Belong and Be Safe

Belong and Be Safe
City College of San Francisco, Art Department

City College of San Francisco students produced the artwork for this group exhibition in the following courses: Basic Drawing, Watercolor Special Topics, and Beginning and Advanced Illustration. The classes were conducted virtually during the 2020 fall and 2021 spring semesters due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All of the artwork addresses the profound effects of this public health crisis.

In Basic Drawing 130A, students explored the theme of pandemic life through a one-point perspective drawing of an interior space. Students depicted a room they have inhabited during the COVID-19 pandemic and added elements to communicate how the pandemic has influenced their living space and lifestyle. Some works touch on novel habits developed as a result of recent restrictions, while others reference newfound interests. Students also explored the idea of the room as a safe haven and a place of introspection.

Watercolor Color Special Topics expands upon advanced-level watercolor/water media techniques. The works on view reflect communal connections and disconnections during the pandemic. They also address how we are collectively and singularly affected during a time of social distancing and isolation. How do we rely on the kindness of strangers six feet away? How do we manage our interactions with those who refuse to wear masks? How do we cope with a contentious election during a pandemic?

Beginning Illustration 136A introduces students to the professional field of illustration focusing on principal areas within the field: editorial, advertising, fashion, fantasy, and scientific. Advanced Illustration 136C explores varied media techniques, content, and experimentation with working methods. One illustration exhibited combines fashion/costume design with Russian Constructivism and Italian Futurism. The work reflects the dystopian nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, while serving as a functional piece of clothing that incorporates the need for social distancing. Similarly, another illustration presents costume design set in a futuristic sci-fi world, where people continue to wear masks and remain separate from one another. A series of watercolor paintings depicts snapshots of essential workers and passengers at airports. The artist’s use of empty, negative space alludes to isolation, detachment, and social divides.

The mission of City College of San Francisco’s Art Department is to promote creative and critical thought through a wide range of disciplines. The art curriculum is offered to the community via online, hybrid, and in-person art classes. Courses support students whose art-making knowledge and skills range from novice to proficient and includes transfer students and those seeking professional development.

Essential  2020–21
Julia Wolinsky
watercolor
Courtesy of the artist and Inna Razumova, City College of San Francisco
L2021.1001.008
 
Closed  2020–21

Barbara Lubanski-Wenger
watercolor
Courtesy of the artist and Nancy Mizuno Elliot, City College of San Francisco
L2021.1001.002

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