During times of significant change, artistic movements have been a pivotal source of imagination, innovation, and community.
Every pandemic throughout history has redefined the boundaries of artistic expression, such as Giovanni Boccaccio’s “The Decameron” to employ storytelling during the 14th Century Black Plague, and Virginia Woolf’s “Mrs. Dalloway” to embrace togetherness after surviving the 20th Century flu, and COVID-19 likely will do the same.
From college students to office workers to medical professionals, social isolation has taken its toll. Everyday tasks and line items like commuting to work, cafes, and walking to class are now nostalgic memories for many. The need for consistent creative outlets and community has never been more crucial to the human experience.
To tackle these issues, graphic designer Steph Shotorbani has launched a new creativity experiment derived from her personal experiences. Combining her learned love for constant creation with connection to other makers, Shotorbani created a unifying space to celebrate and connect all types of creatives around the world. Thus, PROJECT apART came to life.
PROJECT apART, a new community-engaged artistic initiative celebrating human resiliency through an online artistic community, with an emphasis on connecting with vulnerable and underserved populations, launched April 15. It is powered by the Sorenson Impact Center, where Shotorbani is employed as Senior Graphic Designer. Artists and creatives from all backgrounds and mediums contribute to this movement every week, with prompts being posted on Wednesdays.
After each week’s submissions, a new visual prompt is selected and the “apARTist” of the week is featured as the next weekly prompt. The first week saw 40 participants and all submissions can be viewed at projectapart.org/explore.
Categories include film, design, fine art, illustration, textiles, culinary, dance, performance, written works, music & sound, three-dimensional, photography, storytelling, experience art, technology, and children (0-14). From lego enthusiasts to street performers, everyone is invited to take part in this experiment.