Surviving a pandemic has been different for everyone. For many, it has been devastating, having lost a loved one, a job, or bankrupting a once-thriving business. For others, it’s been an inconvenience, a readjustment, or in some cases, an opportunity. In a paralyzed Art World, it pains me to see what is happening to all forms of art and the impact that this will have on young people.  I often wonder how artists of color are surviving in what is an environment of steep privilege and limited opportunities.

In a paralyzed Art World, it pains me to see what is happening to all forms of Art and the impact that this will have on young people. I often wonder how artists of color are surviving in what is an environment of steep privilege and limited opportunities. How do these tumultuous times impact their ability to create while paying their bills and protecting themselves and their families? As minority artists, how are they dealing with the racial divide, COVID, and the declining economy, and how does this get interpreted in their creativeness?

For the remainder of this year, I committed to interviewing four emerging minority artists primarily from urban centers in New Jersey to be able to learn and share their stories on what surviving, or thriving is like for each of them and how these uncertain times has influenced their artistry.