“It feels like the whole paradigm of the world has shifted, changed gear, got colder and less unified....we are further from solving any global issues as love is being diminished daily, nothing left to trust in when your fellow man treats you like a pariah....” –Mollixillom, Australia

“The effects could be seen everywhere in the street. Especially when it came to Venezuelan refugees in the streets of Colombia, you could tell the situation was now much worse for them.” –Po, Columbia

“I no longer think the majority of people are good. I don't want to have friends anymore. I don't trust people. I can't believe how easily people have been brainwashed. After the Traffic Light System came into effect, I started having suicidal thoughts. I didn't want to live in this world anymore.” –Martz, New Zealand

“I believe the effects, psychologically and physically in people, has not hit us full force yet but god help us when it does,” –Jacob, Northern Ireland, UK

Out of Lockstep has been collecting pandemic stories and photographs from all over the world since February 2022. These stories will be featured in an immersive art installation along with other artistic representations of the pandemic zeitgeist – how the media stoked fear, what people were told to think and not think, what the effects on individual people were, and how we can find unity, resilience, and healing together. The exhibit will feature a variety of media elements and engage multiple senses through sound design, lighting, visual art, and interactivity.

Submissions for Out of Lockstep are open to anyone in the world who wishes to share their thoughts, feelings, and experiences, regardless of their background or political positions. Ameris Poquette, the Creative Director of Out of Lockstep hopes that “this project helps to bridge the gap between pro-mask and anti-lockdown movements, but I would settle for increased visibility around this issue and prompting important conversations. I’m excited to start a conversation, but even more so, I’m excited to tell the stories of many who were ignored or censored during the pandemic and mandates.”

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A D V E R T I S E M E N T

However, some have been reluctant to share their stories with Out of Lockstep because they feel that it would contribute to an anti-lockdown message. While the project was initially conceived as a response to lockdown policies, the goal is to share a wide range of stories from different viewpoints in the same place, allowing the viewer to make their own decision. “When Anna explained the concept behind Out of Lockstep, I knew it had to happen,” Poquette explains. “While the construction of the actual exhibit presents its challenges, the biggest challenge to this project is perception. We’ve been programmed by the media into a binary of thought, prompting many to call this an anti-vax or right-wing project. Many seem to have lost the independent thought necessary to appreciate and consider a project like this in the spirit in which it is presented.”

Even among those who were against lockdowns and mandates, there is trepidation over losing friends, creating family conflicts, and attracting the attention of authorities. Several members of a Chinese subreddit who were invited to participate declined due to their concern that the CCP was trying to gather intelligence. While it may be easy to imagine this happening in China, the response from several members of an anti-lockdown Facebook group based in New York was eerily similar. Poquette described how her friend who is enrolled in art school in New York City expressed an interest in getting involved with creating pieces for Out of Lockstep, but decided against it due to fears of being kicked out of school for her participation. That same friend joked about how she “lost all her friends in the pandemic… but they are still alive!”

With these concerns in mind, people working on and submitting stories to Out of Lockstep have been given the option to remain anonymous. This means that some portraits will be done in an abstract style that captures the essence of the story while also being unrecognizable. It also means that some artists are working under pseudonyms, such as one Australian musician who refused to reveal even his first name out of fear of his government. “To succeed in our mission of giving a voice to those who were silenced, we have to protect their safety,” said John Healy, the project’s executive producer.

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A D V E R T I S E M E N T

When asked about the divided political climate and how that could affect how Out of Lockstep will be received by the general public, Poquette answered, “It’s going to be a controversial piece. The point is to get people thinking, present them with facts, and allow them to come to their own conclusions. I believe this project will be appreciated by people on both the left and the right, so long as they are willing to consider the message.”

“The timing is also crucial,” Healy added. “While the pandemic is a contentious topic for many people today, it will become less so over time as people continue to heal.”

Out of Lockstep is inviting creative professionals to join the project and continues to collect stories from the public. The exhibition is expected to open in Sioux Falls in 2023.



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Post Date: 2022-08-04 09:00:00

Last Update: 2022-08-07 21:36:17