As this issue has explored, the idea of community often conceives its own subjective definition. Murals and walls Portland, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and beyond, UP’s third issue on Community & Culture highlights how individual initiatives can blossom into a full-blown community, and the obstacles creatives must often overcome. Christina interviewed Underhill Walls curator Jeff Beler and his crew to learn how the project has impacted the local neighborhood. In her intimate portrait of street art veteran SacSix, Vittoria investigated what it means to be a creative pillar within your own circle of artists. T.K. navigated the strain financial hardships have on a collective in The Life and Death Of Con Artist, while Ana examined a community-within-a-community in her Shooters Street Art, analyzing photography’s role in popularizing the medium. Though for all the challenges the urban art community has faced, few measure up to what 2020 had in store.
The memories we’ll keep from the COVID-19 crisis will likely look different from our original expectations. As the world went into lockdown during Spring 2020, the lexicon of isolation lingered on everyone’s lips: Quarantine. Social Distancing. Shelter. However, as the situation progressed, we saw the world come together in unforeseen ways. Live streams and video chats dominated the early days. Spectacular protests ensued, as an undistracted populace grappled with an unjust system. No one could claim themselves untouched by the pandemic’s effects, many of which feel like they’re stretching towards the indeterminate future.
While COVID-19 continually alters the way we regard each other, we at UP Magazine want to know: how has the new normal shifted your perception of community? Have you found solace in solitude or a newfound appreciation for community? Or, are you a stoic, unchanged by life’s shifting tides in this regard? So for our Big Question, we ask you: