The Quarantine Art Exhibit Opens Showing Many Worldly Experiences from the Affects of the Covid-19 Pandemic

As of today, October 13th, 2020, the Visual and Performing Arts Division at Gulf Coast State College has officially opened up a new art exhibit called Quarantine. Now located in the Amelia Art Center, the exhibit features the artwork of each artist’s experience when dealing with the new world that Covid-19 has created for these past 6 months that the disease has been with us.

Just a few of the problems of the pandemic outlined included:

• the question about mortality
• and many other problems

The exhibit shows artwork from previous Gulf Coast art students:

• Elyse-Krista Mische
• Chris Musina
• Ty Nicholson
• Meghan Sullivan
• Jos Sances
• Keith Smith
• Lauren Woods

Nocturne: OCD-Covid-19 series by Gary Chapman

When I visited the exhibit, I took notice of just a few of the art pieces that were on display and looked at the description for each one found within the exhibit. The first piece I examined was an illustration of a gas mask, Covid-19 particles, and other masks. Gary Chapman, the creator of this piece said that the Covid-19 pandemic made him mildly depressed and at times made him felt incapacitated too. Gary also mentions how he is an obsessive-compulsive person and that he used most of his time at night keeping busy with working on the series of drawings called the Nocturne: OCD-Covid-19 series. It isn’t hard to see Gary’s paranoia of the virus as it translates within his own work.

The Sketchbook by Heather Clements

As I roamed the new exhibit another art piece piqued my interest. A sketchbook full of colorful pictures involving both plants and many human faces expressing many different emotions. Heather Clements uses her sketchbooks to offer up herself a distraction from the world and also uses the art form as an outlet to express both pain and anxiety as she mentions in the description at the exhibit. She also expresses how the pandemic has affected her life in the 5 months that it has happened by saying “I have been almost entirely isolated the entire time, turning down professional and personal opportunities left and right.”

She then continued “As time wore on, more and more of the world stepped outside to play with one another and get back to ‘Normal Life’ as my family remains remote, all set to seeing needless deaths and suffering from behind a screen.” I would have to say that much of Heather’s work really express just how she has felt during Covid-19 and would probably interest many at the college if they ever happen to have some free time to check it out.

Pilgrim by Jill Foote-Hutton

As for the last art piece I examined closely at the exhibit, it was a sculpture piece called Pilgrim made by Jill Foote-Hutton at the college. Which is definitely a unique and complex sculpture when first looking at it. She mentioned that she felt well suited for the quarantine life during the pandemic but still had some problems when it came down to it. Despite being introverted, it still felt like the walls of her house were caving in on her.

She missed going outside and seeing new things. She also had to cancel her plans to visit exhibitions in 2020. Jill is a very passionate person, that finds it important for herself to know where her heart and values stand. The pilgrim is an art project that she has been working on for a very long time. You can find another one of her art pieces called Containment at the exhibit too.

Come See The Exhibit

I saw many great art pieces at the exhibit and I’m sure many students or other individuals could find enjoyment in going to check out all of what the Quarantine Exhibit has to offer. If you want to hear more stories from the many talented artists, they have a pamphlet located near the door that explains what each artist has been through since Covid-19 and about some of their inspirations when designing their pieces. The exhibit will be on display until November 6 and will be open to the public Monday through Thursday from 10 am to 6 am, and on Friday from 10 am to 4 pm. Admission is completely free for everyone. Lastly, I want to thank Pavel Amromin for allowing me to take pictures of the exhibit he put together.

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