“Since art is inspired by life - now that I’m staying home with very limited social life I have become more aware of my feelings and mental status. My work had always been bringing together feelings/imagination along with the life I’m currently exposed too - now in a room in my house. There is no place to escape any thoughts or feelings. As an artist, all those feelings unfiltered go directly into canvas and sculptures. I’m now Me surrounded by my thoughts.”

“My father is surviving on classical music and Italian opera, especially Verdi. He has always lived much outside the constructs of space and time - he keeps alive smells, music, photos, memories, writings and images from his own imagination of Alexandria. Manhattan meets Alexandria. But always within his imagined world.” -Sherine Morsi on her father

“Nothing is really inspiring about the worry, fear and financial turmoil of this crisis. On top of that, like everyone, I miss my friends and extended family, and simple freedoms to go out and about. That being said, I’m grateful that I can still work from home, keeping my hands and mind occupied embroidering on the couch, while being with my spouse and dog.”

“I’m currently retreating in my Abu Dhabi studio. Smaller space means being focused and better productivity. Though I’ve been pulling out very long hours - mainly developing covid-19 content. Working out after work helps. My window overlooks a runway of a private airport that I’m not able to photograph. It’s actually quite peaceful with ample of negative space. I’ve developed this ritual to observe every plane landing and taking off.”

“Right now I am completely uninspired artistically, however I have noticed that spirituality (and due to the times we are living in) I have become more drawn to Prophet Mohammed PBUH’s Sunnah regarding healthy and lifestyle. Objects I have used during this time are brushes and leather paint. I have begun playing around with the two. It’s nowhere near as easy as I thought it would be.”

اغلب اشتغالاتي في مرسمي(قراءة او كتابة او ممارسة فنية) ومرسمي جزء من منزلي

هذا الوقت الأطول في المنزل بالتأكيد يعين على ممارسة فنية متواصلة وإذا من تأثير او تفكير بتأثير فترة الحجر فهو غير مباشر. انا في الغالب لا تتحكم في اعمالي الأفكار المباشرة بقدر الاداء والفكرة العامة التي اشتغل عليها تجربة متصلة ومتراكمة

“With more spare time and fewer projects gives me opportunity to experiment and consider different themes and styles for my artwork. Reading diverse subjects now has become a huge part of my daily routine. I used to read before, but not as much. Currently I am learning about sculpture and architectural design - a field that I was always interested in since childhood, but never had the opportunity to learn properly.”

“Despite the extra time to work on my paintings now, I am most inspired under tension and pressure. I find this extra time comes at a price— a decline in inspiration. It’s a good thing I’ve thought of a few paintings early in quarantine that I can work on now. An objective I have during quarantine is ironically to paint less! Painting is second-nature—I can do it non-stop and I’ve spent about four days doing nothing but painting all day. I spend more time researching and learning philosophy and spirituality. Maybe watch some more movies, of course The Godfather trilogy!”

“As I normally spend a lot of time in my studio everyday, the social distancing doesn’t bother me too much, I am used to it. Besides being worried about the healthy of loved ones, the crisis didn’t have a big impact on my daily rhythm. I am currently working hard on my upcoming exhibition in London in July.

I also have taken up gardening. Since the beginning of spring I spend my free time outdoors in our garden, planting fruit trees, plants and vegetables of various kinds that I then use for cooking. Being outdoors in the sun makes me happy and it gives me energy and strength to work in my studio.”

“I am finding out that art and traveling took me away from a lot of small things that I used to love. I am spending most of my time reading while listening to music. I love all music in general and I have a lot of instruments around me, like the piano, guitar, tabla and the oud. I never used to be good in any to be honest but am trying and happy to catch up again!”

الابداع ليس مرتبط بفترة لانة موهبة من الله والأحداث تاتي وتزول والفنان يتعايش مع كل الظروف فهو قادر على أن يجعل من المواقف الصعبة شيء جميل من خلال لون أو من خلال لحظة فرح يعيشها مع ما يملكة من ابداع ...وذلك بالفكر الإيجابي حتى يبتعد عن الواقع المؤلم من حولة

فترة الحجر نتعامل معها كبقية الايام.... بالنسبة إلى الالهام الظروف تحتم ان يكون هناك موضوع لما نتعايش معة وهذة الظروف مفروضة على الجميع فى كل بقاع الأرض لذلك لها جزء من التفكير والفنان قادر على كيفية التعامل مع ما يحيط بة

“I am not active in my studio right now, and I am still trying to absorb what is happening. I read and sketch everyday and I read a few emails, but nothing more.”

“I have been finding myself illustrating our palm trees more and more. Since I can’t ship my photography film to be developed I’m using Polaroids to take some photos and work around them with drawings.

I have a long history with palm trees - my family used to have palm tree farms until the oil came and it changed everything. I’m rediscovering this connection now being all by myself and exploring the trees out in the garden.”

“The quarantine hasn’t affected my painting practice at all. I continue to paint is my studio as much as I can.”

“The quarantine period has allowed me to spend time with phonebooks in a way that I haven’t before. Typically, you go through them and absorb the images and stories but there is little chance to reflect. Now, I can slow down and have my time to reflect on the work and draw connections and inferences that I may have missed and I hope that the habit stays long after this is over.”

“What is products were not for sale online? What are digital products? I am now interested in simulating the ancient Egyptians decorating their tombs with drawings, sculptures, gifts, offerings, etc. I want to re-install all of my artwork accumulated in the studio over the years and live in it while waiting!”

“Minutes in the studio..conflicting feelings..silence..noise..hope..anxiety..activity..and isolation.”

“The fact that the world is halted and there really isn’t an option to go out anymore gives me more hours to spend in my home studio. I’m trying out all the excess art supplies and ideas I’ve had stashed for a while but never got around trying.

I’ve been paper making for the first time, and also did a bit of papier-mâché clay. All of which I filmed as tutorials for a small group of friends on Snapchat because I felt the need to be talking to people!”

"Although the physical doors of my home are closed to me at this period of time, the virtual doors of the metaverse are wide open and (almost) endless. With use of my virtual reality (VR) headset, I have visited lecture halls, meet ups, a virtual fireworks show in the middle of snow capped mountains, and taken part in a VR live painting art contest. Staying indoors helped me discover a world coded and created by visual artists that is completely virtual.

This inspired me to live stream my VR art on Twitch, a famous live streaming platform.

I paint VR paintings with themes of nature, good thoughts, and unity.

With all the information being fed to us, accurate of not, I wanted to create these videos and streams to remind ourselves not to get lost in all of what we are being fed, and to bring the relaxing creation of art into our screens instead."

“Since the quarantine, I’ve really missed going to museums and galleries. Instead I have been walking a lot outside, and I have found nature’s brutal beauty entoxicating. I feel the synergy of understanding between people and I am hoping that this situation has forced us to change our lives for the better. My studio to practice has always been solitary, so it hasn’t changed.”

