Washington, D.C. -- In an effort to uplift the local arts ecosystem amid strenuous times, Absurdly Well, in collaboration with InTheRough and The Washington Informer Bridge, presents “Bid to Fight COVID,” a virtual art auction featuring select works from the District’s burgeoning artists. The event will take place on Friday, May 29th.

The unprecedented number of layoffs and furloughs caused by the coronavirus pandemic has left communities worldwide without resources to support some of their most primary needs. Food supplies and living arrangements are threatened as people struggle to find employment let alone money to purchase essential goods. Full-time artists and artists working part-time gigs to support their practice, as well, find themselves in similar positions, with museums, galleries and studio spaces shuttering to mitigate the viral spread. Compounded by the sad reality that grants, commissioned projects and funding initiatives have slowed or halted altogether, creatives are looking for enablement to support their vocation, their wellbeing and their loved ones.

“We’re attempting to transform our art into something that is going to ease the burden for families during this crisis,” said Absurdly Well, the street artist behind D.C.’s polarizing public images of Donald Trump, Greta Thunberg, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and the timely ‘Wash Your Hands’ motto. “We need a stimulus for our art, but we also need to create that stimulus for ourselves and give back to the community that has given us so much inspiration and opportunity to convey our visions.”

Historically, art has played a pivotal role in improving the public welfare during adverse periods. The Works Progress Administration’s Federal Art Project employed hundreds of painters and muralists to enrich civic buildings through the doldrums of the Great Depression. And in the throes of World War II, facing calls to reduce Great Britain’s arts’ budget, then Prime Minister Winston Churchill defended such funding, asking rhetorically, “Then what are we fighting for?” Artistic endeavors are noble pursuits. Artists capture the beauty, the humor, the hardships and the trauma of life in ways that allow observers to appreciate its fragility and cope with its obstacles.

In 2020 when quotidian life has been turned upside down, we need restorative power and we must remain optimistic. The COVID-19 relief virtual auction will aid artists in need of assistance and help subsidize the broader D.C. community. Patronage of visual artists will not only buoy practices during the tumult, but a portion of the proceeds from the event will also be donated to Martha’s Table. For 40 years, this Washington, D.C.-based non-profit has been an access point for healthy food, quality education, and family resources in the same communities that have cultivated the city’s strong arts heritage. Their commitment to protect the health and safety of District residents is more essential now than ever and they have doubled down on programming efforts during this crisis. We elect them as trusted recipients.

“Bid to Fight COVID” will be held from 7 to 10 pm, EST on Friday, May 29. Prospective bidders will be able to tender for artworks via the @bid2fightcovid Instagram page, only after registering through the Eventbrite portal. 

To learn more about the artists involved in the auction as well as a preview of works, please refer to the partnering websites of PR firm InTheRough or The Washington Informer Bridge.