In the early days of the pandemic, nearly 18 months ago, I asked artist friends if they were working through the pandemic, perhaps with more time and less resources, or whether they were experiencing a shift in daily ritual and creativity. Most said they were planning on working, but as the days of isolation and lockdown and diminished social contact wore on, I heard a shift in tone. One artist said, “I’ve stopped. I want to see where this is going to go. I don’t want my work to be about this.” Several months later, deep into the pandemic, another artist friend remarked, “I’m sensing nostalgia creeping into everything I do.” After long periods of loss and displacement, it is not unusual to feel a longing for a time before. The very meaning of the word is about returning home nostos and yearning algia. Isolation from social interaction and community can be devastating, and result in … [Read more...] about A RETURN TO COMMUNITY: KIMBALL JENKINS HOSTS PROVOCATIVE KELLEY STELLING SHOW