“It has been a time of deep contemplation and self reflection. I have allowed myself to revisit past projects I’ve done and how they shaped my creative practice. But also a time to reflect on other creative pathways. My studio space is not as functional so I am diving into poetry and writing more than painting. I am enjoying this process and seeing where it will take me.”

“Since my studio is located outside my home, the closure of everything came abruptly so I was worried about that. Not having the space, materials and also how working at home would affect my practice. However, to my surprise, I have been working on projects I have kept aside for a while.”

“I believe that the earth is getting a break from human bings and it is time for us to practice being human. I am constantly looking for materials around me to express the same idea that we are all one..drawing helps.”

“I can’t get to my studio but worked with new materials a theme. Since everything related to COVID-19 is about numbers, I created work using dice containing a verse from old Arabic poetry about counting days”

“Starting my work is becoming different now, it is becoming a bit more difficult. I find myself thinking more about time, the way it’s surrounding us. I’m trying to find things outside of time, things that are detached from it, things that would survive without it, and work with them.”

“The current period and circumstances of living provided me with plenty of time. I am writing, documenting, and making. I take a five-minute walk every day, and there are already ten stories I want to document and share. I am sitting at home with my family, and I am already in the process of sketching my next ten paintings.

The world feels slow, yet a lot is happening within such a short span of time. A new headline appears by the hour, and a new rule imposes itself by the day.

I feel the urge to document it all, to pause, and to process what is happening. At the end of the day, I am not inspired, nothing about the state we are living in is inspiring, but I am here observing, documenting, and creating stories during my quarantine.”

“New routines, new outcomes, and until the painting is completed, no outcome is certain.”

في البداية لم يكن الأمر متوقع أو منتظر كنا نسمع بإخبار الصين ونعتقد بأننا في معزل عنهم

حتى كان البعض يرى بأن قرارات الحكومات مبالغ فيها

كل يوم نمر بالكثير من الأخبار المفرحة والتعيسة في نفس اليوم

الفنان او منتج الثقافة في الغالب يأخذ فترة كمون ونمو داخلي لأي حدث قبل الخروج كمنتج

مررت في ثلاث مراحل

مرحلة ماقبل الصدمة وفيها اعتزلت وابتعدت وأوقفت كل نشاطاتي غير متابعة الأخبار

وفي المرحلة الثانية دخلت حالة الصدمة الحقيقية وبدأت فيها مقاومة الاكتئاب بالعمل على مشاريع قديمة في ورشتي ومحاولة إشغال نفسي الصور المرفقة لهذه المرحلة

وفي مرحلة التقبل دخلت في التفكير العميق لهذا الحدث والإستقراء والاستقصاء والبحث وأوقفت مرة أخرى نشاطاتي العملية

واتوقع سأدخل مرحلة التصالح والانتاج في المرحلة التالية

لقد اعادت الكرونا التفكير في طريقة حياتي

وسيبقى أثرها لجيل على الأقل في هذا العالم

من الوعي مقاومة التصادم معها والتصالح المثمر

سأكتفي بهذا

لاحظت بأن الكثير كان ينتظر وقت غير مشغول مثل ماحدث مع كرونا

ولكن عندما أتى فراغ كرونا أتى محمل بالكثير من المعاناه والاحباط .

“I am keeping inspired in my studio like always. I am currently making a painting in support of the national awareness campaign during the pandemic crisis (translated from Arabic into ‘Don’t Worry’) that is reassuring the community not to worry, that food and medical supplied will be enough for everyone.”

“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.”

“Time has always been my greatest challenge...wearing a few hats, being an architect and image maker in the bustling city that is Cairo, leaves you with the scarcity of time. - Suddenly, globally and personally time is in abundance. I felt liberated within the sanctuary that is home and my adjacent space / studio.

Working in the light / shade of this newly acquired and uninterrupted time on both a video collaboration with Tunisian artist Galia Benali, living in Belgium via facetime, participating in a few charity exhibitions online as well as printing (remotely) a series assigned for a tv production all carried a new sense of value and mark of the times.

Also, notable is the enhanced sense of dialogue sparked from the solidarity of such interconnected times. - Live interviews, open libraries, recommendations where all boundaries were broken and humanity prevailing will remain a memory I will happily keep after all this is past us.

Choice always exists.”

“It seems as if life went on hold those past few weeks – for everyone. I am always straddling two cultures and identities, as a Lebanese/Palestinian and as an American. It feels as if the news is always dividing us as “them v/s us”, and now here we are a “we”: all in this together, in the same boat, with life at a standstill and reduced to the confinement of home. This virus is such an equalizer, making us all re-evaluate our shared humanity, our fragility, and our priorities.

Isolation and confinement offered me the gift of time at home with my family, and in the studio with my work. I had almost forgotten how precious both are. With time and space to re-evaluate what matters, I reached out to my friends and started visiting them and making their portraits through the window. A new project about “connecting across barriers” emerged. It humbled me how many people were willing to be part of this, but also how important the human interaction we often took for granted, is. Despite the fact that we only communicated across a physical barrier, we really and truly made a connection.

When life goes back to normal, I hope we keep that empathy, kindness, interconnectivity alive in us.”

“The “Rock Series” was inspired by the October 2019 uprising in Lebanon. The rocks in Lebanon age back millions of years and possess a hidden power – they have withstood storms, wars, and regional conflicts. They whisper their secrets to me and evoke feelings of humanity’s resilience. The progress of the monumental paintings which coincides with the COVID-19 lockdown, instill a reminder that just as the rocks endured and prevailed, so shall we.”

وباء الكورونا ابقى الملايين حول العالم في منازلهم وكذلك هنا في فلسطين. الطقس الربيعي الدافئ يدفعني للعمل في الحديقة لتشذيب الأشجار وإزالة الأعشاب وهي مهام تبقيني مشغولا ونشيطا. ولحسن حظي ان مرسمي يقع في الطابق السفلي من المنزل فأقضي فيه الكثير من الوقت. أنتج هذه الأيام أعمالا فنية جديدة تتميز بالازدحام في العناصر وأنفذها بألوان قوية تعبر عن حالة القلق التي تنتابني.

نبيل عناني

.

“The Coronavirus pandemic kept millions around the world in their homes, the same here in Palestine. The warm spring weather entices me to work in the garden pruning trees and removing weeds, tasks that keep me busy and active. Fortunately, my studio is located in the basement of the house, where I spend a long time. I am working on new artworks that are busy with elements and executed in bold colors, which express my state of anxiety.”

.

“When quarantine started I was feeling uninspired. After a few weeks in I felt cooped up and wanted to make something as an outlet for my feelings. I started working on a Q-Diary, or, Quarantine Diary. My method is to document every day of the week with an image and a short written fragment about how I was feeling that day. It’s a form of proof that I was here during the quarantine, living it day by day, and waiting for the time to pass, and for things to go back to normal.”

“My work this past month has centered around what I enjoy doing most; experimenting with colors and strokes.

Quarantine has forced us to not only adapt, but to rethink the way we work.

