The COVID-19 Diaries Series
Online Exhibitions in Three Parts
Part I: Isolation
Coronavirus disease 2019, also known as COVID-19, was first reported from Wuhan, China, in December 2019. As a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe symptoms, COVID-19 can cause kidney failure, pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, and even death.¹
On March 11, 2020, COVID-19 was recognized as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO);² on March 13, the WHO announced that Europe had become the new center of the pandemic; and as of March 20, more than 245,000 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in over 170 countries and territories, resulting in more than 10,000 deaths. It is best recommended to avoid close contact with people, and numerous countries are urging the public to stay home and are closing their borders to try to limit the spread of COVID-19.³
From micro to macro scales, the everyday lives of people and the global economy are affected by this pandemic, including the art world and the creatives. In New York City alone, major art and cultural institutions have closed indefinitely and international art fairs are canceled or postponed due to the spread of COVID-19. These are the places that contribute tremendously to the people’s lives. They not only inspire and stimulate people to create and think, but also question and challenge the concerns the society faces, bringing everyone all together as humans.
As an immediate reaction to the current situation, MiA Collective Art presents a series of online exhibitions in three parts - doing what we do best to contribute and keep the artistic energy alive. Part I: Isolation is composed of ten creatives - Chris Bennie, Alison Chen, Woo Ram Jung, Qinyuan Lei, Silvia Li, Grace Noh, Benny Or, kate-hers Rhee, Xiaoyao Xu, and Yichen Zhou - all of whom share their daily lives and observations from March 14 through March 22, 2020. From Beijing, Berlin, Los Angeles, New York, Seoul to Shenzhen, Part I shares how these individuals cope with self-isolation and ‘social-distancing’ from 7 to 65 days, and how their daily lives have been affected by the pandemic. Part II and III will be presented with questions that arise from or relate to Part I.
In this time of uncertainty and confusion, we believe that creative endeavor is needed more than ever. While a series of virtual exhibitions do not mean the same as seeing art in person, the goal of this series of online exhibitions is to stay connected by sharing the moments, keeping the spirits up and making an effort to inspire one another.
The COVID-19 Diaries Series is organized and curated by Grace Noh and Yichen Zhou, Co-Founders of MiA Collective Art.
¹ “Coronavirus: Questions and Answers,” World Health Organization, March 20, 2020.
² "WHO Director-General's opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19 – 11 March 2020," World Health Organization, March 11, 2020.
³ "Coronavirus COVID-19 Global Cases," Johns Hopkins University, March 20, 2020.
