Saudi Culture Council Launches A COVID-19 Virtual Art Installation
From social distancing to working from home, Ithraa’s exhibition reflects a universal picture of what everyone’s been through during the pandemic
The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) has launched a digital exhibit dedicated entirely to works of art created and inspired by the COVID-19, showcasing the difficult times individuals throughout the world have experienced during the pandemic through a unique platform reflecting self-expression and creativity.
While COVID-19 has truly altered daily life for many individuals around the world, in some ways it has brought the global population together; and this new-found unity is reflected in Ithra’s COVID-19 exhibition, exhibiting how certain emotions and objects ultimately brought us the human population together as a whole.
“Art is about connecting people through culture, but we connect maybe even more easily through common objects,” said Ithra curator and head of Ithra museum, Farah Abushullaih.
The exhibit will showcase a collection of 270 pieces selected from hundreds of submissions over the past few months, from several counties such as the UAE, UK, Saudi Arabia, USA, etc. These pieces will ultimately represent the collective roller-coaster of emotions the pandemic has brought upon us. From motivation, comfort to even frustration, the Ithraa COVID-19 Exhibit’s purpose is to convey our feelings through physical objects in a way that unifies us.
Demonstrating how a pandemic divides us and brings us together is not easy to portray or visualize; With several lockdowns, COVID scares, and quarantine periods, this exhibition highlights how humanity has dealt with the pandemic thus far and highlights our unity through our shared experiences. Using art as a platform and allowing international participation connects cultures and will enable us to realize that maybe we’re not so lonely after all.
The exhibit will run for two years, showcasing various artworks from around the world. For more information on Ithra and its upcoming exhibitions, visit ithra.com
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