Rhizomes: Cultural Studies in Emerging Knowledge: Issue 37 (2021)
Behind the Times
Abby Lloyd, Alyssa Davis Gallery, Solo Show
We (Abby Lloyd and Alyssa Davis Gallery) were invited to curate Chapter 5 of Solo Show - an internet project created by Harlesden High Street, Underground Flower & Rhizome Parking Garage. Solo Show is made up of chapters which are curated by different people and collectives. Solo Show’s mission statement: “Our project began during the 2020 quarantines, showcasing installations made in our homes. As galleries rushed to adapt to unusual working conditions, methods which had long been practised by isolated artists and independent networks entered the mainstream. As a convergence of artist-run platforms, we found it vital to hold space for artists who’ve experienced isolation, and/or were implementing novel creative structures prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
When it came time for us to curate Chapter 5 of Solo Show, the world had been turned upside down, not only by the pandemic but also by the civil unrest spurred by the murder of George Floyd. It was an unusual time for artists and writers who primarily use social media for self promotion and expression. Many had turned attention off of themselves and used their platforms to divert attention towards protest activities, actionable change and emergency relief organizations.
Solo Show is a project that was founded in isolation. In the early Summer of 2020 it became apparent that isolation was not a new social phenomenon. We figured the best way to approach Chapter 5 was to create something inclusive, not selective. We didn’t want to make choices grounded in political leanings, recognizable names or even based on our aesthetic preferences. Instead of choosing artists and writers to participate in the project, we expanded our reach by presenting an open call. We shared the open call on social media and other various online outlets that were outside our reach / algorithmic bubble.
We named our chapter Behind the Times. In our open call we emphasized that Behind the Times was a literary arts project that was open to everyone, including anonymous submissions. We did not include a strict theme but we suggested that the title Behind the Times was up for interpretation.
Our goal was to combine the works of well known artists and writers with contributions from emerging / lesser known artists and writers. The response was overwhelming, we received over 200 entries from 28 countries: Armenia, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Iran, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Turkey, UK, and USA.
Sorting through all of the emails was thrilling - each submission felt like a surprise gift. We made a decision to include every entry we received. This created a different type of curation for us - instead of deliberating over what to exclude, we had to figure out how to combine the massive amount of images and text. We split the workload in half and didn’t reveal each other’s work until the very end. We found working on Behind the Times to be meditative. We placed the submitted works automatically, without conscious thought or intention. The final result is Solo Show, Chapter 5: ‘Behind the Times’, a free explosive global time capsule that preserves an impartial record of a momentous period in time.
View Behind the Times
View the original Behind the Times site
Featured Artists
