by Nana Bee
To this day, people around the world are still on the battlefield fighting against the COVID-19.From self-quarantine to vaccine research, the development has changed from panic to new normal. This situation has been around for over five months, and the 2020 has passed by almost half of it.
We launched a series of online exhibition during this period, in order to let real artists show their creative spirits and exchange ideas as humans reference. I hope that the works could give people some spiritual help.
When contacting artists from all over the world, Carl Janes, who is currently in Atlanta, Georgia, told me that in November 2019, a fire burned his studio and ruthlessly took away all his artworks, which is really a great loss for artists. It also led to a long period of depression to him. With the approval of the local government, however, during the pandemic, he took the children to build their own dream houses and rebuild his studio.
When he sent a picture of him with his two children, I found that time was flying lastly. I remember when I first met Carl in Beijing, he took his wife and daughter to experience Chinese life. Besides integrating many elements of Chinese culture into his works, he also studied Chinese language with his daughter. Every time we met, he would be very excited to show up to me the progress of his study. He wrote Chinese characters and build something up with his daughter. His face was not only the joy of being a father, but also a sense of learning achievement like a big boy. Before long, his son was born in Beijing, and his life got the word “好”which means good. Life will be satisfied with having a girl(女) and a boy(子) . After that, they left Beijing and returned to the United States.
So when I saw Carl’s picture of the child building a house with him, I was moved. I also think this is a very meaningful thing. Carl told me that he didn’t start his art creation at present, because most of the time, he took his children to build house together, with little progress every day. Building house makes them forget the panic of the epidemic, and they have expectations and progress day by day, and slowly see the prototype of the house gradually completed. After learning that , I intuitively think the story is a very valuable and educational experience to build a dream house together with children.
Carl’s house plan was conceived as early as in Beijing, but he may not have thought that the practice of the plan was due to the post fire and epidemic situation. However, it may be a good start to look at this opportunity from another perspective. Looking at the house forming a little bit, what the body’s tiredness brings is great achievement and satisfaction, as well as the mood of working together with the child. The impression and emotion built in the child’s heart are invaluable wealth. I’m sure his children will remember this happiness during epidemic that they don’t quite understand, and how meaningful the house will be. Because brick by brick they built with their father, full of the mark of love.
Artistic creation, sometimes not concrete, sometimes built on an emotional exchange. In such a moment, what we need more is the sharing and exchange of mood. Life is more meaningful because of each other. Today, we share the story of Carl Janes. In the future, I hope to share more stories about life and creation.
Here’s Carl’s note:
I designed this addition to our home while living in Beijing. It is made from 5 shipping containers and will include an art studio and a garden roof. I am building it myself. Quarantine has been an interesting time to work and to think about how the entire world is going through this dramatic time in history. Laying concrete blocks has a bit of a meditative quality, a repeated motion while I listen to the birds sing and the wind in the trees. But it also a struggle because the blocks are very heavy and the work is very hard. Some days I work to the point of exhaustion and it doesn’t look like I made any progress. Lately I have been nearing the end of laying block and it feels very good.
Carl Janes
from Atlanta, Georgia, USA
It seems like a humble thing in the global perspective, but it contains great significance to ones life. During the lockdown, the rhythm of life seems to be forced to press the pause button. Life and work are not as used as before. Although people encourage each other, the days will always return to the normal. But many people began to think, what is the normal meaning? What is real need to life? Or what is really lacking in real life? Taking advantage of this pause, is there a chance to examine the pace of life and ruminate past path. Or take advantage of this time to get along well with your family, open your heart to new things with people, or do something meaningful together to make eachother closer.
Dear netizens, Do you enjoy what story I present here? What kind of feeling do you have right now? Maybe a great idea pop up at this moment will change your life.
Welcome to exchange thought with me. If you want to participate or work with art world, you can also contact us for further advice.
