! Tysm to the pros who helped inform this comic!"
- From Alvarez's Instagram page (@lavicko), 2020
'COVID House' Series and 'COVID Journal'
by BETH HERMAN ADLER
Chicago Printmaker
These selected works from Adler's July 2021 gallery, "Shape Shift," feature prints and paper works chronicling the difficult stages of life that foregrounded the pandemic. The houses, accompanied by pages of her "Covid Journal" book, were created monthly using newspaper clippings covering news on COVID-19. “The houses were my diary for this period, keeping track of the progress of the virus,” says Adler.
Adler is seen here sharing pages from her COVID Journal. What began as a gardening journal grew into 'something else, something more ominous' over the course of the pandemic. This journal is filled with the uncertainty and questions which were central to many of our experiences during the early days of the pandemic. It became a place for her to express her fears - specifically those related to the food supply chain and her own health and wellness. As a member of a high risk group, she was very anxious over her own safety as the initial uncertainty ebbed, replaced by the knowledge that the pandemic was going nowhere soon.
Blursday
by Ben Blount
Chicago Printmaker
Ben Blount is a Chicago-based artist, designer and letterpress printer. His work often explores questions of race and identity and the stories we tell ourselves about living in America. Ben is a believer in the power of the printed word and shares his passion for print and design speaking to students and educators around the country. "This was such a weird time-space we were in - and the print shows how time felt blurred - such a strange year…sometimes time was really slow, sometimes really fast..." - Ben Blount
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Letterpress of each day of the week layered onto the next, with 'DAY' aligned. Letterpress poster 12.5'' x 9.5'' (T#2021.24.1)
The Digital Age
CONTRIBUTORS TO THE PANDEMIC COLLECTION IN
THE PROCESS OF BEING INTERVIEWED — IN THEIR HOMES.