By bringing about small changes in the way I paint, I feel my work has evolved as well.

Using my spare bedroom as a makeshift studio has been interesting to say the least, however, this also means that getting there is now less of a hassle!

The lack of space and limited access to supplies have helped me push my own boundaries. “

“The quote that best describes how I feel about the quarantine “For those who are on the spiritual path, being alone , keeping a distance from people, and being silent are not issues.. they are opportunities” by Sadhguru.

These days, as our freedom shrinks , we are forced to move inwards to the vast inner space of thoughts and imagination.

People isolate because they have to, while artists isolate because they want to. That is the difference between isolation due to corona versus the usual self imposed isolation of the artist.”

“During the quarantine period, as a contemporary artist, I am looking for ways that allow me to collaborate with other artists. Because I don't want quarantine to become a solitary prison for me. Being in a new era requires new rules. II think this method can be done even among artists who have never seen each other. It is enough to choose a common theme or motif, and then slowly two or more artists who are going to work together will provide the independent pieces. At this stage, perhaps an artist or curator can decide how these pieces can be put together to become a single work. Or each of the group's artists will have the opportunity to put the pieces of the puzzle together as they like. In this second method, what remains is several works with the same theme with different forms and even different approaches instead of a single work.”

“Since lockdown, I have been facing those beloved friends: brush, ink and paper, but nothing, I simply can't work.”

“I’m recovering from covid-19 personally and so the work I’m making these days has been about the virus and love the need for people to be together.

Since my work is based in futurism, I imagine a future world where Ishq (‘love’) wins.”

“My quarantine started 59 days ago, which according to google translates to: 8 week and 3 days, 1416 hours, 84,960 minutes, and is 16.12% of 2020.

It was very hard in the beginning to try and find a new routine. Days blurred together, yet I find myself getting used to this new norm. This abrupt pause from life, being away from the studio, and the difficulty in having access to my materials led me to challenge myself to create using the materials I already have at home and to try out other forms and mediums of art making. I started experimenting with paper sculptures, audios, and short films. To my surprise, the continuous repetition of days found its way into my work somehow. I find myself gravitating towards repetition, paraphrasing, and re-paraphrasing to no end. this obsessiveness in the process of accumulation and repetition is highly important to me right now as it is somehow mirroring my days. it is a subtle change day by day yet very noticeable over time.”

“For an artist who works from his studio, I think the quarantine is quite similar to my everyday life.

Technically, the challenging change was to adapt logistically the production of large paintings to a less big space as I created a medium studio at my home. Psychologically, I found myself in a test in which I shall really discover if, without any outside activities especially the nightlife ones I could still feel happy. The result is that I have been spending more time than before on my paintings, restarted working on my poetry texts, taking some online guitar lessons and even felt in love with some plants! I needed probably this time for meditation, and for rethinking my personal behavior and my approach in works, which could be only positive.

Still, we pray for the ones who have been affected by the pandemic and hope we could be back to normal life soon.”

“The quarantine has given a pause for me to reflect on life, work and family. I’m currently creating a new website with my latest work - something I’ve been meaning to do for the past 2-3 years.”

“Amidst all the uncertainty and plenty of time available, this is a great opportunity for me to read, research, and experiment. I have been researching themes of trauma and memory.

Before the quarantine phase i’ve had a few ideas on what to paint and now I have the extended time to actually bring these ideas to life by starting with small studies that could potentially end up as a body of work.

Besides art, watching films and re-connecting with friends have been taking a fair amount of this time.”

في زمن كورونا

رسام لايشكو الضجر.. يستيقظ الفجر على بركة الشغل والخلق وكانه يولد من جديد "كل يوم جديد"

لم يتغير عليه شئ. عندما جاءت جائحة كورونا وجدها واحة جديدة للعزلة عن بني البشر. واصبحت

اللحظة اكثر مكثفة من ذي قبل. لم يشكو من البعد او الابتعاد لانه اقترب من البحث والحديقة الفكرية

لن يتغير المزاج مادام هناك "رسم" في الهواء وشجاعة في اليد .. هذا كل مايملك في هذا العالم

دفتر الخيال اصبح مكتنزاً بقصص جديدة قد تلهم الاخرين في بعضها وفي بعضها الاخر تنتقد الخائفين

وقليلي الحيلة. ان كورونا بريئة مما نفعل. لقد انتعشت الطبيعة بتنفس عظيم في زمنها. وبالتالي فقد

كشفت كثير من المستور او المدفون من شرور الناس عبر العصور.. دعوها تمتحننا بسلام.

كورونا تاج من نوع نبيل. يتوج الشجعان والمبادرين واصحاب الضمير الحي. لانها وجدان طبيعي

لايراوغ ولا يساوم كما فعل البشر في انفسهم.. اذن الانطباع مذهل وراقي جداً.

نديم كوفي

أمستردام

23 - 05- 2020

“To be honest, all I can think about is how lucky I am. I am sorry not only for the people who lost their lives, but also for the masses that have lost their livelihoods.

They say this is the Third World War, but I am so relieved that I don’t have to send my boys to the front.

As for art, the quarantine has simply given me more time to breath, because quite simply, for me, painting is breathing.”

“My practice revolves around creating sculptures from bioplastics and repurposed natural materials. I took advantage of my daily quarantine walks to collect remnants of the Spring we missed being stuck at home. Bunches of dried bougainvillea flowers, cherry blossoms and cedar tree leaves now await being recreated into sculptures. Breakfast was another big part of my quarantine life and from it I gathered natural byproducts and waste like egg shells and coffee grounds to use as casting material for future work as well.

Back at my studio, older bioplastic work was left in storage unattended for 8 full weeks. With increasing temperatures, this promised visits from unwanted guests of the invertebrate kind to lurk in and around the work! So a huge checkup and maintenance session was carried out the second I came back. There is one work in particular -made from milk casein- that needed extra care and attention. That sculpture is definitely alive!”

“I was and im still in the army camp - for emergency duty call to the reserve forces since the beginning of April. There is no time honestly to do any art work, so when we have returned home for two or three days in the past month, I created some artistic calligraphy pieces that holds wisdom and value and Quranic verses that carried hope and certainty.

It was a bit challenging because of the critical situation we all are facing and i didn’t have the chance to share this until now.”

“These are difficult times, but difficult and uncertain times inspire creativity. I look at this time as an unexpected residency. I have been fortunate enough to be able to work from home and I have been using the time to try new materials and content directions in my art. Voluntary quarantine has been a good way for me to find peace and create works away from the general noise of life. Being in complete isolation and away from people and all possible influences other than my own visions helps me see things more clearly. It has allowed me to slow down and focus with little distraction. I’ve been working on a series of artworks that depict an altered worldview during and after Covid-19.

I’m sure artists will come out of this strong, because if there are any people in this world who are good at sitting still, thinking and working, it is artists.”

