The Conclave. Mixed techniques on a black canvas 78 x 52 cm by Shaharee Vyaas (2023)

The Conclave is the second installation of a series of five #paintings I’ve made around a time that coincides with the yearly festival of #Halloween 2023. The frames contain some earlier reflections I had about the aftermath of the recent #pandemic. The stylistic style deviates substantially from most of my other works, although parallels can be drawn with the works that feature in my series Art in the Dark.

According to anecdotal reports, the pandemic may have negatively impacted #behavior by contributing to a rise in incivility and #rudeness, which may well have occurred due to chronic #exposure to stress and an #anxiety-inducing news cycle.

Healthcare professionals have also reported experiencing #incivility. According to one analysis using data retrieved from an online survey, 45.7% of nurses polled reported witnessing more rudeness than before the pandemic.

Reduced time spent around others may have also contributed to this state of affairs. The study suggested that “though #small-talk opportunities decreased due to #COVID-19, the need for concise and clear communication increased”.

Perhaps we will now place higher priority on in-person interactions and our relationships with others, being outdoors for sports and activities, and feeling relieved of constant worry. Acknowledging what we went through and growing and learning from that experience would be the best outcome.