Like in many other sectors of society, in the past weeks we’ve seen the coming of a kind of “emergency virtuality” from institutions, galleries, magazines, and artists themselves, to make up for cancelled exhibitions and events, and to combat the anxious boredom many are facing at home.
Even the global health crisis’ popular slogan #TogetherApart (which has been adopted and translated into a wealth of languages and local contexts) hints at the material paradoxes of togetherness in a digital era, where technology is effectively the interface of sociality, and a pandemic shines a light on infrastructures already in place.Īs we’ve moved our relationships, exercise routines, and birthday parties to Zoom conference calls, the art world, too, has been forced to dip its toes into virtual space with a new kind of urgency. Such content – often addressing solitude, “skin hunger”, and the at times awkward navigation of communication technologies, – speak brilliantly to the bizarre experience of a total physical lock-down in a highly virtual, and digitally-connected world. As practically everyone is quarantined at home with their digital devices, Instagram, Youtube, and Facebook have seen an influx of COVID-related memes and content offering tongue-in-cheek commentary, distraction, and momentary emotional relief.
In Italy, web usage has increased by close to 40% since January since the first COVID19-related death in the US in late February, traffic on Facebook has risen 24%, Netflix 16%. While the global outbreak of COVID19 has left museums, galleries, and art schools around the world deserted, the internet is bustling with activity.