Confined Artists Exhibition – Free Spirits: Portraits and Insights from the 2020 Lockdown at LongHouse Reserve

Artist Maryam Eisler created an exhibition of photographs and video stories from virtual conversations with artists during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown that will be presented at LongHouse Reserve from August 22 – September 1.

164 of the world’s most influential artists, including Marina Abramovic, Ai Weiwei, Francesco Clemente, Rashid Johnson, Peter McGough, Marilyn Minter, Mariko Mori, Shirin Neshat, Maria Qamar, Kenny Scharf, Tom Sachs, Mickalene Thomas, Robert Wilson, were interviewed by videochat and photographed by screenshot to create a unique series of portraits and accompanying insights. Like 21st century miniatures, each artist is contained within the frame of the mobile phone – a portal into the world of the artist. We see glimpses of homes and studios that had also become spaces of confinement during the pandemic. Renowned for her captivating photographs of artists, Eisler also elicits their ideas, philosophies, and survival strategies in what is a unique art historical record. “I very much hope this production provides a tiny ray of light on what and who we are as people and artists”, says Maryam Eisler. All 164 artists are combined into a book of the same name, Confined Artists – Free Spirits: Portraits & Interviews from Lockdown 2020 (Struktur Editions). Embracing different generations and geographies, Confined Artists – Free Spirits is a definitive survey of the artists of our time, at once personal, political, and poetic.

Coinciding with the exhibition, Maryam will host two artist talks at LongHouse; the first with Shirin Neshat and Mickalene Thomas, moderated by Max Blagg on August 22, and with Eric Fischl, Harper Levine, Joel Mesler, and Sheree Hovsepian on August 28.