Santa Monica’s 18th Street Arts Center is presenting an online show of work by artists made while in quarantine, “Facing Darkness.”
“Facing Darkness” at 18th Street Arts Center
As one of the biggest residency programs in the United States, the Center offers artists a space to create, take risks, interact with one another as well as their public, and foster partnerships and relationships that inspire change.
Claudia Concha, “CORONA”, (2020). Acrylics and ink on Paper. Framed on wood and glass. 43” x 53”. Courtesy of the artist.
The 26 participating artists include Lionel Popkin, Leo Garcia, Alexandra Dillon, Gregg A Chadwick, Ameeta Nanji, and Yrneh Gabon. Their work addresses the human capacity to overcome hardships on both global and personal scales. It reveals what these past few months have meant for each person, via humor, melancholy, and uncomfortable propositions.
Artists as Second Responders
“Facing Darkness” is organized into three parts: Individual, Contextual, and Collective. As said Californians for the Arts director Julie Baker said recently, “A first responder comes in and saves a life. A second responder comes in and helps rebuild a life.” 18th Street Arts Center proposes that artists are second responders.
Debra Disman, “Hopes and Fears and…”, (2020). Textile samples and linen thread. 24.5” x 16.5”. Courtesy of the artist.
