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QUARANTINE DIARIES. John William Bailly
John W. Bailly is a painter and professor with studios in Lyon, France, and Miami, FL.
As a citizen of France and the U.S., I have always had two lives on either side of the Atlantic. This dual identity is something I have constantly explored in my art and continue to engage with as an Artist-in-Residence Fellow at the Deering Estate. There, I have focused on examining the transatlantic dialogue by using Miami as a starting point from which to look back to France.
When COVID-19 first emerged in Europe, I happened to be on the French-Italian border. This meant that I started my first round of self-quarantine upon my return to the U.S. in early March. Soon after, my classes in the FIU Honors College were cancelled, as were multiple artistic projects. As a result, for the first time in a decade, I would not spend the summer leading young Miamians through the streets of Europe. I realized, however, that this loss also gave birth to a unique opportunity. I returned to France, built a pop-up studio in Lyon, and started my second self-quarantine. The narrative has now been reversed-I am painting the transatlantic narrative, but for the first time in years, I am using my roots in France to look back to the mangroves, the sea, and Calle Ocho of Miami. Lyon, France, Summer 2020.
Website: www.johnwbailly.com
IG: @johnwbailly
