APRIL 2020: Artwork by Bénédicte Colmain

APRIL 2020: Artwork by Bénédicte Colmain

APRIL 2020 is a project that creatively recorded experiences as they happened during the Covid-19 global pandemic. The project invited individuals from the community directly connected with Uillinn West Cork Arts Centre and the Arts for Health Programme to explore their connect and disconnect, personal and professional lived experience during this very challenging time. 

Artists, participants, staff and colleagues each recorded one day during the month of April in 2020. The record took many forms each true to the moment experienced.

I recently found myself as an “insider” in Bantry Hospital. I had difficulty breathing and found myself in the COVID isolation room attached to a nebuliser. While this was scary, it was a lovely to recognise a familiar voice behind the disguise. The fully masked up health care attendant turned out to be Mary, one of the students on the “Introduction to Arts for Healthcare” course that I taught.’ – Toma McCullim, artist, 3 April

I started a project with my friend and fellow artist Trees Gevers, spontaneously, on the 25th of March, following a phone conversation during which we discussed sharing art-making on a daily basis, at least for the duration of the lockdown, with the possibility of continuing beyond that.

We text each other a word every morning, each in turn, and we both “make art”, or even just “make something”, or “do something”, based on that word. In the evening, we send each other photos of what we made during the day, and have a discussion via text message about our responses, both creative and affective.’ – Bénédicte Colmain, artist, 17 April

Social isolation is not a new thing in my life and indeed in many ways I like it. Where I live and in the community, the idea of not crowding people and keeping your distance is quite normal outside immediate family. Restriction on travel is welcome in that I am forced to occupy myself positively which is good for my sense of wellbeing. I am reminded that enough is sufficient and self-sufficiency is contentment.’ – Reddy O’Regan, artist, 20 April

Contributors: Anne Harrington Rees, Toma McCullim, Louise Forsyth, Ruby Gazzaniga, Ana Ospina, Pascal Ungerer, Sarah Ruttle, Aoise Tutty, Liz Clark, Jean-Francois Py, Tomasz Madajzcak, Maxine Acton, Stella Gilfert, Gavin Buckley, Bénédicte Colmain, Klair Lambert, Lucy, Reddy O’Regan,  Roisin Walsh, Mairead Vaughan, Justin Grounds, Michael Greenlaw, Kevin O’Shanahan, Teresa O’Sullivan, Margo Daly, Sean, Sarah Cairns, Aisling Roche, Lily Horgan, Charlie Dunne, Kate McElroy.

Explore APRIL 2020 at https://artsforhealthwestcork.com/april2020/

Subscribe

Sign up to our e-bulletin to keep up to date with the latest news and opportunities.