Over the last few months, the livelihoods of artists have been catastrophically affected by the unprecedented public health restrictions, undertaken to protect against the spread of COVID-19. The closure of all cultural venues has resulted in the cancellation or postponement of thousands of exhibitions and events across Ireland.
VAN’s July/August issue features profiles from numerous VAI members at different career stages, working across a diverse range of media, who discuss the realities of maintaining an art practice during a global pandemic. This section, titled ‘Notes From Lockdown’, highlights how many VAI members have been unable to access their studios, workspaces or materials during this period, whilst others have rejected the prevalent impulse of ‘hyper-productivity’, instead using this period of isolation to archive or revisit older works, and to critically reflect on their artistic methods and trajectories.
