QUARANTINE DIARIES – THE ARTIST IN YOU
Friday 03 July 2020
From Italy to Russia, writers, musicians, dancers and painters have created art to help make sense of the chaos surrounding us and encourage us to stand strong together. Here's how these artists continue to inspire us today
1 Songs of unity
In the midst of deep uncertainty and fear, German singer and songwriter, Sebel, composed an inspirational piece titled Zusammenstehen (“Standing Together”). Sebel collaborated with hundreds of global artists via online platforms, compiling over 220 audio files with translations into five different languages. The end result was rightly named “Zusammenstehen – SEBEL feat. The 1st Lockdown Orchestra”. In a recent interview, Sebel remarked that the project was a unique and unifying way to document a historical event.
2 The voice of art
Under Milan’s strict lockdown measures, award-winning illustrator Emiliano Ponzi reimagined the palpable fear and ambiguous nature of the pandemic. He initiated a project called Covid Uncovered, an inspirational piece meant to engage artistic communities in an effort to “mirror the times.” Ponzi challenged people to find beauty in their surroundings, even during the most challenging and distressing of times.
3 The show must go on
Despite the closed curtains and empty seats, Russian theatre lives on. Russian ballet dancers gracefully glide around their homes, kitchens and living rooms, performing whimsical dance routines. The online streams have inspired a movement across Moscow, Vienna and other parts of Europe for dancers to bring their own creative talents online, providing entertainment and amusement during the lockdown.
4 Street art takeover
From Rome to Budapest, street murals have appeared in every corner of Europe and the world. Images such as the Mona Lisa wearing a mask, healthcare workers on the frontline or cartoon characters posing as viruses hang tall on building walls and street alleyways. Take a glimpse of how street artists have translated their creative instincts to vibrant, colourful and eye-catching murals. The famous Lovers’ Bridge in Sofia, Bulgaria, has hosted an outdoor exhibition. The event, adequately named “Sketches of Spring” and organised in cooperation with UniCredit Studio, brings new promise of change through the work of contemporary artists, made enjoyable to visitors and pedestrians alike.
5 The comedic touch
From one of the world’s most important artistic landmarks comes a social experiment that merges art with humour. The Uffizi Gallery in Florence has joined other museums on TikTok with the most irreverent and surprising campaign, depicting its own masterpieces in comical, day-to-day quarantine situations in an effort to appeal to a wider and younger crowd. Art has never been more fun!