It all began with an outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. March 11, 2025 marks 5 years since the World Health Organization declared a pandemic. I won’t let this anniversary pass without acknowledging the impact it had on so many people. We made sweeping and swift changes. We were isolated and afraid. Our mental health was impacted. There were massive work disruptions. We searched for respirators and N95 masks. Misinformation was everywhere. Testing was challenging.
Lockdowns brought challenges for artists, exhibitions were canceled, performances were halted, and income sources dried up. Artists for the most part are solitary. But there were upsides and new ways to socialize…virtually. Zoom and other remote technologies became ubiquitous. I and others found ways to converse with others. We drew virtually. We took on projects we perhaps hadn’t had time for previously. For instance, when it was safe to go back outside, I made it a daily practice to ride my bike to a different spot, write a haiku and make a drawing. I wrote about it, back on the 3rd anniversary of the Pandemic.
It all began with an outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. March 11, 2025 marks five years since the World Health Organization declared a pandemic and I refuse to let this anniversary slip by without recognizing the profound impact it has had on countless lives. We faced rapid and drastic changes, grappling with isolation and fear that took a toll on our mental health while our work lives were turned upside down. We frantically searched for respirators and N95 masks amidst a sea of misinformation and faced the daunting challenge of obtaining reliable testing. The lockdowns presented unique hurdles for artists as exhibitions were canceled, performances halted, and income sources vanished. Artists, typically solitary by nature, found themselves navigating new avenues of virtual connection. Platforms like Zoom became part of our daily lives and offered a lifeline for conversation. We drew together from a distance and embarked on projects we previously lacked time for. For instance, when it was safe to venture outside again, I committed to a daily ritual of cycling to new locations, penning haikus and creating drawings. I reflected on this experience in a piece I wrote on the third anniversary of the pandemic.
It all began with an outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, and March 11, 2025, marks five years since the World Health Organization declared it a pandemic. I cannot let this anniversary pass without recognizing the profound impact it had on countless lives. We experienced sweeping changes, faced isolation and fear, and our mental health suffered as work disruptions became widespread. We scrambled for respirators and N95 masks while misinformation proliferated and testing proved challenging. Lockdowns presented significant hurdles for artists, leading to canceled exhibitions, halted performances, and dwindling income sources. While artists often work in solitude, the situation also birthed new avenues for connection through virtual means. Remote technologies like Zoom became integral, allowing conversations to continue and enabling us to engage in previously shelved projects. For example, once it was safe to venture outside again, I established a daily routine of biking to various locations, writing haikus, and creating drawings. I reflected on this experience in a piece I wrote on the third anniversary of the pandemic.