T
he anticipated approach towards the final months of my undergraduate degree presented such promising prospects. For Studio Art students like myself, public events shape our program, with studio visits, gallery openings, and artist lectures forming the pinnacle of our academic careers. This final period was to be a pivotal moment for our artistic endeavors outside of school, but it was shattered — the rug was pulled out from under us all, and undergrads and MFA students were left stunned and speechless.
Life has become surreal. With the looming global pandemic of COVID-19, the shutdown of non-essential businesses and schools was a shock to the system. In a matter of days my classmates and I, who had had the privilege of partaking in the school’s Specialized Studio program where we were working closely with professors and MFA students, have been forced to move out of our studios. These places had become home to us for the past year, with hours upon hours of hard work and laughter contained within them. We said farewell to the opportunities we had been dreaming of — The Shenkman Lecture with Amy Sillman, Open Studios, the Juried Art Show, our culminating show at the Boarding House Gallery — they had all vanished into thin air.
In a world in crisis, a mediocre end to my semester seems a small inconvenience, but it is no less a setback. Those experiences that we were looking forward to, that we had been working towards, cannot be replaced by online courses and lectures — their cancellation has been a hard pill to swallow. However, amid all the disruption, there have been a few positives, and I would like to share them.
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The one shining light through this has come from within the amazing community that Studio Art has brought me. Through the use of social media, classmates and fellow artists have been sharing the makeshift studios they’ve been creating at home in an attempt to keep the artistic spirit alive. As well, Instagram accounts such as @uofgstudioart and @guelphmfa have been working hard to showcase the art of friends and colleagues at UofG, giving them the exposure that is important for emerging artists and their careers. Through social media, many prominent platforms have opened up their online presence to students who have been experiencing the same heartbreaking events as myself. Open Calls for art submissions and portfolios have flooded my timeline and filled my heart with so much joy.
As much as it can be easy to succumb to the anxiety and fear that is upon us in these trying times, the sense of community that I have felt inside and out of the University of Guelph’s art program has been incredible. Art is necessary, community is necessary, and the hope that they provide will be invaluable in the next few weeks or even months.
“Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.”
— Edgar Degas
Emerging Artists:
Specialized Studio:
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Please visit www.theontarion.com/submit to find out how you can share your work with The Ontarion.