“A Lovely Paradox

“Does my art matter?” I kept asking myself that question a lot in quarantine. It is funny that I started to question my worth in a pandemic. In such a situation, you need the things you love around you the most, and not be skeptical about it. I finally realized that paying attention is much more important than getting attention. Because only then are you in the moment and observing/absorbing your reaction rather than letting the environment decides how you should react to your own art; to your own self. I have never felt this free and restricted at the same time; aren’t we living a lovely paradox? I am drawing and writing more these days and not painting as much. Learning how to love my art and myself differently every day.”

“I was and am still in the army camp - for emergency duty call to the reserve forces; since the beginning of April there is no time honestly to do any artwork, so when we returned home for two or three days in the past month I created some artistic calligraphy pieces that hold some wisdoms and values and Quranic verses that carried hope and certainty.

It was a bit challenging because of the critical situation we all are facing and I didn’t have the chance to share this until now. “

Back to Life

اسم العمل الفني..بعد ما أصاب بنتي الكورنا كرهت الحياة وعشت فى حالة من الخوف على أسرتي وعلى من حولي لم شفيت من المرض عادة لي الحياة اولوان الداكن من الأعلى يمثل المرض والخضر والازرق يمثل العودة إلى الحياة

مع تحياتي لك

.

“Let the photos speak themselves!”

٤ ماه در خانه قرنطينه هستم و بيرون نرفتم افسردگي گرفتم و خيلي كم ميتوانم نثاشي كنم !😶 ولي به آينده اميدوارم .

"Rise up with the sun, Home, Studio, Home, Studio, Garden, Birds, Butterflies, studio, clap at 7pm, Dream when the moon is up.”

“Sculpture is an artistic practice that basically revolves around the quest for the essence through the removal of the superfluous.

The lockdown has become an effective exercise in transferring this practice onto daily life. Weeks of isolation have enabled me to determine what is essential and what is superfluous. The quarantine has proven that many of the things that we regarded as necessary are not that urgent after all. My hope is that these new insights will motivate us to develop a more thoughtful and conscious way of living.

Being confronted with a humanitarian crisis and the fear surrounding it, also made me reflect on the role of art.

Most artists I know have enjoyed and are enjoying the lockdown because it enables them to fully focus on their practice without the harassment of daily life. Are we that disengaged from society? What is the purpose of our seemingly useless and detached practice? How can art truly bring value to society and not be just a commodity for the elite?

I am currently pondering on these questions in an attempt to rethink my practice.”

“Interestingly, for a lot of artists like myself and my mother Maysaloun Faraj (whose well documented shift in her Home series has seen critical success) the lockdown was a clarifier of sorts. As long as we have access to materials, the creativity can really flow encumbered. I was fortunate enough to experience my lockdown in my Los Angeles studio, where i really pushed my relationship with colour and light within my work. i would think a lot, read a lot and drive to the beach and watch sunsets and allow those surreal hues to filter into my palette. there were limited frequencies in our internal radios: of course there has been a lot of noise, but also a lot of silence, so channeling that was key to productivity. Even now back in my studio here in Paris, I feel a lot of the movement and light within the Los Angeles works seeping in, which makes me excited about what will come out on the other end.”

Ayad has asked me (Suzy) to share my own interpretation of his recent paintings:

"Disintegration of innovation. The multiple layers of our inner world implode in self-isolation. Technological glitches and infinite pixels have become our cropped realities where scrolling feeds is the new strolling from our desk chairs. My night thoughts churn out a scrambled eggs' worth of striking visuals of a time passed stimulating welcomed, but also uninvited emotions that ricochet, incubate and linger into my daydreams. Eight months subsumed within my thoughts, my written and recorded archives narrate an unprecedented moment. Let me condense my ennui, my frustration, the confusion and the mixed messages of this time into these images. Let them vibrate and explode, remaining as a visual archive when the dust settles, revealing the tricks the mind can play on you in quarantine!” — by Suzy Sikorski

“Whenever asked about Beirut, I do not know where to begin. Shall I talk about the curse of its history, wars, geography, and even geology? Shall I go back to the city of Beirut that was buried seven times throughout history under the rubble of earthquakes and later under the ruins of wars? It moved from being known as the "Mother of Laws" to a completely destroyed city by 551 AD’s devastating earthquake. It changed from an age of “intellectual radiance” to a dark era of civil war, and from the "capital of Arab modernity," to a time of Lebanonization.

Beirut is a city of rapid fluctuations. In a span of two generations, it transformed from a pine forest to a concrete jungle, dismembered, full of barriers, and checkpoints, used as tools of control, hegemony, and exclusion...

These spatial fragmentations were added to the temporal amalgam so that the past overlapped with the present and future, as a Lebanese poet once said: "Our aspirations did not follow Beirut’s. While all capitals histories are behind them, Beirut’s history rolls ahead of it." It's an hourglass-like city where the past intertwines with the future, devouring memories in the sands of time and confusing failures with success.

Beirut is a capital built, throughout the ages, around its harbor. Soon after the August 4th, 2020 explosion, which destroyed the city's heart, life returned to normal. The city dusted off its ruins and added a new wound to its shattered body.”

-Quote via Basel Dalloul

“The confinement brought me back to my workshop in my village in Byblos after several years of work in my workshop in Beirut. I went back to the Earth, to the herbs and to the anemones ... To recover my memories, my work and the strip of my life. As if the pandemic carried a message: come back to yourself, to nature and to humility, because your glories, as big as they are, are nothing but delusions.”

“Quarantine in Beirut, with three young kids to homeschool and keep profitably entertained, restricted time to myself and the scope for creative activity. I had been exploring the theme of the evil eye in Levantine culture, painting compulsively into the night, in the space I had left. Then the explosion. Recoil. A step back to reflect. To unwind. To overcome limitations. Then I leave to Riyadh. A new space to paint: outdoors. Not my studio or terrace. But a space that inspired me to work, surrounded by changing elements, light, colors and sounds of nature. It transcended my perspective and my way of painting. I couldn’t stop. I needed to express my response to my immediate surroundings, to push beyond the boundaries, to free myself, to share my positivity. What I learnt: I didn’t need a studio space to create; I didn’t need the usual tools to paint; I explored different textures and techniques. The eyes couldn’t restrain me. With confinement came liberation. I broke out of the mould; crashed through the self imposed barriers, and couldn’t hold back. Each painting developed from a sublime experience of the now. Each canvas evolved with a new language I was using to express myself. My surroundings made me rethink the way I paint and the language I use to paint. This is what my series of 'All Eyes Upon You’ reflects.”

"I have been spending my time in quarantine to really delve deeper and reflect on my wider practice. The past few years have been quite hectic for me, so this pause that we are all experiencing is something I am embracing and trying to not take for granted. I am spending this time finishing off some current projects while also thinking about future works that I have always wanted to do."

“I am here working as always in my studio. If anything I have become more concentrated, I don’t care much about time or prioritising my tasks. I am going through a phase that is delving deeper into my work at a much more slower and detailed phase, which brings me very nice results. There is no pressure with time constrains and this gives me a kind of satisfaction. In the beginning it was disturbing for me but now I found it very comfortable. I never cared about time when producing my work - and now even less!”

