My decision to begin creating COVID art and quarantine art wasn't a conscious one. After a few weeks of lockdown I looked at my world and realized I'd written multiple poems and assembled numerous collages.
In my case this wasn't a case of free time. I was busier than I'd been in years and still trying to squeeze the write words onto page, or find the exact images to lay next to one another.
New forums sprang up at the same time. Poets Reading The News installed a special section for COVID-19 response. Physical galleries started virtual shows as the world contended with isolation and intimacy and a drastic need for hope and expression.
One day a colleague shared a shred of hope. Maybe spring and indoor humidity controls could mitigate the ravenous spread of the novel coronavirus.
The inspiration for the visual art and poem "The Case for New Humidity" came from a Yale News piece in March, 2020.
@ArtInCovid and Instagram
When @ArtInCovid decided to include a few of my artwork and a multi-section poem in their online exhibition I was humbled. The quality of the work being showcased by artists from around the world couldn't be more impressive.
I wasn't just included. The @ArtInCovid admins facilitated a Kurt Cole Eidsvig takeover. They featured an artists statement as well as an intro to my new poetry series titled "New Symptoms of Quarantine and Other Epidemics."
I hope you'll visit them and follow the torrential downpour of talent emerging through their platform. I'm honored to be a part of their community.
Beyond The Gram
Finding a home for all of these works has been easier than I would ever have planned for. Beyond Instagram installations, my COVID art has been included in numerous journals and poetry anthologies in recent months.
And, as everyone knows, COVID-19 and coronavirus aren't the only culture-shaking social issues transforming the landscape of relationships, policy, and traditions.
When The Galleries at CCBC notified me that they'd be including my work in their upcoming Protest Art exhibition I was honored. When I saw the list of fellow artists I was floored.
Come found out more about my part in Protest Art at CCBC.