top of page
.png)
20/20
a time capsule
I was drawn to this project because I am fascinated by the many social, political, and historical changes that have played out over the course of the year 2020. I sought to research, document, and reflect on the year, and, as a visual artist, creating a series of collages seemed to be the most natural way to do this. In many ways, the visual medium of collage mirrors the way human memory functions by creating haphazard montages of moments, phrases, people, and feelings.
​
My intention is that this exhibition might serve as a "time capsule" from these truly unique and trying times that would provide insight to future generations of people about what the year 2020 was really like.
​
This exhibition is a collection of moments, phrases, people, and feelings from throughout 2020 that resonated with me and, I hope, you as well.
​
Start "digging" below to uncover the year 2020.
Time Capsule: Text
The start of a new year -- a new decade -- is always bound to be exciting. To new beginnings! But, of course, a new year doesn't mean a total reset and plenty was already in motion within the United States and abroad. On January 3rd, President Trump authorized an airstrike in Baghdad that killed Iranian military commander Qassim Suleimani and fueled both anxiety and jokes about an impending "World War III." On January 16th, the U.S. House of Representatives delivered Articles of Impeachment to the Senate, thus triggering President Trump's *first* impeachment trial. There was only a very faint awareness of the coronavirus and what threat it could potentially pose to us all.
​
January. Digital collage.
Time Capsule: Image
On February 5th, Trump was acquitted of both charges in his first impeachment trial. Utah Senator Mitt Romney was the only Republican to vote to convict him of abuse of power, a move that would also foreshadow his vote just one year later in Trump's *second* impeachment trial. After having initially believed that the strange new coronavirus could not be spread through community contact, new evidence began to suggest otherwise.
​
February. Digital collage.
Time Capsule: Image
By March, the reality that the COVID-19 pandemic posed a deadly threat to us all was finally sinking in. On March 11th, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially deemed the COVID-19 crisis a pandemic. Though we did not yet understand much about the epidemiology of the virus, community spread was growing and nearly everyone's lives began to change very quickly. Many of us students left the University of Maryland campus on Friday, March 13th, for spring break without any idea when we would be returning. By March 30th, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan issued a "stay at home order" that required all residents to not leave their homes unless it was for an essential job or another essential purpose.
​
March. Digital collage.
Time Capsule: Image
As a "new normal" emerged, themes of April 2020 included social distancing and masking requirements, paper product shortages, and record unemployment. On April 23rd, President Trump controversially suggested "injecting" coronavirus patients with disinfectant products.
​
April. Digital collage.
Time Capsule: Image
The month of May was transformed completely when, on the 25th day, George Floyd was killed by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin after being arrested and pinned on the ground with a knee resting on his neck for approximately nine minutes. As a result of the brave actions of a 17-year-old woman who filmed the horrific encounter, news of this unjust killing spread across the country quickly and ignited widespread discussion about America's long history of systemic racism and police brutality. From that point forward, protests took place across the country despite the potential risk of contracting the COVID-19 virus while in attendance.
​
May. Digital collage.
Time Capsule: Image
Each June, millions of high school students walk in their graduations, surrounded by family and friends, to receive their diplomas as they look back on the last four years of their lives. Such a time of great nostalgia was only exacerbated by the "new normal" imposed by COVID safety protocols and growing uncertainty about the future. Experts argue that the toll of post-graduation plans being disrupted fell disproportionately on students from lower-income backgrounds.
​
June. Digital collage.
Time Capsule: Image
Black Lives Matter protests continued into the summer. In Portland, Oregon in particular, protests drew hundreds nearly every day and federal agents were sent by the Trump administration to "help" and were seen on multiple occasions pulling protesters into unmarked vans. The governor described it as "simply like adding gasoline to a fire." Additionally, the looming November 2020 election drew closer as USPS mail delays fueled anxiety about how it might play out nationally.
​
July. Digital collage.
Time Capsule: Image
By August, a new school year was fast-approaching. When schools went online in the spring, many assumed that there would be a return to normalcy by fall. Of course, this was not the case. With the pandemic still posing a significant threat, many students, teachers, and families had to make the best of things but online learning had its share of difficulties. Creating classrooms and workspaces at home, guaranteeing equitable access to technology or wifi access, and support systems was no easy feat for many American schools, putting many children at a severe disadvantage.
​
August. Digital collage.
Time Capsule: Image
On September 18th, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died at the age of 87. As the nation honored her trailblazing legacy of breaking down barriers for women throughout her career and strengthening anti-discrimination law as a judge, anxiety over whether the Trump administration would try to rush through confirming a replacement before the November election grew. In addition to sowing baseless claims about the integrity of a largely mail-in election, President Trump publicly refused to commit to a peaceful transfer of power if he lost.
​
September. Digital collage.
Time Capsule: Image
On October 2nd, President Trump was airlifted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center after contracting the coronavirus and experiencing concerning symptoms. He was released after just three days in the hospital and very little about his condition was released to the public. There was widespread speculation that Trump contracted the virus at a crowded, largely unmasked "superspreader" event in the White House Rose Garden in late September where Amy Coney Barrett was announced as Justice Ginsburg's nominated replacement to the Supreme Court. On October 26th, she was confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
​
October. Digital collage.
Time Capsule: Image
The 2020 presidential election was held on November 3rd. After days of counting ballots, the Associated Press declared Joe Biden the winning candidate on November 7th. Soon after the results were announced, the Trump campaign held its infamous press conference at Four Seasons Total Landscaping, across the street from a crematorium, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, during which time Rudy Guliani further perpetuated baseless claims of election fraud.
​
November. Digital collage.
Time Capsule: Image
By the month of December, the year was finally drawing to a close, however, the weather was not the only thing that was chilly. Conflicts between outgoing President Trump and his appointed attorney general, Bill Barr, came to head when the latter announced that there was no widespread voter fraud in the previous month's election -- directly contradicting Trump's basis for refusing to concede. Soon after, Barr announced that he would be resigning from his position early, with just about one month left before the Biden administration would take over. On a more positive note, though, a tremendously difficult and traumatic year ended with a glimmer of hope as the first COVID-19 vaccinations began to be administered in the United States.
​
December. Digital collage.
​
Time Capsule: Image
Time Capsule: Text
bottom of page