'The Isolation Project': New exhibit set to open at Halifax artist co-operative

The Isolation Project: Artist self-portraits A new exhibit at Art 1274 Hollis features self-portraits from local artists.

HALIFAX — A new art exhibit entitled "The Isolation project" is set to open Thursday in Halifax.

Art 1274 Hollis is an artist co-operative that features 24 local artists and artisans.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Art 1274 Hollis artists wanted to work together on a project.

“One of our brain people came up with ‘let’s all do self-portraits and then we’ll have a show after it’s all over.’ So I’ve entitled it ‘The Isolation Project’ and it’s self-reflection,” says artist Judy Gordon.

“The painters have done portraits of themselves and some of them are ‘here I am and this is what I’m like’ and some of them have done portraits of themselves in unusual circumstances, let’s just say.”

Artist Jean Hughes says self-portraits aren’t as easy to create for the three dimensional artists.

“So my specialty is bead embroidery, so I created an image of a woman. It’s a face, which is nice and chubby, and curvy and jewelled, so it is as close to me as I could get.”

Hughes hopes their exhibit will help people to see that something positive came out of the isolation.

“It was nice to be home, it was nice to be creating, it was a good time. We did our part, and we’re proud of that, and we produced something,” says Hughes.