الابداع ليس مرتبط بفترة لانة موهبة من الله والأحداث تاتي وتزول والفنان يتعايش مع كل الظروف فهو قادر على أن يجعل من المواقف الصعبة شيء جميل من خلال لون أو من خلال لحظة فرح يعيشها مع ما يملكة من ابداع ...وذلك بالفكر الإيجابي حتى يبتعد عن الواقع المؤلم من حولة

فترة الحجر نتعامل معها كبقية الايام.... بالنسبة إلى الالهام الظروف تحتم ان يكون هناك موضوع لما نتعايش معة وهذة الظروف مفروضة على الجميع فى كل بقاع الأرض لذلك لها جزء من التفكير والفنان قادر على كيفية التعامل مع ما يحيط بة

يوميات كنت اسجلها لم تمنعني فترة الحجر من الاستمرار فيها

“I have always believed that words are the most ancient form of magic. Writing is my way to express myself and invite people into my inner world. I published two books so far, one in Arabic #قلم_في_يد_امرأة and one in English #acupofchaos.

When the pandemic hit I was in Oxford in the UK studying my MA in Creative Writing. I saw fear in people's eyes and it seeped into my poetry. I came back with a new understanding of how we need to connect through words, through stories, through solidarity. In this confinement we are forced to be alone with our thoughts, and if we don't know how to articulate them with compassion, our mental health will suffer. I created @content.bloom account to provide tips on writing and to organize writing workshops. We need every form of expression to go through the waves of emotions that are hitting us right now. So write, journal, create your own unique form of art and take care of yourself.”

“When I left my studio at Tashkeel, all I took was my watercolor material. I figured I would spend two or three weeks at home experiencing a technique more deeply. Before that, I was basically using oil paints. Usually, when you change a method entails a couple of challenges. My practice is all about getting out of my comfort zone. If something has become a formula, that is a sign I should try something different!

I'm lucky to have a daughter at University, her room became my studio. I'm focusing on my practice trying hard not to have any judgments or pressure. I'm also meditating and reading more.

We are all out of our comfort zones. We are being challenged by the universe. And I am grateful to have art to nurture my soul. “

“During the quarantine I have been actively busy at my studio working on a few projects for my next solo exhibition soon after the situation gets back to normal. I‘m working on a few traditional, cultural, portraits, landscapes of Dubai scenery and Dubai creek apart from my daily outdoor sketches. Nature is a part of me, I’m always inspired by this.”

“Being confined to our homes for so many months has come with its challenges and unexpected silver linings. As a mother of three young children, it became increasingly difficult for me to find space to be alone with my thoughts and creative process. However it has also granted me a lot of perspective, and made me appreciate the smallest, most mundane things in life that I once took for granted. There is a meditative beauty in slowing down – it creates an opportunity for introspection, reflection and growth.

I began working on a project very close to my heart a couple of months ago. The massive explosion in Beirut, on August 4th with its devastating aftermath and destruction shook me to my core. In addition to fighting the pandemic, Lebanon had been facing a crippling economic crisis, famine and political unrest. I really wanted to find a way to contribute and show my solidarity with the Lebanese people.

' قلبي في لبنان ' (Lebanon in My Heart/ Le Liban Dans Mon Cœur) is a limited edition series of hand-embroidered boxes, created to raise funds to help the people of Beirut in rebuilding their city. Designed with a reinterpretation of a vintage Lebanese stamp from 1989, the illustration depicts a cedar tree, a symbol of strength and resilience, with rays of light beaming from within - symbolizing hope. Each box is handmade and takes 18 hours to embroider. The net proceeds of the sales will be donated to @impact.lebanon to contribute towards their Disaster Relief Fundraiser for Beirut.

Lebanon, we have not forgotten you. You are always in our heart.”

“We all tend to be alone time to time. Honestly speaking, my only consideration during quarantine has been the fear of losing my beloved ones.

I like loneliness because it stimulates my mind to fly into my dreamland, where I like to reflect in its beauty and magic through my artist hands. This portrait is of my friend Ehya, she’s a painter too.

Despite my education in Civil Engineering I have always been drawing since I can recall and now I deeply believe that this is the path I should follow.”

“I never painted what I was planning for, I always find myself leaded by my art, and it's the only obedience I can handle. However, I still plan.”

ي هذه المرحلة اكيد تغيرت اشياء كثيرة ومفاهيم الحياة وبالتالي يصبح الانسان اكثر تفكيرا في كل شئ وبما فيهم الفن وطريقة تنفيذ اعمال تشع با الامل فهذا الخوف والرعب اليومي الذي روج له السياسيين والاعلام يفقد البشرية الامل ويدمر الخطط والبرامج المستقبلية .

انا انظر الى دور الفن بشكل مختلف تماما فالفن رؤية عميقة تجتر المشاعر الصادقة مع امتلكها القوة للموجهة واستشراف المستقبل للبشرية .

هنا يجب اعادة النظر في كل شئ والتخلي عن القولب الجاهزة التي روج لها خلال السنوات السابقة مثل حقوق الانسان والديمقراطية والمساوه .

يجب على العالم التوقف عن التفكير بالحروب والدمار الذي بسببة على المسنوى الانساني والمادي ووضع افكار جديدة للتعايش

وباء كورونا 19 اوقف الزمن للحظة فارقة وجعل الانسان يفكر اكثر

طبعا هناك كم هائل من المعلومات حول هذا الوباء الى ان اصبح ممل جدا واصبح كل الناس اطباء

انا امارس حياتي العادية امارس الرياضة في الهواء الطلق وامشي قربة الساعتين بين الحقول ثم اعود بطاقة ايجابية الى اابيت وانا ممتلىء بالامل والافكار الايجابية وادخل الى مرسمي اكمل ما لم يكتمل .

طبعا هناك تاثير مباشر على الحالة الاقتصادية (المادية) فكل شئ توفف المعارض الفعاليات فالفنان اكبر جهة متضررة ولكننا على امل ان تعود الحياة افضل من السابق

وعلى هذا الامل نعيش

"In difficult times we trust: In moments like what we are facing right now, my role as a citizen is to observe, trust and follow the process in order to cope with the pandemic challenges. As an artist my first reaction was to ensure I have enough supplies for me to continue my practice. Two weeks ago I called my canvas supplier in Sharjah to place an order however he informed me he was out of stock due to the closing of his factory in China. I panicked for a minute and called my best friend to inform her about my crisis with fear that I won't be able to produce during this time. As a solution, I ended up going to different bookstores in Abu Dhabi and bought available canvases in the market.

As a result of the of this crisis, I realized I am facing a forced déjà vu of Versailles: a recent installation of 50 paintings hung in salon-style at Warehouse 421. That's the true beauty of life, finding coping mechanisms in unique situations."

