- Venue
- Basement Bunyan and Online
- Starts
- Friday, December 10, 2021
- Ends
- Friday, February 4, 2022
- Address
- Mill St Bedford MK40 3EU UK
- Location
- East England
- Organiser
- Mandy Caldon
This exhibition explores the reaction to theCovid 19 pandemic, global lockdown and our experiences towards newfound focus. At a time of social upheaval and unimaginary loss, the pandemic was rife, families became housebound and segregated, anguishing at loved ones not only dying but dying alone. Domestic violence and poverty like floods were on the rise. Food and production shortages caused panic buying with many filling their groundhog days sewing masks, furnishings and planting seeds-survival instinct were acute-many felt dystopia had arrived. NHS and care workers were given costumes of death whilst the shock and horror of the body bags piled high filling all but Covid deniers with dread. Masks- Face-Space was the governments rallying cry, but rules were made to be broken, are they not? Furloughed parents became teachers, children grew up fast and friendless. Communities divided, broken and alone, hoping to see smiling eyes on their permitted 1 hour of freedom. Post viral ‘Long Covid’ brought the healthiest of folk to their knees. As the world was heading for economic crisis, political unrest and government failings caused fear and anger; the public was waking from their hypnotic gaze. Evaluating lives, jobs, and families, it was a time to focus -time for change. War time community spirit went viral, resourcefulness and upcycling were key. Focused, we could see our lives through new perspectives-empowered in our armchairs creating new crafts whilst watching global anarchy unfold. People who otherwise took little interest in current affairs, mistrusting the rule makers became avid news watchers, zoom attendees and activists. George Floyd BLM protests amid the backdrop of unpoliced death and destruction at the Capitol polarised injustice. Climate activists celebrated redundant airplanes whilst cursing CEOs pleaded their case to loo rolled filled, living room lockups. Yet Chinas skies turned from grey to blue, ah the planet breathed again…for a while. 2020 Vision? Yes, we could see what needed to change… everything.
