The “Good News” portfolio was a transitional portfolio from the portfolio “Resilience”, which had focused on bringing out the humanity in urban settings. The portfolio was created entirely in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. First first piece above is a mixed media piece with and attempt to incorporate interaction at a digital level. Via social media and personal photo archives, I collected nearly 100 photos of friends, family, and more and printed each photo. I then collaged these in an expressive manner creating a larger portrait in the process. Amidst a time when it felt like isolation was bringing everyone apart, this piece intended to show the commonality of our experience and the resilience of still-existing connectedness.
This next piece features a series of individual portraits collaged on a larger canvas. Despite the portrait’s physical separation, there is a theme of connectedness and understanding shared throughout the portraits. The portraits are displayed amongst dozens of newspaper clips taken from news during the pandemic. The portraits highlight the good news while the ‘bad news’ recedes in the background. This piece was made a few weeks into the pandemic, during a time when it seems like lockdown was becoming inevitable for a long time and when a ray of positivity was very much needed.
This last portrait was inspired by friendships during the pandemic. The fragmented portrait intends to convey the digital disconnectedness felt during the pandemic. However, the hands’ light affecting the color of the portrait seeks to highlight the continuation of friendships during the pandemic and the way individuals can stay connected without in person interaction.