“There is a peculiarity to the Quarantine period in terms of rearranging the ideas and concepts that I am working on through my artwork, the Quarantine was like a space with dimensions concerned with reformulating and organizing artistic thought in particular and lifestyle in general. Quarantine had advantages that could demonstrate the strengths and weaknesses of my artwork and try to develop these points in a way that depends on the use of time in artistic research and experiments more intensely for any previous time.”

“The best part is the time I have

I’m still pretty busy with different projects

But for the longest time I’ve been such a workaholic juggling 4 jobs at once that it was really burning me out.

Now I have more time for myself and to focus on the quality of whatever it is I’m doing.”

“I was in the middle of my residency in New York when the pandemic escalated during March, and I had to come back home because of the uncertainties ahead. It is a shock initially as you’re jumping from the heart of contemporary art into the sudden isolation of your bedroom, but I think this idea of solitary is not new to an artist. You are always alone with your work when you step into the studio, whether you are painting or merely just looking at your work.

Of course, other important events also took place since this pandemic started, and you are left evaluating many aspects of life and the work you do. I recently moved into a new studio too, so getting work done has been slightly difficult as I’m still trying to settle into my new environment. But this past year has made me question why I like certain things in art, why I like this or that artist, and it also gives me the chance to step back and look at what I have done, and where do I think I’m heading next with my work, especially from the experience of being in NY, which frankly can be exhausting but I think it is part of the natural development of an artist.”

“In my last paintings nature has carpeted the walls of our houses and formed living tapestries. These urban landscapes welcome family objects. They trigger the vanishing memory of our homeland.”

"In all honesty, quarantine was a blessing in disguise, 2018, and 2019 have been some of the toughest years I've experienced with limited time for myself, family, art, or even simple everyday pleasures. I felt like I was in an endless race without a finish line in sight. Quarantine was an opportunity to breathe once again.

Since my family and I are based in different cities, I moved back in with my parents for quarantine and they graciously offered me space to set up a make-shift studio. As soon as I set brush to canvas I just couldn't stop, it's as if I was making up for lost time. Most of my work is inspired by nostalgia, and in quarantine, everyone was feeling nostalgic towards something, so inspiration was plentiful.

As a journaler, my daily journals also inspire my work. We all write, however, we do not have a common language. Through my work, I create what I like to call "a Universal Text" where anyone viewing my pieces can relate to what is "Written" in some way or another. In essence, my works are hidden letters to the world where the content is different to each viewer.

I feel that this pandemic has made my work even more powerful since we are all going through struggles together as human beings and we need to vocalize or express our sentiments in one way or another or have an embodiment of our sentiments around us."

“As a mother of four and an artist who’s trying to find balance amidst this collective shared experience it’s definitely taken me and the rest of the world by surprise and has made my everyday life more challenging.

On one hand, I realized that there were many things I took for granted such as the ease of travel, human connection and a quiet coffee break (home learning and all that has definitely been a challenge). On the other hand, the challenges of being so confined has also been quite liberating, shedding light unto our fragile human nature. I no longer take things like time, space and communication for granted anymore, I am not just aware of my surroundings but also my state of mind. I try to produce what I can in the given time frame and sometimes that means responding to emails, scanning old work, sketching, writing and even cleaning my cameras.

I have also just moved so I have been spending a lot of time organizing my studio and it was lovely to be reacquainted with old books, projects and equipment. It was quite beautiful reading through my old texts and flipping through old sketchbooks. I reunited with old texts and projects that I have done decades and years ago and it has inspired me to keep the creative juices flowing during these absurdly surreal times.

Most of my photographic work takes place outside my studio. A lot of my work encompasses field studies documenting various establishments and spaces and talks a lot about the human experience and narrative in space. The pandemic has made it an impossible task to move around freely conducting my studies, however I have made various visits to my old house documenting and shooting it and exploring the premises; seeing it in a way that was very different to when I was living in it. We were in a huge rush to move out that I had not had time to grieve over the memories left behind. We moved out a day before the lockdown so you can imagine the chaos that prevailed; that memory will always be embedded in me; the rush of it all. I do not know how I managed to pull through.”

“After my last Artist in residence in Austria at AIR Krems December 2019 –January 2020 where I developed my project of Masks that I have started in Morocco, I worked on the behavioral controversies of individuals and leaders from different cultures between the Arab and the western ones.

I came back to Morocco my home country where I am quarantined at the moment, During this time I mainly chose to meditate my artwork and concepts since creating comes out of a necessity and a need and not only a creative action fitting the time of crisis, I have mostly been misunderstood when people looked at my work and associate it to the current situation in the world while my work has been existing way before the pandemic.

Mainly I am asking myself is art as important as the other subjects in life? Will Art be more considered in the future after this Health emergency and how I will digest artistically this period of time with its ups and downs?”

“There Is No Place Like Home!

I am a London-based artist of Iraqi origin. Similar to many artists at present, I do not have access to my studio due to the Covid-19 predicament and have resorted to making art that is practical within the means available; small works on paper.

Embracing the ‘Stay Home Save Lives’ message has prompted me on a mission; to draw the interior of my ‘home’ from every vantage point possible; a visual diary documenting this surreal moment in history from my personal point of view.

In a complete departure from my usual large scale geometric abstract art, I am re-discovering my drawing skills through direct observation of every inch of my home but also reflecting on the notion of ‘home’ and its implications. In this process I am finding immense pleasure, peace and solace. The last time I made this kind of work was way back in the mid 1970s as a student of architecture in Baghdad University where ‘free hand’ and ‘still life’ was part of our training. We would often go beyond the confines of the classroom in a quest to draw traditional Baghdadi houses lining the banks of the Tigris and the narrow alleyways of the ancient city.

Despite the uncertainty and turmoil of today, there has been an abundance of solidarity, humanity, joy and beauty across the globe, and ‘earth’ is for the first time, in peace. I feel more connected not only with the present and what matters most, but also with the past, re-living treasured memories of what was once my home in that golden city at the heart of the cradle of civilisation. I like to think of it all as a positive outcome of these challenging times.”

“It’s definitely another kind of confinement that which we are having in Lebanon. We are seeing the decline of the state on all levels, and we can feel that quarantine and the current political situation are very much interrelated; one is serving the other in a way to keep any uprising protests from happening.

Meanwhile as an artist living in such challenging political conditions, the daily stress of our environment is definitely affecting me more directly than the confinement due to the virus. Low self confidence mixed with strong emotions and inspirations is how I am feeling. I search for calm spaces and seek the right time that helps me create in the middle of these stormy days—some days are easier than others.

I can see my recent work is quite a mixture of my state of being: anger, frustration and a lot of reflection.

It’s true that we don’t have the luxury of the calm that some artists in other cities are experiencing, nevertheless, I can’t help but being positive because at the end for me everything will have a meaning for sure.”

“It’s definitely another kind of confinement that which we are having in Lebanon. We are seeing the decline of the state on all levels, and we can feel that quarantine and the current political situation are very much interrelated; one is serving the other in a way to keep any uprising protests from happening.

