While our future is unknown, we at OPALUS feel excited and optimistic about the future because during this strange time there is no doubt that we, as artists, have all grown in some way. I have always said that artists create their best work when they face restrictions, and this time is no different. Therefore, I can’t wait to see what art will be created once lockdown is lifted and it becomes safe to do so.
I checked in with some of our favourite past contributors to see how they were holding up during quarantine and to ask them about their perspective on the future.
OPALUS Editor-in-Chief
Malorie Shmyr
Have you learned anything about yourself as an ARTIST during this time?
I have re-learned how to create from a deep internal space. Where the only purpose is for personal fulfillment and playtime exploration. Where the reason to make art is for joy and expression.
Once lockdown is lifted, what is the first creative thing you want do?
I have actually been extremely creative while in lockdown. Creating new still life's and self portraits almost daily in my Brooklyn apartment/studio. I have even been hired to film a music video and album cover shoot for an artist in Australia, photograph a couple on their wedding day through Facetime, and film myself for a commercial and interview series. I think the first creative thing I want to do post lockdown will be to print all of this work I've been making and go on a hike outside of the city! (I consider being in nature to be a very creative act).
What is one thing you predict will change within your industry that you are EXCITED about?
I think the creative industry in New York is going to be much more supportive now and less competitive. People have really been banding together during this time, buying prints from each other, engaging in deep and significant conversations getting to know each other rather than only scratching the surface of someone's work or CV to engage in their own agendas. It feels like a community is really forming, and not just here, but worldwide in the creative industry. Many people have lost their sources of income and so they have been using this time to develop a great deal of emotional wealth with others. I hope that will stay once restrictions start to be lifted.
Have you learned anything about yourself as an ARTIST during this time?
It's a little hard for us to answer this questions definitively. Our daughter was born at the end of February, so we've been adjusting to life with her and life under quarantine at the same time. So it's hard to know which caused what. We do think that both have forced us to slow down and take stock of what's really important to us. A lot of photographers have been producing some interesting work via what you could call “distance shooting” using FaceTime and the like. We haven't really been interested in doing that kind of thing, largely because we haven't found a good way to control a scene without being present. We're all for spontaneous and pared down work, but without being there in person it would just feel too much like the resulting images were accidents, and not really our own. If anything, we have learned that we have little interest in creating simply for the sake of creating. We'd rather wait around and figure out how to do something with meaning.
Once lockdown is lifted, what is the first creative thing you want do?
On the one hand, it might be fun to put together a huge shoot with as many people as we can involve, as a way to put social distancing behind us. We've been sitting on a concept that would involve a large number of creatives and would love to finally put it together. On the other hand, everything is so up in the air as to when lockdown will be lifted and what will still be restricted, that it's still not something we can even think about starting to get planned out. This whole time has raised a lot of emotions- fear, anger, frustration, loneliness, and unexpected joy. We'd love to eventually be able to synthesize it into a project, but it'll take some time to gain perspective on what actually happened.
What is one thing you predict will change within your industry that you are EXCITED about?
We're definitely interested in seeing some of the photo projects that result from these lockdowns. There should be some street photography, and even some of that “distance” shooting we mentioned that will most certainly be worth paying attention to. As for the fashion industry, it's hard to feel optimistic. At its best, fashion has always been about frivolity, status, and excess; things which may be hard to come by in the months to come. It's oddly painful to see designers adapt their studios to sew masks, even though they have nothing but the best of intentions. But there had been a trend away from fashion as art, and away from beautiful and dreamy fashion photography for a while now. Maybe, because of all this, eventually, there will be a backlash against austerity and isolation, and there will once again be demand for clothes to dream about, and for photos that bring those dreams to life.
I made this selfie in my studio where I often work, that's my favorite spot and my second home also during Coronatimes.
Have you learned anything about yourself as an ARTIST during this time?
From this Corona time I have learned that I cannot live without creating. I have all come up with ideas during this period that I will pick up again from this week.
I want to incorporate themes that I have felt in the past period into new work to be created.
Once lockdown is lifted, what is the first creative thing you want do?
Then I will go back to make free work, work out the plans that I made during the Corona period, and make further arrangements with my clients. I can’t wait!
What is one thing you predict will change within your industry that you are EXCITED about?
Through this period of consciousness, where everyone and the whole world has come to a standstill, I hope that there will be more attention for each other and therefore for storytelling in photography, attention for the story behind the photos without the viewer passing by too quickly.
Here I am with my rescue pooch Mr. Dior in my garden at home in Menorca, Balearic Islands, Spain.
Have you learned anything about yourself as an ARTIST during this time?
