Get art, not COVID

This past weekend, I decided to be the change I want to see in this strange fake-normal world we're currently living in. Since about 2021 or so, I've witnessed an unsettling trend: art events that are likely superspreader events. At least one artist I know blames an art show as the source of their coronavirus infection. I became wary of art openings after learning about that. The only one I've attended since the pandemic began was a group show I was in, but between the unmasked crowd and the poor ventilation, (so humid that it made a portion of The Unforeseeable Future come unglued!) I only stayed about 10 minutes. I don't  think I've written about how it's been the past few years to constantly know I'm being left out and left behind because of the art world's cavalier attitude about masking, but it really hurts. My Instagram feed is full of smiling unmasked faces crowded together for photos at somebody’s indoor art show. I don't smile back at them.

In The Unforeseeable Future (the book), I wrote about the pain of paying for a studio I couldn't use. I've now endured almost 2 more years of that pain. Quiet as it's kept, open studios are often rent parties for artists as we hope that some of the people who come through will either make a major purchase or introduce us to someone who will. I've been deprived of that possibility for over three years now, first because the pandemic began and now because of the foolish insistence that's it's over when it's not. While I am grateful for the existence of virtual "Still Coviding" groups online, it hasn't been a sufficient substitute for being able to sell my work in person, the way it’s meant to be seen. Even before the pandemic, I was getting tired of relying on the internet in general and social media in particular, where my hopes of getting my work seen by a new audience are constantly dashed.

A few months ago, I surveyed my email list to find out if anyone would be interested in attending a private open studio in a mask. Only a tiny fraction said yes. It didn't seem worth it. Then I saw the front page of the Chicago Reader, which featured an illustration The Fine Arts Building and an announcement about the 125th anniversary celebration. The thought of missing out caused me literal physical pain. This was my chance, finally, after all these years, to get the foot traffic I've always needed. So I decided that I would open my studio and require masks. 

With the help of a cousin who has experience working as a bouncer, I was able to enforce that rule during my first Second Friday Open Studio since Valentine's Day 2020. Then on Sunday, when the building participated in Open House Chicago, I enforced my policy myself. Offering masks to potential visitors was essential. Selecting stylish masks to distribute enhanced the experience. I also offered printouts of cartoonist Whit Taylor's brilliant COVID explainer comic "Temperature Check" and added some public service announcements that I made from memes and infographics to my usual mix of videos that I play on my TV in the hallway. For an additional layer of protection, I kept both my air conditioner and my air purifier running. 

Despite the horror stories I've seen about anti-maskers getting violent and my own bad experiences with them online, nothing like that happened, much to my relief. I probably could have had 50% more visitors on Friday without my mandate, but since one-way masking isn't enough, that wasn't an option. 

When I was on my own on Sunday, I sat in the hall and informed everyone who approached my door that they were welcome to visit, but I require everyone to wear a mask and there was a nice selection of designs to choose from. There were only 3 violations: a defiant elder with an apparent sense of entitlement, someone who didn't seem to understand English very well, and someone absentmindedly wearing the mask I gave them on their chin. After it was over, I sprayed Lysol in the air and kept my air conditioning and air purifier running overnight since the virus is airborne and can linger in a space for up to 16 hours.

As much as I would have loved to meet a dealer,  gallerist or big spender art collector, even though yet again that didn't happen, I am glad to have had the opportunities the past weekend provided. In addition to selling as much as possible, my goal was to create an oasis of safety within a potential superspreader event and help to raise awareness about COVID. I didn’t want anyone to get sick because they came to my studio. I know I'm just an unpopular artist with unpopular opinions, but I think people should be able to enjoy looking at art without risking getting infected with a weird new bat virus that keeps mutating!