Artwork / Lifesavers Fan Art
The inspiration for this series is a specific moment in US history, a moment that felt as though it would never end: the fall of 2020, when masks were our only protection against the virus and the 45th president was doing everything in his power to discourage their use.
Before the pandemic, I’d never had much respect for fan art, but, by the summer of 2020, I saw Yoda and his pop culture brethren as our only hope. The way I figured it, these characters could reconnect us to each other, because, if you know who Yoda is and I know about him too, then it feels a bit like we know each other. Adding a blue surgical mask to that communal energy made these characters the perfect vehicle to promote both the healthy behavior and the sense of civic responsibility necessary for surviving a highly contagious deadly airborne virus.
Though creating my own Lifesavers Fan Art pieces taught me a thing or two about myself and my fellow humans, my favorite part of the project by far are the contributions of Luis Alves, Diana Bukowski, Cathy Hasty, Pat Krishnamurthy, Chris Rae, and Liz Wuillermin, whose works are displayed above!
The Lifesavers Fan Art initiative earned write-ups in The Press of Atlantic City, South Jersey Magazine, and the Asbury Park Press.