Self-Preservation: A Complex Human Instinct

Opening soon!

Curated by Cecilia Christman

Curatorial Statement:

The Covid-19 virus has drastically altered our way of life. It has also exacerbated a pre-existing condition that is endemic to our society: fear of “the other.” Rooted in self-preservation, it became most apparent in the unfounded judgement of the Asian community in the United States. Fear of another based on race is not novel to the twenty-first-century United States, given the systemic racism deeply rooted in our nation’s foundations. As a result of the pandemic and the country’s reckoning with racial injustice, the practices of individualism and self-preservation have burgeoned into many new forms. This exhibition, a follow-up to Portraits in Refuge, explores the ways in which self-preservation can hurt, heal, divide, and unify.  

2020 has undoubtedly brought many trials to the United States. A novel virus, political turmoil, and heated race relations collectively contributed to a dramatic spike in alienation and fear of “the other.” Some communities grew closer, but many fell apart. When the world around us seems to be crumbling, how do we practice self-preservation? Does prioritizing ourselves need to come at the cost of hurting others? Has self-preservation ever saved your life, taught you something new, or led you to new communities? Please share visually with our art community, how self-preservation or fear of “the other” has impacted your life while coping with this ongoing pandemic.