Elana Lakh, Debra Kalmanowitz & Liat Shamri-Zeevi

Confined to our homes, what was revealed was evidence of tremendous creativity as well as fear. On the surface most people were coping, but the extended duration of this virus as well as forced changes in our behaviour and society has exposed many mental health challenges and a list of insidious effects on the everyday lives of people, many of which we are not yet aware. Through art, we see traces of this extraordinary time: of emotions, thoughts, hopes and fears – the makings of future memories.

This presentation looks at images made at the time of lockdown in Israel. Images made spontaneously by 97 participants (mostly women) were reflected upon and examined for themes. Art made during the time of closure embodied conscious and unconscious material and expressed personal and collective reactions to the pandemic. The implications of the pandemic reverberate not only as personal artistic expression, but bare collective and archetypal aspects, exposing a fascinating window into our human plight over time.

Aspects of resilience are evident throughout the pictures, illuminated by the artists’ words, explanations, style of making art and titles given. The pictures also revealed themes of hope, despair, isolation, human connection, nature, fantasy, chaos and order. The end of humanity as the devouring aspect of the great mother archetype, as well as the nourishing aspect of the great mother archetype was also a recurring motif. Some of the themes that emerged and their archetypal implications as they appeared in the pictures will be explored in this presentation.