The whole world is hit by COVID-19 in 2020
Since all the projects and exhibitions are postponed, Oscar Oiwa was isolated in his apartment located in Manhattam, thinking about what he could do in this situation.
“I’m blessed by god to be born with the capacity of turning my feelings into artworks“
During the secluding life,《Quarantine Drawing Series》, which includes 20 pieces of drawings describing a imaginary trip, was composed between March and June, 2020.
A series of prints to share the artist's imaginary trip with the whole world
Hayashi Satoshi, the director of Gallery Nomart, who built a relationship with Oscar Oiwa, soon decided to publish these drawings as prints.
Even though《Quarantine Drawing Series》is a digital work because it was drew on computer, the reason that we decided to print it is hoping Oiwa’ s imaginary trip would be a way of sharing with people around the world.
The first solo exhibition at Nomat will be an exhibition of new prints and tableau
Born in São Paulo and moving to Tokyo and New York, Oiwa continues his creative activities, and has likened his own life to a journey. His works, including social satire and narrative born from multiple cultural perspectives, have received a great deal of worldwide attention.In addition to this series, we are planning to exhibit Olympic-themed tableau works at this exhibition.
Please take this opportunity to take a look at the many works drawn by Oiwa's free imagination.
>> Exhibition details
Size: 57 × 76.5 cm
Technique: silkscreen on BFK Reves (one prints in one color, use Matte ink with high concentration)
Edition: 15
Quantity: For one-piece purchasing: 7 sheets (each 20 works) are available
For set-purchasing: 8 sets are available(20 pieces included.)
Price: one piece 88000yen~ (Include tax.)
set: 1408000yen (Include tax.) [placing into a special box with exhibition brochure]
Suddenly, life has changed. I have stopped taking the subway, going to my studio, walking around the city, seeing movies at the theater, and meeting up with my friends. I spend my days in quarantine, going outside only to shop for food or to get a little fresh air.
Projects and trips have all been postponed. The city has become the new epicenter of the pandemic and life has been made more difficult for all of its inhabitants. Many people have lost their jobs and are getting desperate about paying bills. News from the world outside is far from encouraging. Entire countries have closed their borders. The US presidential response in itself has been a disaster.
I think about what I can do to remain as mentally creative as usual while stuck in my Manhattan apartment. God gave me the gift of transforming feelings into visual art. And using this power, I have started to make a new series of drawings: an imaginary trip in the midst of life under quarantine. The result is like a diary of insights about my past, my present daily life, and the future. (Spring 2020)
Oscar Oiwa
Yangpu District, Shanghai
My plan was to visit Shanghai in the middle of March. I am just now finishing a big public art installation in a new riverside park at Huangpu River. The coronavirus outbreak spread quickly from Wuhan to the rest of the country and unfortunately I was forced to cancel my trip. (9.3.2020)
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Central Park, New York
It’s a Saturday with nice spring weather but I don’t see any tourists, street vendors or horse carriages. Within the silence, the only thing I see moving around the trees is the wind. (30.3.2020)
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View From My Window, New York
During the quarantine, people spend a lot of time on the computer. They share things on social media like small home concerts, cooking skills, and views through the window. My window is like a giant movie screen: from here I can see so many things happening because this is a city with a high density of villains and superheroes. Tonight's attraction is a classic science fiction B movie, an epic battle of Codzila vs. Trumtopus! (28.4.2020)
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Back in My Studio
The number of people on the sidewalks of NYC has visibly increased. The streets have become noisier. Shops have started to reopen. The “curve” is looking better and hospitals are quietly awaiting a second wave. Overall, the situation is still far from safe, but I've decided to move forward and “reopen my business” as well, heading back to my studio activities after 11 weeks in quarantine. This spring was a months-long time stop, but I am happy that it was possible to survive this period without big losses. However it is clear that society has become more tense with this record unemployment rate: it feels to me that any small spark has the potential to cause chaos. I can’t predict the future, but I believe the second wave will be a social crisis. The reason could be racial issues, right-wing movements, government corruption, or any of the myriad of other issues that have already been escalating in recent times. The near future is not so bright, but I hope that this is temporary and better days will come soon. (29.5.2020)
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Re-Opening
The outbreak started in a Wuhan wholesale food market in early December of 2019. Half a year later over 7 million people have been infected and over 400 thousand have died. What impressive and alarming statistics! Now, laboratories worldwide are racing against the clock to develop the right vaccine. In this drawing, each mysterious animal swimming in the deep sea represents a country (China, the USA, Brazil, Russia, the UK, Spain, Italy, France, India and Japan); the central light represents the vaccine to come. At the same time, the animals appear to be ghosts wandering across the universe and looking inward at a small planet called Earth. It has come time for me to resume my normal life, or whatever version of it is now available. And so I will end this quarantine drawing series here.
This series is dedicated to all the medical staff who have worked or are continuing to work on the front lines. Thank you! (9.6.2020)
>> Click here to see the whole series！
