“Finding your own unique way to cope with the circumstances is enough. Take as much time as needed to process what’s happening in the world. This is an abnormal time, no need to be a normal human being. There’s no normal.”

“For my entire pregnancy I've been running and working non stop, establishing my business and creating art and honestly forgot that I'm pregnant most of the time. The quarantine came at a time when I most need this slowing down reflection period, both for my work and my physical/emotional being. I realized how invaluable it is to just be, breathe in, and slow down in order to head to the right direction.

Being away from my studio/office made me think of new ways to create work from home with the limited amount of space and limited access to different technicians or special equipment that I usually use within my work. I haven't painted in 5 years and It's crazy how the quarantine made me go back to it, I felt the urge to see this work in progress come to life, in whatever form possible while serving its purpose/concept .

For the current work in progress, I decided to experiment with combining painting on canvas as well as stitched fabrics instead of doing a full embroidered piece. The piece was born in my daughter's bedroom and 2 days later, in the midst of it all my baby boy was born. This whole experience is a beautiful one, bringing together my life as a creative closer to my life as a human and mother. It is ok to just be, when you need to and it's equally important to enjoy the process even if it's slow.”

“The quarantine is not inspiring, it’s isolating. But, the forced time in one place does result in free time to work on projects and find creative new ways to make art once you start adapting. In my case, just before the quarantine and curfew, a new collaborative project dealing with coded language and vision started brewing. While we are still exploring and building the conceptual framework, we know that we will be working with printmaking, film and video, multi-channel installation, sculpture and performance. The momentum we were able to build then has continued to drive the further development of the project as the world has moved into quarantine. Also, though we are in quarantine, we are continuing our research, and each time either of us goes to pick up essentials we are location scouting and sending images to each other. While much of the production won’t be able to take place until after COVID-19, this space and time in between is allowing us to make progress in ways we otherwise wouldn’t have. Also, since quarantine, I’ve reorganized my studio and also am using it as a darkroom. I’ve since started processing my own film at home, which has been exciting and also comforting.”

“For me like the other artists around the world, it looks like the spread of the Coronavirus is a period of cultural poverty, especially with the cancellation of all art events around the world, as well as here in Algeria. But when we remember the past, we remember some of the stifling crisis which lead to the death and isolation of several artists especially during the Renaissance in Europe . It was in the quarantine during the days of plague, exile and war an occasion of creativity and the refreshment of the artist ideas. It was the reason for the creation of different artistic movements.

There are a lot of stories in the human history of people who created and innovated while living a harsh life.

In my view the best works are the ones created from the womb of crisis.

The quarantine gave me the opportunity as an artist to ask several questions, and revise my thoughts from different sides, and look for solutions on the intellectual and technical side of the art creation. It is an occasion to beat the boredom by trying to create something strong, different and profound, adding that my view of life and the art works has completely changed and all this is because of the Coronavirus. “

“During my time at home, I’ve surprisingly turned to writing more and have been using it to create artist’s books. I have also been more aware of the objects that surround me and creating unusual connections between object and text.”

“With self isolation, i found my self in a situation where I was calm and not bored at all, counter intuivitely i found my self thinking reflectively more then usual about anything and everything. Fasting from social media and news, and just de-cluttering and reading whatever from bookmarked articles to listening to podcasts, I was scribbling down and filling my notebook with random burps of ideas and notes, some made sense and some total rubish. One finds themselves, questioning, observing, and thinking deeply about the world’s behavior in this unraveling of such global happenings and the unpredictability of possible futures.”

“For now I am working from home under the lockdown and I can’t pass by my studio.

I am trying to learn more from this experience. Recently I am working on the balcony. No matter where you are, we have to try to do something. This lockdown has given me a new chance to create something positive and give people hope.”

“DC Lockdown 2020 Helen Zughaib

Week 5 on lockdown. Last night, from my studio balcony, I watched as the lights at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, blinked off one by one across the face of the large building. It reminded me somehow of dominoes, touch one and they all fall down as each receives a gentle nudge from behind, a reminder of our interconnectedness. I also could not help feeling the pain of confinement reflected in those lights closing down for the evening. Those lights that come on a bit after dusk each evening, and stay bravely lit as if all is well in the world, until precisely 8:30 pm when they flicker off. Closed lights, closed doors, closed opportunities, closed exhibits, closed museums and galleries, closed. It felt suffocating.

Inside my studio, I have on my drawing board, continued work on the Syrian Migration crisis, keeping alive a voice for the voiceless, as well as some new paintings of Phoenix birds representing both beauty and freedom, trapped. But then again, the Phoenix also represents rebirth, rising from the ashes, hope. And my latest painting on the Syrian crisis, people fleeing war in Idlib, seeking shelter in olive groves. Here again, this irony, people trying to find safety from the bombing, in olive trees, those universal symbols of peace.

I find myself facing these dualities, at once, feeling suffocated by the lockdown, as well as the freedom to paint uninterrupted. A precious gift of time. And I remind myself I have much to be thankful for. Clean water, enough food, warmth in these chilly days, and shelter. I am fortunate.”

