Group Members: Mariam Nesterov, Christy Guo, Roderick Joshua, Matthew Stolyarkski
The year 2020, the year of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the year 2021, the year of progression to “normality” from the pandemic. As the world tries to progress to its pre-pandemic life, it is important to help people realize that there are positives within the negatives.
Ever since the start of the pandemic, we have all been talking about how it has ruined this and that part of our lives. Although that may be true to a certain extent, we are losing sight of the experiences that the pandemic has led us to have. We are looking away from the small positive moments because we are focusing on the negatives of the pandemic. However, just as the saying goes, it is the little things that matter the most. Constantly having negative thoughts and viewpoints lead to having negative mindsets, which is unhealthy for our mental and physical health. Simply seeing the good in the bad can make our lives slightly better.
As everyone speaks different languages, art is one language that everyone can understand. Many different messages can be conveyed through art. In our exhibit, we want to express to our viewers that it is possible to find the bright spots in dark times. The bright spots are what we define as positive, heartwarming, and uplifting moments that bring even the smallest smile to our faces during this dark time of a seemingly never-ending pandemic.
The art forms we display consist of a diverse range of mediums. From photography to printmaking to poetic writing to drawing. This diversity enables everyone to see that there are many different ways to express meaning. It shows the mixture of everyone’s different ideas that can be interconnected with each other to serve a common purpose.
The diversity of art envelopes the mind into a state of normalcy and creativity, breaking through the boundaries of isolationism. From the emotions hidden underneath the masks, the universe in front of us seems to be dull and monotone, however there is a lot more to be seen. It is okay to be confined within the constraints of the society we live in, however the promotion of peace, nature, and hope, aid the continuance of life within an extraneous halt. With all that has happened, nature resides, happiness persists, and the world continues spinning. In order to promote these themes, it is important to elucidate not only what we see within ourselves and the world in front of us, but the future that is to continue and the ultimate return to normalcy.
We need to continue the race for our dreams and shoot for the stars in a way that we have never before. We need to embrace the diversity around us, and express gratitude for all that we have around us. And it is imperative to highlight the things that matter the most, and use art, in the multitude of forms it may come in, to indulge in all of the moments within our lives. Finally, the artworks that have been developed throughout this time are like none other. Creativity has shown to be a light, in a dark, dark world, and this light must continue. So let the light continue, tomorrow, the day after, and for all that follows.
Thank you.
