Reviews

"The Lockdown Lowdown is a publication about possibilities within this new, abnormal, world of restrictions. It is a rich harvest of stories, filled with surreal drawing, the thread of time, pathos, transforming penguins, humour, anxious denial, luscious exuberance, a talking fox, biting snakes, popping eyeballs, political consciousness, bra freedom and disillusioned spoke wheels.

You never forget your first, and the contributors to The Lockdown Lowdown: Graphic Narratives for Viral Times were my first-ever cohort of Graphic Narrative students, from the Royal Drawing School. Between 4 May 2020 and 11 July 2020, I was delighted to teach this talented, funny and engaged group at a time when we were all desperate for connections, during the first lockdown of the year. This was a community, not just a class. We may never have met in person during the 12 weeks, but I was struck by how much time and energy they invested to support each other with lovely verbal comments and with writing thoughtful and appreciative remarks on the class Padlet. So, it was no surprise that the community continued long after the course was finished, with their weekly Zoom meetings and the formation of Distant Connections, their collective that spans creators from Europe, China and the United States.”

Sarah Lightman is a London-based artist, curator, editor, and writer. https://sarahlightman.com