“During the past monthes I was working on my solo exhibition that was supposed to be held in Amman - Jordan during next June. Since I have a day job i was struggling with time, and the lock down was an opportunity to have plenty of time for art. I spend hours painting, reading, and researching. In my practice I believe that art should point out issues and raise questions about them in addition to documenting them.”

“The quarantine gave me the opportunity to regain my readings into all the little details around me, beside love, and how we should interact as humans with nature.

I am currently producing artworks that reflects on human reactions to various environmental aspects as this topic has always concerned me.”

“I have to start by saying that my exhibition, scheduled for March 17th, was postponed indefinitely. I was crestfallen at the time but that’s not why this bit of information is relevant to my quarantine story. It’s relevant because for the first time (I’m the biggest procrastinator) everything is set for the exhibition (tentatively rescheduled for September 2020) and I have everything prepared way ahead of time. Which means, during this quarantine, I have all the time in the world to explore and create.

The sense of no responsibility other than to stay at home and keep myself fed has fueled my imagination and creativity. So far the ideas I’ve had are to learn to sew, build a fort with materials from my recycling bins, make a dollhouse. In fact, I have so many ideas that I’m completely overwhelmed and so far have implemented none. But I will, because I have the resources and most importantly I have the time.”

“I've taken over my brother's room and turned it into my mini studio, as he's currently in the UK working as a doctor on the frontlines. The quarantine has really given me what feels like unlimited time to just explore new ideas, work on my paintings, even sort my photos and documents, and have an excuse not to constantly check emails and do the whole business-side of being an artist. I've taken more breaks from social media which really helped me focus on developing my craft and be free from distractions. My thoughts kind of expanded beyond my general artistic/conceptual direction. I'm painting less political work and delving into escapism and introspection. I haven't fully formulated my new ideas but I'm defining them more with each new painting and all this new time that I have had been great for that purpose.”

“To be honest my thought process hasn’t changed much, I have always been inspired by my surroundings and enjoyed being away from the crowd and I have always loved being at home around with family. But quarantine has definitely stopped all my client meetings with my company Troll Designs and running around so I have had more time to paint, reset , reflect , meditate and read and I have realized how important it is for me to slow down a bit , I am an artist who is filled with ambition and I have been constantly on the go to reach my dream either busy painting for exhibitions, and working on several client projects with my team, so I think this quarantine time has definitely inspired me and made me realize how important it is for me to slow down and to be more present in the moment and to make time for myself. I am able to paint and I have time to experiment with different techniques I’m trying to master new techniques , and it’s given me time to research and get more Inspired.”

“Being a mum of three feels like I am running 1000 miles an hour both physically and mentally. As a result I haven’t had the time to explore my art practice in a deep meaningful way for a long time, nevertheless being forced to sit at home and having all this time gave me the opportunity to completely dive back into my world. Adding on that, the lack of art supplies due to the situation is giving me an opportunity to think out of the box for creative replacements, such as making my own art paper using a kitchen mixer. It is a blessing to be able to practice art in such times.”

“I kept a closer eye on how things have changed this week and noticed I’ve reached for my knitting and spinning again.

So more fiber work that gets incorporated during the day as they are mindless projects.

Closer to bedtime is usually my alone calligraphy time.”

“I enjoy being at home—thinking and reading and producing art . It’s a different feeling because the quarantine made me look at many objects at home that I haven’t seen since ages. I also able to spend time doing research about new directions in my art.”

“To be totally honest, I am no stranger to self-quarantine. Being an artist kind of entails spending extended periods of time in solitude because much of the work requires many many hours of work. The only difference this time is the absence of the occassional release valve that is... socializing. Which is difficult, yes, but because the inability to socialize is due to exterior reasons, it has kind if allowed me to bury myself in my work "guilt-free" so to speak. So I'm just getting as much work done as humanly possible, predominantly on my graphic novel which is my most time/labor demanding project.”

“The quarantine has given me time to catch up, slow down and plan forward ....

I have a lot of materials in my house my issue has always been finding the time to experiment and create and with five girls around me all day space has become an issue .... as every time I have to set up and pack in different places from my bedroom living room ... my studio has become my storage at present .. which is giving me a clearer perspective on how much space I need in designing my home , which we will start building soon...

I have gone back to some of the materials I truly love but have not worked in a long time cement and sand and some I still work with like the palm fronds ... enjoying the process and also I try to engage with my family in some of the creations...”

“Falling not necessarily means falling apart, but could possibly mean falling into place. Falling is a transition, a place in between.

The idea of the groundless to me is an invitation to question the necessity of the ground, to explore the sensitivity of expression in the state of lexical ambiguity, for example the title of my show ‘Re-arranging the riddle’

I like to challenge the sanctity of form, my work lays in-between formal and abstraction. I don’t preach the sacredness of the object or form, I take pure form and challenge its physicality. Also my practice isn’t consciously married to any moral questions, there is a universal language in the work I make, but I’m sure there can be something said about learning and challenging our predecessors finding our own voice.”