Meanwhile as an artist living in such challenging political conditions, the daily stress of our environment is definitely affecting me more directly than the confinement due to the virus. Low self confidence mixed with strong emotions and inspirations is how I am feeling. I search for calm spaces and seek the right time that helps me create in the middle of these stormy days—some days are easier than others.

I can see my recent work is quite a mixture of my state of being: anger, frustration and a lot of reflection.

It’s true that we don’t have the luxury of the calm that some artists in other cities are experiencing, nevertheless, I can’t help but being positive because at the end for me everything will have a meaning for sure.”

“This corona paralyzed the world and spread fear everywhere but at the same time it made us think about life and the future of humanity.

This time had a good impact on me. I became more productive, spent my days and nights painting to forget the bad news and disconnect myself from this harsh reality. My work became more colorful than ever. I guess this was my refuge ..my only hope...my escape plan. “

“It slowed my work a bit, but then it gave me new opportunities to work on my photography as my major focus. I photographed the corona times and overall spaces definitely.”

انها العودة او الغربة او التواري عن الانظار ، الجائحة جعلت خياراتنا اقل و ابسط كما هو العالم قبل تعقيدنا له ، كوني هاربا من الجائحة و من الحروب قبلها جعلني انطلق نحو السماء بمستوى الغيم تقريباً عالقا بين الفضاء و الارض كما انا عالق في شبه وطن و اعيش شبه حياة.

“I like to keep the door open, even in the summertime. I need to feel some contact with the outside, because it feels like I’m living in a closed box. I am already boxed right now, but I mean…”

"Before having to quarantine I would paint to pause life and stop time from ticking; however now quarantine forced life to stop and with no distractions I was given the chance to explore the life that is already within me. A saying I often find myself repeating during this time "if you can't go outside then go inside" and putting this saying to action I always tried to visualize my feelings by using objects that would represent my current state of mind or heart. Objects I have used included mirrors and breaking them, needles and a thread to stitch, bricks and cement, puzzle pieces, etc."

“This time during quarantine has been somewhat very interesting and a little hard as an artist because I am the type of artist who is inspired by the outdoors a lot and observing people. Most of my projects have come to a halt in terms of on-site work but luckily some are still going through but at a much slower rate. But its allowed me to go inwards and explore art through the internet; which I am thoroughly enjoying - because I don't use social media all too often.

This time has allowed me to pick up where I started from in terms of my three side projects; so I am definitely optimizing and prioritizing my time effectively. I don't feel too affected by the quarantine lockdown but I definitely miss my long hourly walks everyday! My best ideas come from being outdoors and playing. Along at times from even being bored; which I am allowing myself to do more these days.

This situation and time has definitely taught me that nothing is impossible and that there are opportunities even amidst a crisis. It has also taught me to never take simple pleasures in life for granted ie walks and birds singing! I also sincerely appreciate all the artists and art communities gathering together to show our support in such a chaotic and uncertain time.

Right now I am exploring creating a children's book to finish before the end of this year since I will have plenty of time these days! I am also trying to create some optimistic art and posts to uplift the community here in UAE. I am currently collaborating with a art company to put together an initiative to the public which is art-related so quite a few things are happening. There's lots to hope for and look forward to!”

“There is a quote by Francis Bacon the philosopher and it says “Whosoever is delighted in solitude is either a wild beast or a god.”

Am I delighted in this solitude ?

am not sure . .

But I know that I needed a pause and space which came now with this freeze of time .

Am dipped more into color and distributed figures of feelings followed with my brush strokes ,

Also I went more into contemplation and writing which I miss doing and didn’t have time to do it before .

So lets hope its a time to remember in terms of producing and achievements.”

“The lockdown/quarantine period has been hugely inspiring and experimentation all. It has pushed me to take more risks in my work by trying new materials and new styles and techniques. A lot of self reflection too is revealing itself in the work I’m producing at this time.”

“I’ve been painting, reading and researching a lot these days. In my paintings it was a blessing that we went through this because I kept on producing my work and as you can see the faces I’m painting are growing in numbers.

I had an operation last year that kept me home most of the time, so once we were faced with this challenging quarantine experience I was already prepared. I didn’t feel the difference. When you’re in the nature of my creative work like poetry, you need that isolation and confinement to be able to be with yourself and produce. When editing a feature film, you have to be isolated for quite some time, sometimes 4-5 months or more.

Earlier in the quarantine I ran out of my art materials so I had to wait until things became easier so I could go out and buy it. It was also difficult to produce anything or record any filmmaking footage because it was impossible to keep the research going or meet people. However I tried to finish the work online through the phone or zoom calls. “

“It seems as if life went on hold those past few weeks – for everyone. I am always straddling two cultures and identities, as a Lebanese/Palestinian and as an American. It feels as if the news is always dividing us as “them v/s us”, and now here we are a “we”: all in this together, in the same boat, with life at a standstill and reduced to the confinement of home. This virus is such an equalizer, making us all re-evaluate our shared humanity, our fragility, and our priorities.

Isolation and confinement offered me the gift of time at home with my family, and in the studio with my work. I had almost forgotten how precious both are. With time and space to re-evaluate what matters, I reached out to my friends and started visiting them and making their portraits through the window. A new project about “connecting across barriers” emerged. It humbled me how many people were willing to be part of this, but also how important the human interaction we often took for granted, is. Despite the fact that we only communicated across a physical barrier, we really and truly made a connection.

When life goes back to normal, I hope we keep that empathy, kindness, interconnectivity alive in us.”

“Quarantine shifted my practice. As an artist my main source of inspiration to create is by going out and exploring spaces. However, lockdown was difficult as it limited the exploration. I Decided to explore the house more and worked in a smaller parameter than what I am used to, my studio was the rooftop. I started slicing copper pieces myself to create platforms to experiment rusting copper with random household items such as coffee, pool water, sanitizer, adol, sand, hot sauce, and much more. These plates were studies of the process of rusting patina and the different vibrancies of blue. I never saw myself working small scale and so the plate multiplied and created an installation of itself. Each plate has its own formula however, the repetition was an experience that was more like a meditative process to release, balance the shift, accept the change and make. ”

“Here is what happened during my Covid isolation. Isolation began for me on Friday March 13 and thus today, Monday May 4, 2020, will be over 7 weeks of isolation.

My isolation started at a point when I had been running out of canvases to paint on. I like to work on three to five paintings at the same time. It seems to be the best way to tease intuitions to take over my aesthetic efforts. Thus my studio is now occupied by 5 unfinished canvases while I am measuring, cutting, stretching, and priming linen canvas.

Fortunately, a large roll of linen and new stretchers had just been delivered. Substantial progress was made on this task but something delayed its completion.

But soon, electronic events began to happen and I enjoyed them all. Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi’s (@sultanalqassemi) Online Majlis where he asked me to show how moved rom oil painting to electronic media was a turning point. Preparation for the Majlis and response to my electronic work sparked a return of interest in programming and so I began to go back to the old equipment that I used in the 80s and 90s and to examine if it is working and how I can transfer material to new computers. .

