Artist statement: The Coronavirus has impacted everyone in a myriad of ways. We never expected it to last this long at that first press conference telling us to stay at home for just two weeks almost exactly one year ago. We have each had to adapt to this situation; normal life feels like a distant memory. The majority of work, education and socialising have had to shift solely to the internet and digital space to keep us safe. These parts of our lives are what makes up so much of our identity. Now, the only way we can communicate, be perceived and perceive the world is through the narrow frame of social media. From my perspective, it feels that there is now a digital barrier between us and the real world. There is a strain in communication in person and digitally. We are repeating the same scripts of small talk along the lines of “can’t wait for this to be over”, “I miss you”, “we’ll have to get together once this is all over” and general covid chat. Adjusting to the world again after covid will be just as difficult for many.

This train of thought led me to create three pixelated self-portraits of photos of myself from different periods of lockdown. The first photo taken in April 2020, the second in June 2020, and the third in February 2021. The winter period of lockdown has proved to be harshest and has brought another level of detachment to the outside world, as the weather has reduced the desire to go outside. This distance in time will show the progression of my alienation from a digital context, as the scale of pixels appear larger and show less detail in the third painting. The amount (or lack of) detail that could fit in a grid of 1cm squares creates a distorted image that makes you squint in search of recognisable features. It almost looks as if there is the physical barrier of a distorted sheet of glass between yourself and the person behind the screen.