Yes, I’ve learnt to be patient and to go with the flow, since it is a situation we can’t change. We were in strict confinement for 50+days, and I’ve realised how privileged I am to have a house, a studio, garden and a terrace! (And luckily had lots of materials to keep creating).
Once lockdown is lifted, what is the first creative thing you want do?
During lockdown I started sewing face masks using some painted textile scraps I had, and although I am self taught I will start cutting and sewing some of my unframed painted canvases into irregular patchwork large format pieces, combining different colours and patterns.
What is one thing you predict will change within your industry that you are EXCITED about?
I hope there will be more connectivity and openness to collaborate and put together exhibitions in closed down retail spaces. And I am looking forward to having my e-commerce website up and running!
Have you learned anything about yourself as an ARTIST during this time?
Definitely, I think I've learned loads. I've taken the time to set my intentions and dwell on my inspiration and make choices on what I want to pursue.
Once lockdown is lifted, what is the first creative thing you want do?
This is a tough one! I'm actually unsure, there's nothing I'm itching to do, this period of time hasn't really affected my lifestyle and my creativity.
What is one thing you predict will change within your industry that you are EXCITED about?
Pursuit of automation and efficiency, also better hygiene and sanitation standards (one may dream).
Have you learned anything about yourself as an ARTIST during this time?
I realized that I am happiest when I am collaborating with like minded souls and other artists whom I admire. In day to day work, we don’t always get to choose our environments on a job and the nice thing about being in quarantine is that I get to be very specific about who I share my time with and who I have been able to team up with artistically.
Once lockdown is lifted, what is the first creative thing you want do?
I can’t wait to look at things. Window shop, gaze at paintings in museums, go to the theater, walk down unfamiliar streets in the city. I really miss unfamiliar visual information. As an artist, I am constantly getting lost in the details of all that I see and a screen just doesn’t really provide the same thrill as the in person discovery. I really miss the richness of stumbling into something unfamiliar unexpectedly. There are so many simple things I used to take for granted.
What is one thing you predict will change within your industry that you are EXCITED about?
I think a lot of the joy in our work will be very present when we go back. We have been without it for long enough that all the things that may have gotten us down on the regular will fade as we rediscover what it means to create together again. From a strictly logistical standpoint, I also hope that productions will take a crew’s safety into account more often. Maybe this means shorter shooting days for film and TV work and less rush when we are touching up, so we can be certain that sanitation and our client’s safety are always at the forefront. I think in a lot of ways, there will be more care in how we do what we do and that is always a plus.
Have you learned anything about yourself as an ARTIST during this time?
There's no way for me to answer that honestly without sounding a tad pathetic but I've actually experienced no changes, whatsoever, during
this time. I guess what I've learned is that my lifestyle, as an artist, is called
"Lockdown".
Once lockdown is lifted, what is the first creative thing you want do?
My visual arts practice hasn't really been restricted-- *but* as I'm also a singer-songwriter/musician, after the lockdown ends, I'll need to get some engineering/mixing on a new song. At home, I'm only able to record direct-input, so being able to sit in the same room as someone, to select amps and vocal effects, will make the process a lot easier.
What is one thing you predict will change within your industry that you are EXCITED about?
Well, with all events cancelled and most commercials and media focusing its attention on COVID-19, I predict it may equalize everyone in the arts & entertainment sector a little-- might make it less competitive while larger players are focusing their efforts on re-structuring, market analysis, planning. etc
At the lower levels, you just simply create- you don't really have as much to lose when something like this happens; any support you have for your work is usually organic or personal and it will still be there after a crisis like this resolves.
I guess it might be considered exciting that those of us who have never really had the money for travel, networking events or PR budgets; pre-COVID, might have more of a level playing field for awhile and may have better odds of getting noticed.
Have you learned anything about yourself as an ARTIST during this time?
During this time I’ve learned that sudden change in the environment, in this case - forced confinement, can really be an obstacle in not just the production of work but life in general. It is an obstacle in the sense that the world has slowed down and as it did, I began to feel uncomfortable and lethargic, not as an individual but on a holistic scale. I lost my sense of individuality, which brought about a sense of existentialism… but at the same time a sense of liberation. It’s good to take things slow and to allow yourself to grow through having that space and time frame of nothingness. One way to assert your understanding towards such an uncomfortable situation is to directly approach it, regardless of how uncomfortable it may seem. And to understand this, I have been creating work that helped me process the situation by turning it into a creative process. Such as incorporating the blood drip workflow from my early work “1 Paper Cut Mass Damage (2017)” back in 2017 to newer concepts such as incorporating the N95 masks.
