We all know that the Covid19 pandemic has changed how the world operates. The idea of physically visiting a museum or gallery is now on hold for at least the next couple of months and we’re not sure what the art world will look like once we’re allowed back out again. 

What does this mean for me, an art critic who now has no art to critique? 

While wonderful efforts are being made to allow us to engage with art online, even the most ardent online art proponent is unlikely to moot it as a comprehensive replacement to London’s vibrant gallery and museum scene. I’ve spent over eight years honing my specialism of exhibitions in London and I’m now at a loss.

Now it’s important to stress that I am very fortunate in having my health and a steady income from my corporate ‘day job’. So I appreciate I have many advantages over others who haven’t been so fortunate. Yet I do find myself at a loose end with my main outlet closed, with Londonist no longer publishing articles.

I’m still publishing my weekly top 5 on FAD though it’s no longer the top 5 exhibitions to see in London. I’m having to come up with inventive top 5’s including art books and art podcasts. While these are performing well, I’m aware that I’m not an expert in either category as I rarely listen to podcasts and most of my reading material is unrelated to art. I was once rather flatteringly described as London’s foremost art critic, though at the moment that feels like a redundant role.

One organisational feat I had accomplished over Christmas last year was to pay for the software Buffer so I can schedule tweets and Facebook posts to coincide with the closing weeks and weekends of all the exhibitions I’ve reviewed - re-sharing my articles at the appropriate time. I’ve had to go through them all and delete all the ones that are suggesting visiting a show that nobody can see right now.

My Instagram remains the same, yes I’m sharing artworks from shows that people can’t see, but I think it’s important to keep sharing beautiful and thought-provoking artwork. Though at some point I will run out of posts and what then? My next stage is to start sharing works in my own collection, though I’m not sure what to do when that runs out.  

I’ve found myself taking a bit of a breather as I’ve now scaled back from two full time jobs to just the one. The result is more time spent watching films and series on television, and reading more - nothing wrong with that, though I wonder if the itch to be more productive means this is only a temporary step back.

A lot of friends think I’ll be writing new content and I’ll have lots of ideas but I’ve never actually generated that many ideas in the past. It’s always been clear what needs writing for Londonist and FAD and I simply crack on with it. Unlike other freelancers I never have to think of an article that I want to write, or one that’s likely to be commissioned - it’s normally obvious what needs writing.

One noticeable change is I’m writing a blog post, this one, something I’ve not done in over 5 years - that’s noteworthy. I’ve never given much thought to wider questions around writing such as if there’s a book in me or where I’d like to take my writing. Maybe now’s the time to think about it, it looks like I’m going to have several months to chew it over. 

I am already looking forward to when the slumbering behemoth that is the London art scene awakens once more. Though with most of a year’s programming crammed into a few months it’s likely to be one hectic Autumn season.