“After the quarantine in Riyadh I wasn’t able to go to my studio which is 10 minutes away from my house. So I started to work in my office at home, which isn’t as big as my studio. According to this situation I started working on small paintings and sketches with my travel tools and materials. I actually liked it since I used to paint large paintings before, I guess it is a big opportunity to change what I’m used to doing and to painting. I'm excited to see what's going to happen in the end.”

“Between panic, confusion and new norms that are completely absurd yet necessary, I have been steadily developing a large work that expresses my concerns of the moment; I have decided for the first time to share the process...

It will hopefully give me time to adapt to an upcoming situation that would be an opening to new challenges.”

في جائحة كهذه جعلتني أراقب بالعين السحرية هذا العالم الذي أعيش فيه والعوالم الصغيرة بالداخل، هذه العزلة يصبح الصوت عالي لكل ما أقوله، أعيش طيلة اليوم بمتعة التكيف والتعلم، القراءة هي واحدة من المتع الكبيرة التي يمكن أن تحملها العزلة لك. أعمل الآن في هذا الوقت على اتمام كتاب وثائقي من خلال تجربة فنية قمت بها سابقا وتاريخ الممارسة في استخدام الموسيقى مركز للألم.

"At the beginning, it was depressing, a lot actually. And frankly, as you get disappointed with all the powers in the world who put their heads together in arms and greed, suddenly a little virus comes that nobody can see it, and tells them all your power is nothing.

This got me to a point where I was no longer motivated to work. But with the passage of time, one has to utilize the quarantine in order to think. In order to think about what art I would do if I was disconnected from the world. And here, some form of freedom comes back to your work. I went through this many years back when I lost my daughter and I had this feeling of what would one paint if they were under the ground. I came to new points in my works, which many believed my work had gotten better after that experience. This thing of quarantine somehow brought up this experience and gave me a new push of working with more freedom, and happily new things have come out."

“The thing about quarantine is that i feel i’ve been given the gift of time ... it feels like now the world is moving at my own pace and rhythm :)

The creative activity that is part of my process and can continue doing from home is reading, research and sketching .. have also started to experiment with more drawing based work and painting.”

“I’m working from home, in the countryside, rather than studio. I have lots of polaroids and fragments laid out on the floor that I have been using to make composite images.”

“The Virus seems to bring people together in new ways such as sharing ideas with other artist, sharing artworks more through social media platforms.

since day one of quarantine I took the opportunity to scale down my practices in art by using different mediums and different ways of presenting Arabic Calligraph, I hope this will be a way for my audience and all art audiences to connect with the artist and it’s a fun way to pass time as we holed-up.

I discovered new interesting alternative forums to present my artworks worldwide

I started to market my artworks to different galleries worldwide since day one of quarantine and I encouraged all my artist contact prompt them selves to do so.. I have 3 galleries are waiting to stop to Exhibit with the so I have my 3 years plan already..also during this time I sold 4 of my artworks to different art collectors.

To All art supporters and art lovers out there, now is the time when you could make a real difference. Please consider Supporting the artist l, Galleries and cultural institutions you admire. It’s much needed and will remembered.”

“Even when the outer world is physically unconnected, we are greatly in need and connected through our inner worlds. In our inner world, memories and minds, there is a whole society.

As an artist, I used to isolate myself in my studio during my artistic practice. However, quarantine has impacted the forms and the subject of my paintings by reflecting my own memories and the collective memory mixed with the ongoing recent observations of the collective behaviours and responses to the new socialization measures and its impacts on everything around!

At the beginning, I thought that the doors have been closed as the we became in a latterly closed disappeared physical society, the society which was the main subject of my artistic output. However, I realized that other doors have opened, the doors of considering things differently, and considering other channels as major significant ones upon the world-changing.

I’ve been blessed to have two beautiful angels feeling my life with happiness and joy, Sima and Sara, my new beautiful daughters who joined our family life.

I discovered how much I love nature, mother earth and everything it holds. I discovered how much it is important to be in the outer world to be well connected to my inner world.

I discovered the fragility of the human civilization system when it comes to invisible dangers.”

“This period of time was a gift in which we had the possibility to go deeper into our souls where beauty is...that beauty made me search the silence .in that I arrived to create windows on the silent cities . I hope one day I can show them somewhere.”

"My feelings tend to fluctuate from concern and unrest to connectedness and gratitude. Now that my kids are home all day, they spend a lot of time playing and painting in my studio. When watching them paint, I'm inspired by their unconstrained movement, how they mix mediums, and the absence of ego in their work. They bring a new energy into the studio and I already feel a shift in my creativity because of it."

“Spending more time in my studio has inspired me to redefine an older art series: the return of black and white.

A few years ago when I started working in collage, I used paper to form artwork with different techniques and varying inks. The artwork was born through experiments in extracting shades of black and white, and discovering many aspects of the colour’s connections in shape and form. I worked on stripping shapes from their details, from their original content, relying on geometric shapes: square, triangle, rectangle, and circle. I worked on creating a coherent combination of abstract shapes from these details, forming elements with a vanishing geometrical detail.”