With major museums and galleries cancelling events and exhibitions, the art industry is experiencing the strain of the global pandemic.
Many of them have been forced to adapt and embrace the internet as a medium for their art. As physical gatherings become less of the norm, galleries are actively expanding on their online presence to promote exhibitions and to share installation images.
Some galleries reported
record sales
in the first quarter of 2020 due to increased digitization of their collections and online gallery visits. Online galleries such as Kendi Art have provided a unique platform for artists to display and sell their contemporary art virtually while exposing their work to the rest of the world. Artist such as Fawaz Elsaid, Anne Mwiti and Ngene Mwaura are currently exhibiting on the platform. With the absence of physical connection, artists have had to be more creative with how to present their digital art through diverse forms.
In response to government regulations put in place in 2020, the Circle Art Gallery began promoting art from various artists through their online platforms and Artsy. They are currently running an exhibition titled The Source of The Sea by Kenyan artist Shabu Mwangi which combines paintings alongside a series of poems.
The artist previously had another virtual exhibition with Circle Art Gallery titled The Man with Two Shadows in 2020.
Online access to vast collections of artworks and magnificent performances has been a genuine joy to many people for whom the loss of access to art and culture would otherwise have been demoralising. The fact that art collections are available to audiences beyond physical boundaries means that many non-traditional audiences are now able to engage with art through technology from all over the world. This paradigm shift has made both artists and art lovers to explore a new range of artistic offerings that they would previously shy away from or completely ignore. Art is not bound to a singular medium but is fluid and adaptable to suit any circumstance.
