Co.experiments
An space of exploration, creativity, and expression—while in quarantine
We are human. We need human interaction.
Blu Paveena Klaisuban and Eve Onicha Wanitchakorn are designers who are originally from Bangkok, Thailand. Both of them have thriving careers in the graphic design industry. They each came to the US to further develop their skill-set and land future careers. They met at the Academy of Art in San Francisco while pursuing their Master’s Degree in Graphic Design and Digital Media, and soon realized that they shared similar paths. They were connected and became pretty good friends throughout. Little did they know that their friendship would mean so much more to them when the world turned upside down. The world was shocked. The pandemic hit and so many things changed in a short amount of time. Blu and Eve ended up sharing a new path. They both suddenly found themselves locked down in a foreign city 8,614 miles away from their home and family. What to do now?
Forced into Lockdown. Inspiration without asking for it.
We feared it was coming. And it did. People began to panic buy and grocery stores were nearly empty. The virus cases were growing daily and then our world stopped. The COVID-19 brought unprecedented challenges to society including a mandatory lockdown. Restriction from human interaction was limited to only those within your household. Travel to and from different countries, states, and countries was forbidden. When the lockdown began, it impacted us in so many ways—how we work, how we communicate, how we live, and even how we think about the future. On top of that, some (like Blu and Eve) were oceans away from their homes making it an even more unsettling time. All of this happening brought on a whirlwind of emotions. It was through the shock waves of the pandemic that inspired Blu and Eve to create Co.Experiments.
Challenges ahead
Being in a creative profession, Blu and Eve constantly find ways to express themselves. Once hit with lockdown orders, it seemed as though all anyone could do was observe and try to comprehend what was unfolding. The duo from Thailand began to realize that the emotions they were feeling were too much to handle and they felt a need to try to stay connected. By creating a weekly check-in and discussing how they were feeling, they were able to support each other because they were familiar with each other's struggle. Locked down. Unable to visit family. Unable to escape. Feeling trapped. The feelings that the pandemic brought quickly became overwhelming. Isolation, Anxiety, and Lost Track of Time were consistent key topics they shared with one another. Pair the lockdown mandate with the horrible news that was fed to them daily, it would start to play mind games with them. The world seemingly turned negative—the virus, sickness and death, boarded up businesses, job losses, politics, constant clashing, and protests. Nobody was immune to the impact of what we were dealing with.
Despite all the negativity, Blu and Eve were able to come together for each other and look out for one another. They initially thought this was merely an important therapeutic exercise for their own self help, but while documenting their emotions during these strange times, they learned to understand that everyone was living through something very significant. After observing their own feelings for the first few weeks, they started to realize that they were far from being alone in this.
Working toward a new normal.
Through their expressive works, Blu and Eve nailed down three consistent feelings that seemed to always creep in: Isolation, Anxiety, and a Lost Sense of Time. They were able to utilize their design skills as a creative outlet for what they were going through. They found solace in being able to create something that visually captured the tangled up emotions of living through a pandemic.
Isolation: Many of us cannot see our loved ones. The feeling of isolation is not concentrated only in the heart or in the head, it affects the entire body, both physical and mental. We can feel more lonely, even if modern technology allows us to communicate remotely. What we really need is a hug, a physical touch, or a kiss. The feeling of complete detachment is the strongest effect on us at this time.
Anxiety: Uncertainty surrounds us everywhere, now more than ever before this moment. It makes us feel anxious and we are stressed almost on a daily basis. Worry can drain us emotionally and physically.
Anxiety flows unconsciously in our mind. In their experiments, the guys use different types of liquid as a medium for expressing feelings. The movement of the ink created a sense of fear, spreading and haunting like the coronavirus.
Lost Sense of Time: Due to the fact that the whole world is stuck at home during the quarantine, people distort their sense of time.
In this experiment, we are shown that time has begun to drift aimlessly. Sometimes we are confused, lost in the dimension of time, and we just need to get back into real life.
Even though the negative, we can always find the light.
This is how Blu and Eve found a way. Through art and self observation, they were able to come together and heal. They believe that by creating this visual thought space together, they were able to let go of fears and leave them behind. Humans surprisingly always find a way to adapt and survive. This work is a visual documentation space showing how the lockdown inspired emotions feel. They hope that it inspires others and shows them that even in the darkest of hours, positive things can rise from the ashes.
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