This year we have experienced many events from the spreading of the coronavirus to the rage against racism around the world. Here some pictures that can describe our life in 2020:
1. Stay at Home
At the beginning of 2020, the Coronavirus outbreak has been identified as a global health emergency. It leads to lockdown and curfew in almost all countries in the world. This year we spend a lot of time to stay at home. Dan Cretu, a Bucharest-based artist creates an interesting collage of classical painting that portrays Monalisa is quarantined in her residence.
Credit photo: Instagram account of @dan_cretu
2. Coronavirus-fueled-by racism
The Coronavirus is not only a health disaster but also a social disaster. Since the initial case of coronavirus has been reported in Wuhan, China, Asian communities all over the world often faced racism. They were often called a virus carrier. Along with the spreading of coronavirus, so xenophobic, misinformation, harassment, discrimination, and insults happened around the world. Lisa Wool-Rim Sjöblom, a Korean-Swedish artist is addressing the hostility to Asians during the COVID-19 global pandemic in a comic.
Credit photo: “I am not a Virus”by Lisa Wool-Rim Sjöblom, https://www.pbs.org/
3. Trump during the Pandemic
Brian Stauffer’s cover in New Yorker depicts President Trump wears a face mask not to cover his nose and mouth, but his eyes. This picture represents Trump’s leadership during the pandemic.
Credit photo: “Under Control”, by Brian Stauffer, https://www.newyorker.com
4. Black Lives Matter Art
The killing of George Floyd on May 25th, 2020 triggered rage all over the world. Many artworks were created to inspiring the fight against racism. Among them are street arts on the walls in many cities, that support the Black Lives Matter Movement.
Credit photo: Mural in Detroit by New Orleans street artist Brandon Bmike Odums. Photo from MASA, by @drb_lo, https://www.runstreet.com
5. Joe Biden’s victory
In November, many Americans celebrate Joseph Biden’s victory in the US presidential election. Some artists also include in that celebration. A couple of months before the victory, William Powhida, a visual artist based in New York created a work entitled Possibilities for Representation. It portrays relations among American political figures, including the prediction of the winning of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.
Credit photo: “Possibilities for Representation” (2020), by William Powhida. Courtesy of the Artist. http://williampowhida.com/wordpress/
6. David Hockney’s message of hope
Despite there were several disasters, both health and social, that we have been through this year, it does not mean that there is no hope. From David Hockney, a British painter, with his iPad painting entitled Do Remember They Can’t Cancel The Spring, I learn that there is always hope for a better future.
Credit photo: “Do Remember They Can’t Cancel The Spring”. Courtesy of David Hockney. https://www.bbc.com/
All of these artworks say that images have power to give us a world picture. They can show our world in its own way, beyond the words.