In 2020, while working on the 10-month long project “I offer you what I have kept in silence” by “United Avangard Artists” included in the European Solidarity Corps project of the European Union, we were caught off guard by the COVID 19 pandemic. While it’s true that the pandemic affected everyone in the world, being in the middle of a project that relies so heavily on arts and the organization of events, it meant that we had to get creative with the tools and means we’d use from now on.

How does one keep helping others from home? First things first, we got in touch with the municipality to see how we could be of use. While taking all safety measures, we were going around town putting up flyers for people to stay home and providing them with a phone number they could call in case they had no one to take care of them. We were available to answer phone calls and to distribute food, medication and other basic goods that old and vulnerable people might need and not have access to.

The second idea came in the form of making videos, photography projects and writing articles at home while remaining in social isolation. It kept us entertained while pushing us to keep the project alive. In the end, “I offer you what I have kept in silence” was allowed to shine in the middle of the pandemic by allowing us to improvise new ideas that weren’t part of the original plan.

This book presents to you some of the art projects we did as well as photo footage from our activities during the pandemic, weaved with poems of mine.

Ruben Pais

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PH9MlLGtj8WQba1mcp3MO24L__JbS4Il/view?usp=sharing