Studio Stories 2020

As the global health pandemic changed artists’ lives and practice, Chicago-based artist Lilach Schrag found herself drawn to stories of how artists were adapting to lockdown and the new reality. The result is Lilach’s specially-curated presentation Studio Stories 2020, hosted by Kol HaOt.

'FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY ADULT LIFE, I WAS NOW “FREE” FROM MY DAILY WORKLOAD.'

Ken Goldman

'ONLINE RESOURCES BECAME HUGELY UNITING AND HELPFUL.
IT WAS A WAY OF ALLEVIATING WORKING IN A VACUUM.'

Andi Arnovitz

'CREATING A SOUVENIR THAT DEPICTS THE VIRUS IS REALIZING THAT THIS PERIOD WILL COME TO AN END, AND THAT SOUVENIRS ARE WHAT WILL BE LEFT OF IT.'

Eliahou Eric Bokobza

'BEING STUCK IN OUR HOMES HAS GIVEN US THE OPPORTUNITY TO RELATE TO JEWISH RITUALS ON A PERSONAL LEVEL, OUTSIDE OF THE GREATER COMMUNITY.'

Hillel Smith

'I USED A SIMPLE STRAIGHT STITCH, IN AN EXTREMELY SLOW PROCESS, WISHING TO REPAIR AND RETURN OUR PEACEFUL LIFE.'

Akemi Nakano Cohn

'WHILE I DO NOT HAVE ANY CONTROL OVER THE BIG PICTURE OF EVENTS, BEING BUSY CREATING HAS BEEN A GREAT WAY FOR ME TO DEAL WITH SOME PART OF THE WORLD WHERE I DO HAVE CONTROL.'

Hanoch Piven

'I AM FEELING MY MOTHER’S ANGER. IT IS ALL MIXED UP WITH THE TRAGEDY AND HORRORS OF THE HOLOCAUST, AND WHAT IS HAPPENING IN OUR COUNTRY NOW.'

Karen Perl

THE CORONA ERA CALLS FOR SOCIAL CHANGE, RESPONSIBILITY, AND UNITY. AT CERTAIN TIMES, WE ALL NEED A “PROTECTIVE BLANKET,” BUT IN THESE UNSTABLE TIMES, WE CAN ALSO BE THE ONES TO PROVIDE A “PROTECTIVE BLANKET.”’

Bianca Severijns

'I NEEDED TO COMBINE MY PRACTICE WITH FAMILY LIFE, SO I REPLACED MY STUDIO DESK WITH THE DINING TABLE, AND THE LIVING ROOM SOFA TURNED INTO A PLACE WHERE MY THOUGHTS AND IMAGINATION FLY. '

Esther Cohen

'I WANTED TO GET IN THE WORLD’S FACE. BUT THE WORLD GOT INTO MINE. AND THAT’S WHAT I PAINT NOW. IT’S KIND OF COOL THAT THE WORLD TALKS BACK. OTHERWISE WHAT’S THE POINT?'

Dimitri Pavlotsky

'I SOUGHT A WAY TO CONNECT CLOSELY WITH MY FAMILY, TO MAGICALLY OBLITERATE DISTANCE.
IF I COULD NOT EMBRACE IN PERSON, AT LEAST I COULD USE MY HEART AND MY ART TO EMBRACE THEM.'

David Moss

'SOME OF MY GOLEMS ARE POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS OF THE STRENGTH WE CAN FIND AND CREATE FOR OURSELVES, EXEMPLIFIED BY BLACK LIVES MATTER, BY DOCTORS AND NURSES TREATING THE SICK, BY MARCHING IN THE STREETS TO DEMAND JUSTICE.'

Isaac Brynjegard-Bialik