"This piece explores the irony of group portraits during a time of social distancing. Made while in quarantine at the beginning of the pandemic, I wanted to create an other worldly space that foreshadowed what it would look like to have a socially distanced summer. In doing this I wanted to satirize the present moment as well as society at large. Being isolated has intensified the way I experience visual culture and social media which can feel like a dematerialized version of ourselves. We rely on our virtual existence for validation and the false sense of closeness it provides. It feels like social media’s illusion of connectivity already had impacted our relationships and created a sense of social distancing prior to COVID-19. Just like the appearances we keep up, my work exists in a space somewhere between real life and a fictional reality. This piece presents the contemporary action of posing attractively “for the camera” coupled with a historical display of the standards of beauty. By depicting a lack of human interaction, I want to ironically stress the importance of physical and personal connection which I look to for the future."

No Diving, LaurenKrasnoff, Oil on canvas, 50x44, 2020