Dear Reader
How was your weekend? Were you one of the 100K people who hopped on IG Live for D.Nice’s epic 7-hour-long DJ set on Saturday? #ClubQuarantine was, as the kids used to say, lit. Turned into a fun Saturday night, solo-dancing with the likes of Naomi Campbell, Michelle Obama, Elizabeth Warren, Quincy Jones, Lena Waithe and Lenny Kravitz. Got to hit up Club Duvet straight after, and I tell you, it was the best time.
There are so many things to binge online now; you could just stay on Instagram the whole day if you had nothing else at all to do (as if we weren’t spending a lot of time on IG before all this…) Which is just as well, because as of 8pm last night, New York went on pause. Non-essential businesses had to shut down, as the Governor insisted people adhere to the social distancing rules. As of last night, New York State reported a sharp increase in confirmed Coronavirus cases, accounting for roughly 5% of cases worldwide. Wherever you are, I hope you are keeping safe and keeping your spirits up.
In that vein, let me provide some online entertainment activities to help with keeping the good vibes going:
1. After cancelling Art Basel Hong Kong, the curators opened up online viewing rooms to the galleries, as a way to keep collectors (and those of us who appreciate from afar) connected with artists. You can pop into any one of the rooms and see works from the likes of Yayoi Kusama to Jenny Holzer. But you only have one more day to do so; it closes on Wednesday.
2. From today until Sunday 29 March, Hampstead Theatre will be re-releasing their box office-hit production I and You, starring Maisie Williams and Zach Wyatt, by Lauren Gunderson, on Instagram for free. The play will also be available to view on demand on their IGTV channels — the production was specially performed, filmed and edited for IGTV, during its 2018 run.
3. The Stay At Home Festival has been put together by an ad-hoc group of artists, together with an activist organization, to try help those who’ve been affected by all the closures of venues and postponing of events. They’re using their tech skills to create a virtual calendar of events happening as they become aware of them. You can check out, and add to, the calendar here.
4. As for your music options, there are a few to pick from, but I’ll go with this one happening today, Monday, because of the musician’s sense of humour. James Blake is playing 12pm PST, 7pm GMT.
5. For comic book fans — and budding artists — Marvel's Spider-Man and Star Wars artist William Sliney is offering tutorials online, We Will Draw, at various times. And, a tip for comic book fans that comes via my brother, @WeHaveTheAbility, if you’re an appreciator of the art-form, this is as good a time as any to set up a pull-box.
If you missed previous editions of the newsletter, you can find them here. And please remember to send me any suggestions you might have. Annnd, if you feel inclined to share this and subscribe, please do!
This newsletter is brought to you by David Hockney’s special self-isolating-inspired artwork.
“Do remember they can’t cancel the spring.”
Stay safe, stay sane
Your neighbour
Nadia