Shanequa Gay winter-spring 2020
Atlanta artist Shanequa Gay: "Artists have a tendency to do their best work when they are responding in chaos."

In Our Own Words: Shanequa Gay, Installation artist and creator of “The Devouts”

By

Kathy Janich

Editor’s note: Atlanta’s artists face uncertainty in this age of coronavirus. To help us all connect, we offer this new series: “In Our Own Words.” In each post, an artist will share their experience, strength and hope as they navigate a new normal.

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The moment a strain of concern passed through my body was about two weeks ago, when I was at my studio in Westview with my son. We were both toiling away, listening to music, laughing and joking (per usual) and a friend kept texting and calling, asking me if I had seen the news. I kinda brushed it off, but then ping after ping after ping after ping of group-chat messages came in from friends and family. “Had I seen?” “Had I heard?’ “Did I know?” “Was I home safe?” My son and I calmly packed up and headed home.

My work is in four exhibits — at the McColl Center in Charlotte, at Galeri Myrtis in Baltimore and two in Atlanta (Jackson Fine Art and the Hudgens Center). All have been postponed, are exhibiting online or can be seen by appointment only. Projects on the table for spring and summer have been halted until further notice — or canceled indefinitely. Ob-la-di, ob-la-da.

I am enjoying loving on my family and spanking everybody’s arse in board games. I am cooking almost every day. I am reading for enjoyment and not as research for my practice. This experience is teaching my Type A behind how to slow down. How to be content. How I am not a machine but a human with a spirit that needs nurturing. How peace, stillness, prayer and meditation is a necessary part of this life. I am (re)learning and (re)membering me.

 I look for the silver-lining moments. Because we have been still, Mother Earth is on reset. People are having to spend “actual” time with one another. At the center of social distancing we are becoming closer to the ones we forgot we love so much. I believe there will be a burgeoning flow of new creative modes, thought processes and art movements to be birthed from COVID-19. Artists have a tendency to do their best work when they are responding in chaos.

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In times like these, when we are separated by necessity, ArtsATL is needed more than ever. Please consider a donation so we can continue to highlight Atlanta’s creative community during this unprecedented time.

 

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