Despite the isolation, I was reminded of connection through nonphysical means, that regardless of being in physical confinement, human connection, or even connection to anything else that we interact with, consists of elements that are also non-physical - not just in art but collectively as a part of life. We are more than what we assume our abilities and meanings to be in the face of crisis or uncertainty. And that we have spaces inside ourselves that can serve us wisdom and connectivity because we are all limitless regardless of our individual -and collective circumstances.
Once lockdown is lifted, what is the first creative thing you want do?
I’m looking forward to developing some of my existing materials and experiments. To make them more refined. Such as creating a sculpture based on the Catharsis portraits and maybe creating a fusion between these sculptures and streets. And I’m also going to work on a lot of new projects.
What is one thing you predict will change within your industry that you are EXCITED about?
"Crisis precipitates change" an opening line from one of my favourite songs "Virus" by Deltron 3030 is what comes to my mind. Regardless of the negativity that may arise from such situations, the whole saying of curse turned into blessing comes into action. With the current situation, we are forced to communicate through digital mediums and now this is allowing the arts and culture sphere to grow into and get comfortable in this digital space, and I believe this year will be the solidifying leap into or another step into accepting these forms of human interaction through tech. It has already been seen in the creation of virtual/augmented reality works, and the increasing availability of open source digital mediums. This may just be a birth into an era where we completely shift towards a digital realm, slowly letting go of traditional methods of life and communication. Through this, I am looking to see where these new mediums will take us, in general as well as in the scene of art… And how we can use this time and change as an opportunity to take risks and be raw with experimentation.
Have you learned anything about yourself as an ARTIST during this time?
This experience has taught me to do the best I can with what I have, be patient, be kind to myself and others, and to appreciate the stillness.
Once lockdown is lifted, what is the first creative thing you want do?
I will probably set up a shoot with my good friend and photographer Eliot Oppenheimer. Eliot and I have great creative workflow energy on set, we always go into a shoot with an open mind and bounce ideas off one another, usually we pick a topic and start experimenting. I imagine it will be something that reflects our current times.
What is one thing you predict will change within your industry that you are EXCITED about?
I predict people will appreciate and value one another on a deeper level. I think by now we all realize it’s impossible to be a one man show, everyone plays such an important role on set, we need all the peace’s of the puzzle to create magic. I feel optimistic that things will come back better and stronger.
@joleversuch
Have you learned anything about yourself as an ARTIST during this time?
We all live in such a “fast life “ and the lockdown has obviously forced us all to slowdown and give us more time to think.
During this time as an artist I have learned to really look at myself and the work that I create and evaluate what I want to do in the future. I have also learnt to really appreciate the simple aspects of life and not take it for granted; for example being allowed to exercise for an hour and enjoy the delights of the outside, nature from seeing trees blossom to the change of colour of the sky and cloud formation on a daily basis.
These simple qualities of life have made me think about the use of colour, texture, and how to create new style of make-up in the future. During the lockdown I have been creating make-up on myself for virtual photoshoots which has given me a wider scope on the use of make-up and to look at make-up as more of a piece of art, which for me, is really exciting.
Once lockdown is lifted, what is the first creative thing you want do?
The first creative thing i want to do is to work with a team of creatives to produce work for the future.
What is one thing you predict will change within your industry that you are EXCITED about?
I am excited about the approach of make-up which will be so different once lockdown as been relaxed. The industry also has to have a slower pace on what we create and to respect each individual who is part of the creative team during each photoshoot. The other excitement for me personally is that I now know what I want to create for the future and what the next stage is in my career.
Have you learned anything about yourself as an ARTIST during this time?
I, personally, have been on a semi-hiatus since having my son. It’s been a while since I’ve been able to get my creative mind flowing – diapers and sleepless nights just don’t help! But having my son has taught me self-worth and the value of time management. I’m worth so much more than what I thought I was. I know now that going forward, I need to seek out opportunities that fuel my creative fire. That is where my best creative self lives.
Once lockdown is lifted, what is the first creative thing you want do?
ANYTHING! I cannot wait for all of this to be over. I need to create, and I want to do that with an awesome team! I’ve been with my husband and son in our house for months now and I am CRAVING the company of anyone else with a creative side to them! Ha-ha!
What is one thing you predict will change within your industry that you are EXCITED about?
I think with everything that has happened with Covid-19 and lockdowns, we’re going to see creativity and escapism taken to a new level. People will have to think outside the box more than they were before to bring their art to the world; what they create, how they create, and why they’re creating. It’s all going to be beautiful!