I recently saw a meme that said ‘welcome to April 2020, you have now arrived at level 4 of Jumanji’ i laughed so hard. If you really think about it, 2020 does feel like we are in a video game and every month has its own unexpected challenges for us to deal with. The corona virus has dramatically changed how we work, learn and interact with others. Here at the Esthete movement, we hope you are learning to cope with the changes in our society and get inspired by the artists and art we will continue to post.
As many of you are aware, the coronavirus has drastically changed how we live our lives and will, in fact, heavily impact the world’s economy. In light of this information we decided to reach out to young artists in Kenya to find out how COVID-19 has affected their careers and how we can help them stay afloat even in these uncertain times.
One of the biggest concerns was the shutdown of the exhibitions due to the bun on social gatherings. Museums and exhibitions play a very important role in the exposure and selling of art so without them, a lot of artists will have a hard time getting any income. Another issue brought up by the artists was that they are noticing a shift in the spending habits of their customers. It seems that people are now opting to save up money or buy other products deemed essential compared to buying art as it is considered a luxury.
“Most of my clientele are foreigners. The ban on international travel and lock-down in the country has greatly affected my business. I will be forced to venture into other side hustles to try and generate money for survival.” caleb owoko
The artists are also forced to split the little that they have between stocking up food, paying rent, art supplies, studio rent and other bills with no clear picture of the fate of their careers.
Essential materials to create are seemily more difficult to access. Whatever is available, has been doubled in price. This makes it even more strenuous to produce work and affect the motivation of the artist. ‘Stay home to stay safe’ is a mantra we are well used to by now. Social distancing is very important to lessen the spread of the virus. The change in how we interact with each other will also change art as we know it. Some artists draw inspiration from human interaction and how they experience intimacy.
“movement and interacting with people has been a huge source of inspiration for my art and the lock-down as well as the social distancing has affected my work” Hanningtone
Fortunately, not all of the effects of COVID-19 are negative for an artist. A Lot of artists are using this time to create art that is true to who they are and the community around them. Creating work that is either educative or aspirational for consumers and members of their society.
“The changes have created the perfect environment for me to expound on my research for my upcoming collection called ‘last days’. I intend to create a personal body of work that deliberately speaks about our current time and what to expect.” Andrew Chege
“As an artist, I would advise a collector to buy art created during this time because it will be of quality and have profound historical significance.” Sam Muiga
As to how you can be of assistance, there are various ways to support fine artists and they have shared a few. One of the simplest yet most effective ways you can help is to share, like, comment, re-post and follow Kenyan artists online. Whichever social media platform you use, please support all Kenyan artists to enable them to reach a wider audience and potentially make a sale.
Another is to donate money or supplies to artists.if you know any artist personally, we suggest giving them a call and find out how they are coping.
“Financial aid would be a big help to ensure that I continue to live my dream and work hard to produce work regardless of the situation. This will in turn allow me to prepare for what comes after the pandemic.” Taabu.E
As we are readjusting to our new norms and trying to survive, let’s not forget to check up on our neighbors to make sure they are also doing ok. Please find time to reach out and support those who strive to preserve our culture and heritage.