Healing Disconnection in Quarantine

Throughout history, Isolation has been the leading solution to many of the world's pandemics, from the Black Death of the 14th century to COVID-19 in the modern era. While quarantine measures successfully reduced the number of infections, they also negatively affected many people's mental health, as people struggled with feelings of loneliness and fatigue. However, in both historical and modern contexts, art became an important outlet for coping with these emotional hardships, offering a means of expression and connection during a time when people felt detached from one another.

During the Black Death (1347-1351), strict quarantine measures confined people to their homes, often cutting them off from their families and communities. The fear of infection, combined with the constant presence of death, led to widespread anxiety and grief. With little understanding of disease transmission, many individuals turned to religious rituals and artistic expression to process their grief. The Danse Macabre (Dance of Death) became a popular artistic theme of the era, depicting skeletons leading people of all classes to the grave, a reflection of the universal fear of death. Writers, such as Giovanni Boccaccio, used storytelling as a means of escape—his famous work, The Decameron, follows a group of young people fleeing the plague, passing time by sharing adventures that contrasted the confinement of many people. Additionally, these forms of storytelling helped to preserve the culture of the era, maintaining the knowledge for future generations.

Similarly, during COVID-19 (2019-2023), extended lockdowns and social distancing created an epidemic of mental health struggles, with rising rates of anxiety and depression. Much like in medieval times, people turned to art, videography, and music to cope. Online platforms became creative spaces where individuals shared art and music. Additionally, short-form digital content flourished, with many different creators sharing pandemic experiences through apps like TikTok or YouTube. These works fostered a sense of community in a time when everyone felt disconnected.

In both historical and modern pandemics, artistic expression has served as a crucial means of resilience, allowing individuals to process grief, preserve culture, and foster connection even in the face of profound isolation. From the Danse Macabre and The Decameron during the Black Death to digital art and social media creativity during COVID-19, people have consistently turned to artistic outlets to navigate uncertainty and emotional hardship. While quarantine measures may have physically separated individuals, art has remained a universal bridge, proving that even in isolation, human connection and shared experience can endure.