Painting by flautist Marta Ptaskiewicz
Back in March 2020, when artists across the country found their diaries decimated by the coronavirus crisis, many took on other jobs, from uber-driving to making clothes for dogs, to make ends meet. Some classical musicians, however, searched for a new outlet for their artistic talents: they started to draw, sketch and paint. Whilst some had previously produced the odd work as a way of winding down in between concerts, many had not held a paint brush since childhood. In many cases, the result was an unexpected new career path.
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Gradually, more and more artworks made their way onto social media and also onto the news feed of ChamberMusicBox Artistic Director Julia Morneweg. She felt that these works deserved more than ‘likes’ on Facebook and Instagram – they deserved their own dedicated exhibition, set alongside the artists’ most powerful inspiration: music. She contacted the gallery owner, curator and arts consultant Alan Kluckow, and together they are set to present it to the public. The result was the Fermata Festival.
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The Fermata Festival, featuring artworks by more than 40 classical musicians during lockdown, set alongside four live concerts from artists including the Misha Mullov-Abbado Group and Raphael Wallfisch, runs at St Cuthbert’s Earl’s Court, from June 25-27. Scroll through the gallery above to see the paintings and for more information on the artists involved visit https://chambermusicbox.com/fermata-festival/ 