Absurd
Have our lives been permanently stained by absurdity?
Amidst a pandemic, political turmoil and a debilitating sense of uncertainty, our society is experiencing major upheavals, indicating what could come next. Chaos, whimsical digital realms and a generous dose of unconventionality are some of the pillars that erect our lives as we maneuver daily crises. Left with fragilized routines, the most mundane tasks seem to crumble, forcing us to confront our poignant sense of self-consciousness: what truly matters anymore?
Our reality is suddenly defined by an invisible virus that separates us from each other. Restricted physical contact has impacted the engines of a normal functioning society and as we shapeshift in order to adapt, nothing feels entirely familiar anymore.
Despite being fatigued by tragedy and injustice, current events are also no longer surprising, instead the absurdity of it all seems to exist in the ordinary. We experience the physical world, pay our taxes, clean our houses and care for our children, but as soon as we become aware of our own doings, reality ceases to make sense.
We are cornered by the absurd.
In efforts to hold on to some sort of normalcy, we’ve been hosting virtual parties online, where people “get together” at the same time and dance in front of their computers. Romantic relationships emerge from interactions on dating apps where it feels like a safe space to share intimacies with strangers in a matter of minutes.
Even our relationship to our jobs shifted as we work from home, erasing any clear separation between work and home life. Yet, we are still expected to meet high levels of productivity as we scramble to understand how to even exist under these new circumstances.
We are cornered by the absurd.
If absurdity has been clenching its claws inside our realities, how is it expressed in works of art? Are the works of artists being consciously or unconsciously painted with absurdity tones? For the next few days, we will be looking at works of art through nonsensical lenses, questioning its preposterous qualities.
We invite you to build connections between art and the absurdity of present times with us.
We ask you: how has art been helping you to make sense of the absurdity of current times?
Amidst a pandemic, political turmoil and a debilitating sense of uncertainty, our society is experiencing major upheavals, indicating what could come next. Chaos, whimsical digital realms and a generous dose of unconventionality are some of the pillars that erect our lives as we maneuver daily crises. Left with fragilized routines, the most mundane tasks seem to crumble, forcing us to confront our poignant sense of self-consciousness: what truly matters anymore?
Our reality is suddenly defined by an invisible virus that separates us from each other. Restricted physical contact has impacted the engines of a normal functioning society and as we shapeshift in order to adapt, nothing feels entirely familiar anymore.
Despite being fatigued by tragedy and injustice, current events are also no longer surprising, instead the absurdity of it all seems to exist in the ordinary. We experience the physical world, pay our taxes, clean our houses and care for our children, but as soon as we become aware of our own doings, reality ceases to make sense.
We are cornered by the absurd.
In efforts to hold on to some sort of normalcy, we’ve been hosting virtual parties online, where people “get together” at the same time and dance in front of their computers. Romantic relationships emerge from interactions on dating apps where it feels like a safe space to share intimacies with strangers in a matter of minutes.
Even our relationship to our jobs shifted as we work from home, erasing any clear separation between work and home life. Yet, we are still expected to meet high levels of productivity as we scramble to understand how to even exist under these new circumstances.
We are cornered by the absurd.
If absurdity has been clenching its claws inside our realities, how is it expressed in works of art? Are the works of artists being consciously or unconsciously painted with absurdity tones? For the next few days, we will be looking at works of art through nonsensical lenses, questioning its preposterous qualities.
We invite you to build connections between art and the absurdity of present times with us.
We ask you: how has art been helping you to make sense of the absurdity of current times?