St. Louis art fairs, exhibitions disrupted by pandemic, but artists keep on working

Jane Henderson

After a year of closings, cancellations, postponements and pivots, we reflect on how quickly everyday life changed. And as vaccines bring a dose of optimism, we look to the future for the arts and entertainment community in St. Louis.

How it started • In some ways, artists were able to keep working in their studios when the pandemic shutdowns began. ��Ƶ work alone, and the shutdowns certainly provided space for solitude. Although news reports caused anxiety, the virus could also be an inspiration.

But the shutdowns also meant that many art exhibitions were put on hold. And without galleries and fairs to sell their work, some artists’ livelihoods were threatened.

St. Louis Art Museum reopens to visitors — Gallery attendant Clay Hart stands guard June 16, 2020, inside the entrance of the St. Louis Art Museum.
Photo by Hillary Levin, Post-Dispatch

How it’s going • In April, Kahlil Robert Irving had learned his exhibition as part of the Great Rivers Biennial at the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis and other shows would be delayed. He said, though, “I feel like people need to recognize it’s not personal.” He was more worried about people taking care of others and staying healthy.

He said the outbreak had been difficult. “My work is anchored in current events and thinking about history and contemporary lives all at the same time. It’s kind of hard to think about a future when people are faced with life and death.”

Other local artists tried new things, or even, like gallery owner Philip Slein, made satirical drawings of politicians grappling with the coronavirus.

In the summer, many artists’ interests shifted to the ongoing public protests spurred by the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Downtown and in some neighborhoods, businesses boarded up windows, afraid that vandalism might follow the largely peaceful protests. Artists painted the boarded windows like they did during the 2014 protests that followed the death of Ferguson teen Michael Brown.

and Tyson Baker began PaintedBlack STL, which sought donations to buy supplies for artists and even pay them for their work.

Black Lives Matter painted boards — Tielere Cheatem works June 12, 2020, on a series of murals in the courtyard of City Greens, in the Grove. The paintings promote love and support among black men.
Photo by Hillary Levin, Post-Dispatch

, who sells his art as a freelancer, had lost his full-time job as a cycling instructor. He was glad to get paid to offer his creations on boards.

The St. Louis Art Museum, which had planned for years an event called “Millet and Modern Art,” had to close its doors in the spring. But when it did reopen, it was able to extend the exhibition through the summer, in part because some of the masterpieces could not be shipped back to Europe.

St. Louis Art Museum pulls off extensive show of German art from 'virtually unparalleled' collection

In "Storm of Progress," museum mines its deep collection for more than 200 years of German art.

In November, the museum was not yet able to acquire the works for its next scheduled exhibition. So curators in several departments put together a new look at the museum’s robust German art collection, and “Storm of Progress” opened Nov. 8.

Where it’s headed • SLAM is still rearranging its planned exhibitions, but curators hope to have some originally scheduled for 2020 in the future. The museum is open to the public, as are museums such as the Contemporary, Sheldon and Pulitzer Arts Foundation, all of which have new exhibitions this spring.

The resumption of art fairs is not certain, but Laumeier Sculpture Park has its 34th annual event scheduled for the weekend of May 7-9.

It says online: “We are hopeful that in May 2021 we will be able to host our annual Art Fair in person at the Park! But if not, the Art Fair will once again move online.”