Living through a Pandemic: Artists Experiment, Inspire and Persevere
by Kristine Schomaker
(Scroll down for more information on how to be included)
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One Small Thing
Humanity is afraid to rub
against one another
in a game of coordination.
During a fake hug,
I make no sound.
Elbow taps clunk.
They are afraid to sneeze.
What no one knows is
I am a yellow daisy,
an ancient flower,
who survived
torrential rains like tears.
I can’t control
the family’s actions
as they run/walk/skip.
I almost fall off
the hillside to see
the valley. Then a young
girl wearing a white
sweater plucks me
and I am tossed
onto the asphalt path.
She loses a best
friend every year.
She could place
my petals under her
pillow to find love.
Cindy Rinne
Prompt by
http://www.californiaimagismgallery.com
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Ellen Friedlander
http://www.Ellenfriedlanderphotography,com
Facebook Ellen M Friedlander
Instagram @Ellen Friedlander
Silver Lake, Los Angeles, California
WEDNESDAY 1:30PM Silver Lake, Los Angeles, California
I was finishing up some work on the computer so that I could pick up my Mother and Sister in Burbank at 2:30, this past Wednesday, as I received a call from my girlfriend Mabel in Hong Kong. Mabel was both alarmed and calm as she spoke sharing that her daughter, Annette had just told her that Claremont McKenna College had announced that all students needed to pack up and leave; campus was closing!
At the same time, I received a text from my daughter Alexi, at Scripps College that she had been notified that all students had to pack up THEIR belongings and be off campus by this Wednesday. And with ALL that new information, I went to pick up my family in Burbank.
As we finished dinner Wednesday evening, the waitress confided that she was a little unsure about how long the restaurant would stay open due to light dining traffic. And as we walked out the door, I felt the need to visit Costco, en masse and at 7:45pm. I had no idea what I was looking for as we walked through the doors but I lived in Hong Kong during SARS and Bird Flu, so my six sense seemed to be kicking in: I thought we must have more nuts! Sobering experience seeing everyone shopping. But what I noticed was the food that people were buying. I did not have my camera and I was a little preoccupied with all the events of the day and my company, but I made a promise to myself to visit Trader Joe’s the next day, to shop and to photograph.
This photo essay is from my shopping experience with my sister before she went home to Denver yesterday, Friday the thirteenth. As we walked in the door, the store was brimming with people. The isles were filled with people waiting in long lines to pay. And as my sister took a place in line, I scurried around the store getting a few more basics to have on hand. And as I was looking for my items, I started asking people waiting in line if I could photograph their baskets. I only had one “No” and everyone else gave me an understanding look, that this was a very interesting moment we were sharing.I went back this morning as I was curious to see what a day made and as I approached the store, I saw a line of people waiting to get in. Overnight, we have adapted to this unprecedented situation.
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@amandamacielantunes
amandamacielantunes.com
“In opposition to the feeling of exile, the feeling of perpetual longing, stands the poem — promised land.” — Alejandra Pizarnik.
Terrible things happen in the world of events. Death, corruption and rage surrounds us at every second of every day. If you live in a city like Los Angeles, I dare you not to despair in one way or another. How can you not? American cities are professionals at apathy, panic, and tyranny against a group or another. We all play a particular role to displace ourselves and our energy in occupying false and phony personalities, at times without even knowing it.
As an artist in times like these I have guilt for creating and for not creating. I find myself in search of words. Words don’t always come easy to me. I fail to represent myself often because I find that words don’t describe how I truly feel. And also because not everything needs a word to be simply felt or understood. Or to exist. And because from where I see it, we have proceeded as a society to distance ourselves from the origin of everything that makes us stand STILL. So, I’m trying to make sense of abstractions. As our resistance to stillness is reinforced by accepting and fostering our individual and/or collective needs for achievement. Without achievement, we wouldn’t have this ominous feeling that the world is becoming lonelier and vaster without meaning. I should add that I don’t believe achievements are bad. But our erratic sense of following trends, behavior and goals motivated by the acceleration of information, mechanization and vapidity are. Sometimes, achievements are destructive to our very need to be aware. The kind of awareness that is threatened in our days. The kind of awareness that is magnetic and that we describe in dreams. The kind that knows what consciousness sounds like and that can only be achieved by stillness without distraction.
But our culture has taught us that certain stillness is responsible for our failures, our defeats and our blames. Culture has taught us that our vulnerabilities, our timidities and our difficulties are to be overcome. Culture has taught us that the self has to merge with collective interests and humanity. But the self has to exist first, in order to make a choice or a contribution.
As this pandemic hits us, we are forced to stop and to hold each other accountable. If not forced, we have been told to. And what an opportunity. Because with that, we are left to think. I hope, long enough to be still. And for our sakes, today is just as good a day to evaluate these things which have been lost in a kind of anonymous mass unthinkingness. Because nameless monsters will always be along the way. And to re-construct ourselves from shattered experiences we must re-discover what our very own nature can teach. As nature is the master of stillness. The kind of stillness possessed in realms of art and poetry and music. The kind that resists the need to escape. The kind that we cannot forget. But for that to happen, we have to believe that there is power and pleasure in being still.
~Amanda Maciel Antunes
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OPEN CALL (ONGOING)
What are you working on in your studios or homes as you are self distancing? The photo should be of your work within the studio. Not images of artwork. But work in process, on the easel, etc.
This also includes poets writers, songwriters. I would love to include your observations during our social distancing.
Send Art and Cake a high res photo or word doc and we will publish a photo essay and your stories/poetry to show how we are staying creative, empowered and artists are sustaining their practice.
THIS is the best time to be an artist. Experiment, play, be inspired.
Submission:
A high resolution photo (1200mp on the longest side)
Your name, website, IG username, City/State/Country
If you would like to include any text with your image about how you are dealing with the Pandemic, feel free.
ONGOING DEADLINE (WILL PUBLISH A SERIES AS LONG AS IT TAKES)
Email to artandcakela@gmail.com
Please put “Pandemic Photo Essay” in the subject line
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Thank you!! We agree… Artists persist!!
Very fun to look through these! Lovely idea.
Artists persist!