Interior Life

August 28 – October 3, 2020
Curated by Strange Fire at Filter Space

Participating Artists

Lois Bielefeld, Gary Edward Blum, Tuan H. Bui, William Camargo, Jeanie Choi, Anastasia Davis, Annie Donovan, Jesse Egner, Arthur Fields, Nate Francis, Preston Gannaway, Brian Gee, Juan Giraldo , Conner Gordon, Olivia Alonso Gough, Mario El Khouri, Erica McKeehen, Darren Lee Miller, Deepanjan Mukhopadhyay, Jeremy Ng, Lingfei Ren, Rolls and Tubes Collective, Annick Sjobakken, Dean Snodgrass, Ursula Sokolowska, Liz Steketee, Wendy Stone, Sarah Sudhoff, Nicole White, Zoë Zimmerman

Presence

For most of us, the past few months have been filled with introspection due to spending large amounts of time alone or with small family groups. The world has fundamentally changed as a result of physical distancing and the long pause that the current pandemic has foisted upon us all. We’ve learned to explore our spaces, to watch the shadows on the walls, and the way the sun hits certain parts of the house at different times of the day. In this moment of slowing down, many of us have found a presence that we lacked in the time before, when we were often busy and harried. Yet, before the pandemic, there was also an innocence in the way we experienced the world and each other; none of us were yet aware of the havoc that was to become our shared reality.

The images we’ve selected speak to the theme of Interior Life in this current, complex moment. Long shadows on walls and light through windows hint at time’s passing. Time is central to the idea of presence; collectively, we have lost a sense of the days, weeks, and months. Collections of house plants and domestic animals draw our attention to the care given to people’s personal spaces. Whether they be green flowering life, or a beloved dog or cat, these companions remind us of the interconnectedness of life, and – most importantly – that we are not alone in this experience, no matter how isolated we may feel.

In the face of existential questioning and fear, we are reminded that the things we have often taken for granted – home, family, routine – are actually the most fundamental and precious. The hands of a young man simultaneously tenderly touch and cut the hair of an older man. A Zoom portrait of an older woman reminds us of the technology that, already omnipresent, has become a staple of communication and connection. Finally, a tiny yellow house against a blue sky and white clouds reminds us of the world outside our quarantine. It provides hope for the future and the new reality that we are all dreaming of and working towards: a bold, just, diverse, inclusive, and connected society.

Strange Fire Collective
July 2020