COVID-19 and Creativity

Covid-19 outbreak has created a complex sphere for everyone across the globe with different consequences and repercussions in terms of psychological, physical, social and economic domains as long as human existence is concerned. Apart from infecting around 6.6 million people from different parts of the world, it has also caused several other issues followed by a transformation that is gradually taking place in the society.

The Pessimistic Side

With the growing number of infected cases throughout the whole world, a sense of tension has taken over the mindset of people. The prolonged lockdown period has caused several mental and psychological issues that everyone at some point or the other has faced since the beginning point.

Due to the instructions from the government and the unpredictability of the situation everyone has refrained themselves from stepping out of their house which eventually led to the gradual downfall of economy and financial status of several countries and states. Along with that, a sense of nothingness has grasped around with the passage of time. Monotony and boredom have taken over and it has caused mental disturbances in people from time to time.

Having mentioned the aforementioned points, it should also be mentioned how it has gone to affect the aestheticism and creativity in a larger scale. Many lost their jobs, artists, actors and the others belonging to professions where their wage is depends on daily productivity are suffering quite a lot.

This prolonged period of lockdown across the globe has caused ‘a great depression’ that has eventually taken over our lifestyle. It has been extra harsh on people with mental illness. Those in need of therapists have had to stop their visits due to the lockdown protocols and needless to mention it has led to the deterioration of their mental health.

Lockdown has been really harsh for extroverts who generally find it really difficult confine themselves in a same place for a long period of time. Artists are suffering due to the current situation and with very little hope for their future. In order to maintain a minimum financial stability, several artists have taken up different freelance jobs, which is far from their comfort zone and preferences.

The Optimistic Side

However, despite of the depressive monotony caused by the lockdown, it has also provided us with a great opportunity to work on ourselves more than ever before. Painters, singers, digital artists, writers and others with the same kind of professional roles have found this time really helpful to work on their art works.

Art needs time to develop. Research activities and innovative ideas take time to be brought forth. This period of lockdown has provided these people with a huge amount of free time that they would never get anywhere else. For instance, writers are finding it really helpful and they are making use of the opportunity to write as much as possible which was nearly impossible in the pre-lockdown period with the monotonous hectic life schedules.

Even common people who are not associated with art works and aestheticism, are finding this time really useful. It is a great opportunity to work on ourselves. It has also been helping people to retrospect about literally anything and everything. Everyone has been working a lot in order for them to be better versions of themselves. Therefore, a psychological, mental, sociological and socio-political transformation is taking place due to this deadly virus. In other words, it has been an eye opener for many.

What’s Next?

Although nothing is as unpredictable as our life is right now, it would not be too hard to guess the future, or at least a supposed glimpse of it. This prolonged lockdown period has provided everyone with a huge amount of time which has caused a transformation in everyone at one way or the other. The post-lockdown period will be a new beginning for everyone. It will demand a new system with a fresh mindset of people along with an enthusiastic sense of belongingness. Everyone will be working on their respective professional roles but with more determination, hard work and passion.

Therefore, it can be said that it will go back to normal, but this ‘normal’ will be a different one than what it had been before. Along with the habit of cleaning and purifying ourselves with hand sanitizers and soaps a tendency of living in a purer way will also take place in an eventual manner. The usage of masks can be described in a metaphorical way to be a tool to keep ourselves away from the pollution in the form of negativity and pessimism. A ray of hope therefore is developing in the minds of people to make it a better tomorrow, and the world a better place for each and every organism residing in it.

– Suvasree Bandyopadhyay.