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Exhibitions

Social Distancing Portraits video series


Date & time
Tuesday, February 23, 2021 –
Monday, May 31, 2021 (all day)
Cost

This event is free

Organization

Concordia University Library

Contact

John Latour

Where

J.W. McConnell Building
1400 De Maisonneuve Blvd. W.
R. Howard Webster Library

Wheel chair accessible

Yes

Eva (2020) by Adad Hannah

A selection of Adad Hannah's Social Distancing Portraits (2020 – ongoing) are presented in the Audio Stairwell of the Webster Library from February 23 to May 31, 2021, and on the Library's website.

View the series online.

In the spring of 2020, artist Adad Hannah began his Social Distancing Portraits series in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. For this series, the artist took video portraits (from a distance) of strangers, friends and family members in front of their homes, on the street, at work or at public gatherings and demonstrations including those linked to the Black Lives Matter movement. Each subject held their pose for about thirty seconds, and was invited to share their thoughts with him at the time. In Hannah’s very first video, Eva confided that “Today I studied at the library, I’m tired. I have a final exam. My uncle is taking care of me. I’m not worried.”*

The Social Distancing Portraits evoke poignant moments of everyday life surrounded by a world in turmoil. Each video is complemented by an original piece of music composed either by Daniel Ingram or Brigitte Dajczer. To date, Hannah has created over two hundred portraits in the series — all of which appear on the artist’s Instagram account.

About the artists

Adad Hannah holds a MFA, and a PhD from the Humanities program at Concordia University. Daniel Ingram is an award-winning composer and songwriter. Brigitte Dajczer is an award-winning composer and multi-instrumentalist, and has a MFA from Concordia University.

* “Eva.” Instagram, uploaded March 14, 2020.

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