O1 Arts Virtual Art Series, Episode 1: Holly Ann Jarvis
Photo by Cam McLeod
On April 3, 2020 I had the incredible honor to not only perform for my Ogden community but the entire world via a livestream performance.
When COVID-19 struck, the entertainment industry was almost instantly impacted. Events & gigs started to get cancelled left and right. To lose work so quickly as a performer and freelancer can make you feel fearful. It can make you feel worthless as a member of society because suddenly your craft has little to no importance.
And that’s when O1 Arts stepped in. Typically, this organization produces the monthly First Friday Art Stroll in Ogden, where gallery openings encourages artists and enthusiasts alike to meander the streets of Ogden and celebrate contemporary art in all its forms. O1 quickly pivoted under the direction of super star Executive Director, Venessa Gromek, to offer Ogden (and the world) a different First Friday experience. I am honored to have been featured in Episode 1 as I performed live and gave a brief talk about my work as an aerialist.
I took over The Monarch in Ogden for one night. The Monarch is a community art space and venue, recently opening in 2019, that’s usually bustling with people, but is now silent and empty due to COVID-19. It was a surreal experience to feel like I didn’t belong there, in a place that was usually full of life, art and inspiration.
This event gave me something to look forward to when the world dimmed and opportunities were disappearing left and right. It gave me the chance to share my process of aerial at more depth. It also gave me even greater appreciation for the Ogden art community and specifically for the Weber County RAMP tax initiative. When I worked as the Outreach Manager for the WSU Department of Visual Art & Design, many of the programs I oversaw operated on grant funding from RAMP. I wrote grant applications for thousands of dollars in funding to support programs like Arts in the Parks and the field trip programs to campus. Now to come full circle as an artist benefitting from this tax initiative was a beautiful reminder of how much art is supported and encouraged in my community. I feel very lucky to be part of it.
I’m looking forward to seeing The Monarch come to life again. For First Friday Art Stroll to resume inside of galleries lining 25th street. For life to return to some sense of “normal.” Until then, I think we just have to do what we can to continue to inspire (and survive), share our own authentic experiences and support each other along the way.
“…O1ARTS, an organization committed to engaging our community through contemporary art forms, announces a new Virtual Art Series to begin on Friday, April 3rd in lieu of an in-person art stroll event. The series is an ongoing program of online art experiences designed to connect and inspire our community through the arts, particularly during these times of unrest and isolation. This new platform for engagement also raises important questions that the art world and creative businesses at large are grappling with, including the ways in which we must adapt and deliver arts-related programming.
“Amidst all of the dramatic changes over the past few weeks, we have been working to find a way to continue to support our creatives and engage our community,” says Venessa Castagnoli, O1ARTS Executive Director. “By changing our format to a virtual platform, we can keep our artist community alive but also broaden our reach to creative communities all over the world.”
Episode 1 of the O1ARTS Virtual Art Series will feature a live stream performance by Ogden aerial artist Holly Ann Jarvis. “Isolation,” an original work performed with aerial silks to instrumental music and no physical audience, will broadcast through O1ARTS’ social media platforms. Community members in Ogden and beyond can tune into Facebook and Instagram at 630pm MST to watch live as Jarvis performs two five-minute sets interjected by a ten-minute artist commentary.
“Rather than reflect on feelings of isolation and disconnectedness, this performance is more about offering positivity and lightness through movement,” says Jarvis. “Performing, moving, dancing – especially giving that to other people, makes me feel fearless. It’s like I’m escaping time – like I have nothing holding me back.”
Despite the physical isolation of the event, Jarvis aims to impart these feelings of fearlessness through her performance in an effort to temporarily alleviate the overwhelming uncertainty that ripples through our global community. On another level, “Isolation” speaks to the current state of the performing arts from dance to theater to music, and how these art forms will ultimately be affected by the COVID-19 crisis. When we view performance through a screen and remove the ability to experience art in a live space, does the power of the message change? And what effect is left on the audience?…”
Photo by Cam McLeod
Photo by Cam McLeod
Special thank you to Venessa Gromek, O1 Arts, Weber County RAMP, Kenn Films, Cam McLeod & The Monarch Ogden