Artists Reflect on Life "In the Time of" Coronavirus for Virtual Exhibition

The UTA Artist Space is currently hosting a virtual exhibition titled “In The Time of” featuring works in response to the COVID-19 crisis. Curated by Amanda Hunt, the online presentation features and paintings by a diverse group of artists including photographers Texas Isaiah and Aaron Wojack alongside painters Kambui Olujimi and Kenny Rivero.

Isaiah is known for his intimate portraits of the LGBTQ+ community, showcasing a series of works that “capture moments of pause” for the virtual exhibition. Wojack presents a series of still life images taken at his home during the early stages of the pandemic, utilizing nearby objects such as flowers and groceries to stage photographs that touch upon the everyday mundane. Olujimi’s watercolors were inspired by images he witnessed in real time, depicting ominous elements such as billowing clouds of smoke and falling stars. Rivero’s paintings feature street scenes devoid of human life to evoke the “new normal” brought upon by the health crisis.

“In the Time of was a way to process, as a curator, the times by asking artists whose work I have been watching over time what they were up to, and how they were making and coping in the new normal,” said Hunt. “I wanted to get a glimpse of how art was being made in a time of extreme isolation and restricted access to creative spaces, to perhaps help better understand this moment for myself.”

View select works in the slideshow above and then check out the virtual exhibition at UTA Artist Space’s website. “In The Time of” is up until July 19.

Elsewhere in art, learn about Ai Weiwei’s new documentary that explores the intersection of art and activism.