"This is indeed a strange time. The whole world is taking a time-out. Hopefully we will return wiser and safer and learn from our mistakes. I am interested to see how artists respond to this pandemic. Will their work be safe, more reflective, or will they break free from control and shatter their constraints? Only time will tell. Personally, I find myself revisiting canvas. The past several years I have focused on my cement installations, so it is nice to just paint. Maybe it is the need for something immediate, but I am enjoying working on canvas with color and cement and the effects of time. That being said, the planning for the next cement installation has begun. Once these strange days return to normal, if we ever really do return to normal, I will create the installation on-site. It is exciting, and hopeful, to think about, but for the time being the most we can do is take it day by day, hour by hour, and remain optimistic, patient and considerate. Be kind, and wash your hands."

Erik Sommer
New York City, April 27, 2020