Abby Lloyd, Adil Amin, Adrian Altman, Adrienne Sarasy, Alan De Loera, Alex Berns, Ali Amini, Alyssa Davis, Ana Bial, Andrea Simon, Andy Ralph, Angelina Nonaj, Anna Bochkova,Anna-Marie Berdychová, Anton Haugen, Antonio López, Ariane Jaccarini, Aryana Polat, Ashley Lee, Audrey Gair, Ava Patel, Barrett White, Ben Duvall, Ben Gordon, Ben K. Voss,Bernhard Holaschke, Bex Massey, Bianka Chladek, Bora Akinciturk, Boris Contarin, Brigid Moore, Bruno Smith, Camille Davis, Carisa Mitchell, Carly Mandel, Cat Tyc, Charlie Roberts,Chiara No, Chris Pinter, Chris Retsina, Christina Van Der Merwe, Clarice Lacerda, Daniel Loxton, Daniela Grabosch, Dave Lindsay, David Linchen, Diego Groisman, Eleni Giannopoulou,Emily Clayton, Emily Pettigrew , Emma De felice, Euro East, Evelyn Liu , Faust Luo, Felix Deiters, Fharid Latorre, Francesca Facciola, Frank Valone, Gabriela Matuszewska , Garrett Gould, Genevieve Dumas, Georgia McGovern, Greg Brown, Hadley Vogel, Hallie McNeill, Hunter Thompson, Ida Pruitt, Ilya Smirnov, Iona Mackenzie, Isabel Theselius, Jake Goelman,Jakub Hájek and František Hanousek , Jakub Hošek , James Troxel, Jamie Thomas, Jan Schillmöller, Jane Balfus, Jane Leipold, Janine Iversen, Javier Alvarez Sagredo, Jeff Egner,Jesse Sullivan, Jessica Butler, Jessica Rehfield + Numi Lee Griffith , Jihyoung Han, Jo Shane, Joe Greer, Joe Speier, joeun kim aatchim, Jonny Campolo, Josephine Kamoun Johansson, Josh Cohen, Julian Van Der Moere + Will Krauland, Karen Barbour + Daisy Sheff + Nancy Barbour + Antonio Mars, Karen Wang, Katarina Sylvan, Katerina Annunziato,Katharina Stangler, Katie Hickman, Kay Nassef, Kelly Chen, Kendall Gilliam, Larissa Garcia, Laura Zuccaro, lauren jantz, Lillian Paige Walton, Lola Katan, Lucia Leuci, Lucia Love,Manuel Delgado Meroño, Mara Tatevosian, Marcy Cruthirds, Margie Kelk, Marina Daniel, Masha Kovtun, Matías Añón, Matt DeLong, Max Capus, Maya Krtic, Meron Alefnew, Michael Bussell, Michael Cavuto, Michael Francis, Michelle Uckotter, Miles Peyton, Mira Putnam, Molly Rose Lieberman, Molly Stephenson, Mordecai ben Eliezer , Myene Trimble Yanu, Narayan Lockett, Natalia Janula, Nick Carter, Nick Fusaro, Nick Nagel, Nina Kettiger, Nina Muccia, Nisha Hunter, Oakley Tapola, Ocean Holliday, Patrick O'Neill, Paulo Carvalho, Philip Hinge,Philip Liu, Pınar Marul, Primeira Desordem, Priscilla Jeong, Ráchel Plutón, Rafael Sánchez, Rebecca Grundmann, Rebecca Peel, Robert Zehnder, Rocio Guerrero Marin, Rokas Vaičiulis,Roos van Unen, Roxman Gatt + Lucía C. Pino, Sam Blackwood, Sarah Beilenson, Sarah Doolan, Sarah Schechter, Sean Noonan, Sebastian Burger, Shawn McBride, Si Weon Kim, Siggi Sekira, Silvia Trăistaru, Sophie Fitze, Sophie Plimpton, Stacy Skolnik, Stefany Lazar, Steve Nishimoto, Suzanna Zak, Taiwo Aloba, Tasha Lizak , Taylor Stewart, Tess Wagman, Tessa Bolsover, Thomas Martinez Pilnik, Thomas Tyler, Tisch Abelow, Tom Henry, Tom Koehler + Nandi Loaf + Liliana Lacayo, Trevor Simmons, Trine Struwe Hansen, Ty Little, Valentina Vaccarella, Valerie Kamen, Valerie Savchits, Victoria Duffee, Viktor Timofeev, Vivian Li, Xinan Helen Ran, Zoe Monti, Zuzanna Bartoszek
Links
Abby Lloyd
Website: https://abbylloyd.us
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sassy_dude/
Alyssa Davis Gallery
Website: http://www.alyssadavis.gallery
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alyssadavisgallery/
Solo Show
Website: http://soloshow.online/chapter5credits.html
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/solo___show/
CHAPTER 5: Behind the Times
Website: http://soloshow.online/chapter5.html
Underground Flower
Website: http://undergroundflower.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greedy_rigor/
Rhizome Parking Garage
Website: https://rhizomeparkinggarage.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rhizomeparkinggarage/
Harlesden High Street
Website: http://harlesdenhighstreet.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/harlesdenhighstreet/
Cite this Work
Lloyd, Abby and Alyssa Davis Gallery. “Behind the Times.” Rhizomes: Cultural Studies in Emerging Knowledge, no. 37, 2021, doi:10.20415/rhiz/037.g01