I am trying to proceed with optimism while taking note of the growing aesthetic pleasure of returning to programming digital art.”

“The first two months of the quarantine I was afraid to move out of my home, so for me it was a new and nice experience spending all this time with my wife and my children.

I also read a couple of books I have been trying to find the time to read. I didn't work much but made several sketches for new paintings. After two months I had the courage to go to my studio in Ramallah and visit friends, but I spent most of my time in my studio trying to work. I managed to do some work but not much because I couldn't concentrate, especially in expecting some bad news all the time and it's not easy to create in these conditions.”

يبدو لي العالم من هنا محدود الجدران لكنه واسع بكيفية التعامل مع الخيال الا منتهي

استطعت أن انقل العالم الكبير هنا عن طريق دمج الاحاسيس والصور التي تراكمت في الذاكرة النفس البشرية في كل لحظة من الزمن تتغير بتاثيرات مختلفة وهذا مالاحظته كثيرا في فترة الحجر المنزلي وقت ازمة كورونا في البداية كان الامر صعباً في التاقلم مع الوضع وكوني احب قضاء معظم وقتي في المرسم الا انني افتقدت الطبيعة والتي اعتبرها المصدر الاول في الالهام اشعر بالانتعاش والتجدد واكتساب طاقة مطلقة في كل ذرة من جسدي ، احيانا تحدث امور في حياتنا من الصعب ادراكها الا من خلال تواتر الاحداث وتقترب منا اكثر خصوصا اذا لامستنا وعشناها بشكل حقيقي وهذا ما حصل اثناء رسمي لوحة عن الجائحة رسمتها وانا ارمز الى صور تتواتر في ذاكرتي كانت سابقا من خلال شاشة التلفاز والان اصبحت اعيشها من خلال اصابة اقرباء وتجاوزهم للامر وشفائهم وتوفي ايضا اشخاص يعز علينا فقدهم من الصعب والمؤلم ان ارسم الحقيقة لكن من واجب الفنان توثيق و نقل رسالة تتجلى في عمل يخلده التاريخ

“It’s hard to say something in a moment like this..some people don’t have a house or food to sufficiently quarantine but I’m grateful for having a place to stay and continue working. I’m trying to do my part on the social distance.”

“The city as my studio has been a constant in my practice.

Of course, like everything else, this approach was put on hold during the pandemic.

The past few months have been blurry for me. It has been intense for all of us. I am still assimilating things on an individual and collective level.

In between all of this I did intermittently manage to further some research and work on a publishing project.

Recently I took a walk down Broadway to index non-perpendicular street corners. It’s common knowledge that Broadway was once a Native American path known as the Wickquasgeck trail.

That’s why Broadway does its own thing - meanders through Manhattan, diagonally at times, disrupting the infamous grid at odd angles.

Encountering these sharp corners is refreshing. As if life has gone a little askew.

Maybe these odd ones reminded me of growing up in chaotic Beirut and Bombay. “

“For us the calligraphers, the satisfaction comes from the discipline of calligraphy, the continuous practice and repetition of writing the same letter or verse over and over, the perfection and crafting of the letter form, that’s why I feel we the calligraphers will never bored.

I used the time of quarantine in practice and research, reaching for new forms and new body of work.”

“Isolation makes you reflect more of yourself, of your true self, see there is no one around to judge you there is no one near you to effect the way you project yourself, you're just simply you.

I guess the first time I saw another human was after 3 weeks when it first started, see I have 4 orphan cats that I've been taking care of at the shared studio I've been working at , I couldn't leave them so I had stay there alone, well not alone I made some new "friends".

“I think this time has been a period of transition and making the best out of the current situation on a personal and collective level. It has given me the chance to self-reflect, connect and dig deeper.

Tashkeel Studio has always been supportive and I am currently the artist in residence in the garden studio. I’m also working on reaching out to artists and art consultants in finding solutions for artists to sustain themselves and protect their rights. It has been a rich research to highlight artists concerns in supporting their career.

Despite the quarantine, I am still enrolled with my art residency with Seti Institute where I was supposed to be in San Fransisco at the Montalvo Arts Center and now we are looking at ways to do it remotely.”

“Since my studio is far from my home, ‏this made me move away from my tools and space, but I did not give up during the period of quarantine. I made a simple studio in corner of my house, and kept my hobby. I believe that the artist has the ability to cope with any circumstance. The best thing about this isolation is that I have read many books that I did not have time for before.”

‘We are defined by the things we are not’.

“In normal times, absorbing images, narratives and dynamics from the outside world, plays a big role in my artistic practice. But lately, between confinement and lockdown, I have found myself shifting my attention and energy towards my immediate direct surroundings.

The new body of work has been articulated towards an inner, more intimate and personal language.

During these past months, the form and texture of time-in-space has changed for us all, so I took a closer look at visuals from the mundane, our everyday’s vocabulary and used them as materials for new works.

The emojis, logos, slogans, newsflashes…, are the visual subjects of our present time.

Normally I don't transform the visuals themselves, I use them as they are. I assemble, juxtapose, and weave them together without changing their essence. But by assembling them into a tight condensed pattern, they lose their figural individual representation and leap into an abstract ornamental aesthetic.

These works are treated as woven textiles, as patchworks of details that unfold a conversation between visibility and invisibility and enquire into the complexities of individual and collective language, the symbolic and the abstract.”

“As artists we are warriors. It is our duty to question everything; it is our duty to invent the universe every morning keeping it close enough to a dream to be magic and near enough to reality to be comprehended. It is our duty to give the meaningless meaning and vice versa; we must face adversity all the time and are betting against all odds. As magicians dancing through life amongst the erupting volcanoes we do not run from the molten lava but burn our souls while capturing it in order to depict the colors of its fumes.

I would say that it has taken me a long time to process my thoughts about everything that is going on at the moment, but that would be a lie. The truth is I am still digesting this difficult meal. The recent evolution of events has completely altered the foundation of “instructed life”, we are seeing the core of our house of civilization melt while the dream of reality is torn from the nightmare of its shortcomings. We need, both as individuals and as a collective, to take more time to think about what is actually occurring, we need to go within ourselves and understand who and what we are as a species. Fast decisions and quick reactions are leading us into more confusion and disaster, exposing the nature of duality at its most lethal degree. In most every discipline doing things in a fast and uncontemplated manner just make it more difficult to perfect it down the line and this is what is happening with our communal lives. We are now beginning to experience a tidal wave of violence, despair, profit, control and hate from the swell of rapid action. Meditating is always a solution, it gives you the opportunity to know yourself and understand who and what you are, to rise above the trivial constrictions of existence and be in touch with the eternal flame of life. Deep down the tunnels, in the cave of self-knowledge is the exit that leads to unified life. We are not separate from one another, if one human suffers all humans suffer. “