Post Corona and the Future of Culture

In the wake of the citywide shelter-in-place ordinance, friends and local residents Dalya Benor and Frank Nesbitt put pen to paper about collective musings and projections on life before, during and after the coronavirus. Over the course of a few Facetime calls, phone conversations, and many texts, Frank and Dalya have documented a back-and-forth discussion about what the transformation of society may reveal in the coming months.

Is this the greatest artist incubation period the world has ever known? After months of contactless dating, will summer bring about a sexual revolution that puts the 70s to shame? When we come out of the rubble, will we emerge into a world glittering with a renaissance of creativity that has been incubating, or will everyone be tepidly adjusting back to normal life?

Offering a critical observation of where we are now, as well as thoughts on the future in the arts, technology and culture in the aftermath of COVID-19, two creatives provide insight into the state of the world we once knew.

Cultural & Social Upheaval

Dalya Benor—On a recent episode of NPR cognitive scientist Hugo Mercier talked about the political polarization happening where people are being divided into two ends of the spectrum. He also mentions an “optimistic anxiety” that coronavirus causes — a positive anxiety that forces people to react to the situation at hand. Have you noticed either of these things occurring?

Frank Nesbitt—I’ve seen both sides of the spectrum, there’s a lot of confusion and fear right now leading to a crippling anxiety from people not knowing what to do and searching for answers. The media is overwhelming and can cause people to easily get wrapped up into hysteria. But not everyone is as easily manipulated, so in contrast, you’re seeing a lot more people jumping into action and using this time to their benefit as they feel more optimistic about sparking change for the future. Uncertainty is not always a misfortune. Of course we don’t know for sure how life will be post-lockdown, but we can try to establish some order of our own.

DB—How has loneliness manifested itself in social dynamics, behavior, and art practices? Has the isolation caused an artistic renaissance or blockage of the brain?

FN—For a moment loneliness was a constant theme for the quarantine but I think people have moved past that and embraced the stillness of this time and are embarking on new self-journeys. There’s so many ways for us to stay in touch and activate our social needs while still being distant. It’s been really great seeing artists like Questlove bring people together with live-stream DJ sets and Tyler Mitchell hosting a 24-hour virtual movie night. Finding ways to establish a sense of community throughout this time thwarts off feelings of loneliness and actually jump-starts the mind to search for other creative outlets of your own. It’s encouraging because in a way, you want to join the conversation, you want to get involved and put something out to have people engage with and start dialogue. We need more good distractions.

DB—How are people going about dating in the time of quarantine? What are single people doing now to cope with (or mitigate) the inherent loneliness?

FN—I’ve been saying for a while that a lot of people are going to come out of lockdown boo’d up. Because we’re not out right now with our usual social activities, we’re missing that sense of spontaneity and the opportunities to meet someone new. With the absence of physical connection, people are looking for ways to extend outside their network. So we’re on dating apps, we’re swiping, liking, and sliding into the DM’s. One of the great things of the eventual curtain call on quarantine is that everyone who’s been having an online love affair will finally be able to meet and see if that digital intimacy extends IRL.

DB—Do you think people are spending more or less time on their phones? Is Instagram finally losing its social currency and the weight it once held?

FN—What does your screen-time say for the last week? We’re on our phones more than we’ve ever been, trying to keep up with the news, WebMD to make sure that sneeze isn’t going to be your last, checking in on social media and using memes as escapism (thank god). Instagram is at an interesting point right now because the doors have been opened into more interior lives and less exterior personas. There’s a shift in what's now valuable online because social distancing doesn’t allow for a lot of the enviable, over-produced content that we’re used to seeing on our feeds. So we’re seeing more realness, personality and creativity. There’s still that lingering feeling to stay up and active, and let’s face it—relevant during all this but since it's (mostly) a level playing field on content, you can definitely be more relaxed with it.

DB—Now that our phones are one of the few distractions we have, how has this influenced the power of social media?

FN—The power of social media won’t be ceasing anytime soon but we can shift how it works for us and what we engage with. The sort-of ‘Get Real’ trend on social media was already slowly making its way into more feeds but with this forced spike of normality it's been more prevalent. I think the type of content we’re responding to right now will persist after this all ends. It’s easier to connect when there are no facades.

DB—What will fashion look like after spending months in sweats in our living rooms? How will people dress?

FN—All I’m gonna say is get ready for LOOKS. We’ve been caged up! I haven’t worn an actual outfit in over a month and I miss getting dressed up. It’s going to be a different world socially when the gates open. And because of that, I think personal style will reign supreme and the sense of self-expression through fashion will only be stronger. People have had time to marinate and think about who they are, who they want to be, maybe even reinvent themselves and that’ll reflect how we present once we can be out again. Although I do believe people will prioritize comfort, I don’t think anyone will want to see another pair of sweats ever again— sorry, athleisure.

Relations & Division

DB—Is the coronavirus bringing people together or dividing us into stratified socio-economic pecking orders?

FN—Online there's definitely a sense of community with the narrative that we’re all going through it and doing the best we can which can be reassuring. But when I leave the confines of home, and go to the grocery store for example or anywhere there’s people inhabiting a public space, there is a strong feeling of division, like everyone thinks the other person is the culprit because what's happening right now is a threat you can’t see. So guards are up, heads are low and the fear of the virus has us on the outs with strangers before we can even say hello. It will be nice to just exist in public again without this looming feeling of resistance.

DB—What about the response from celebrities quarantining in luxury? How do you feel about the income inequality in the wake of coronavirus?

FN—It’s been interesting to watch and I’ve seen some things that haven’t been in the best taste. Of course, everyone’s situation is relative to their reality but it's about perception. What message are you sending? The reality is the playing field is not level. We are not all in the same boat. Naturally, we are all quite restless and trying to keep sane but the waters get murky when you see complaints from people you know who live on sprawling acres with unlimited resources. And right now, inequality boils down to just that, resources. The truth is most people are locked down in compact spaces, sometimes with multiple family members, dividing resources while trying to manage loss of income. It’s really about being cognizant of what's going on around you and thinking about your contributions. Like hey I have more than enough, instead of woe is me, think about What can I do to help?

Sexual Revolution

DB—Has the quarantine made people hornier? More shameless? More willing to do things they wouldn’t normally before? As the quarantine continues, the thirst trap photos only seem to be getting more and more blatant. What’s your take on this?

FN—For us single people (yes, I’m single) we’re in this sort-of forced celibacy right now so the thirst trap is king. People are shamelessly advertising and the goods are on display. Maybe pre-quarantine you wouldn't have put that picture up because you had the freedom to explore your sexual identity in other aspects of your life, but now without that, Instagram is filling the void becoming the ultimate mating call. If you think about it, most posts are just bait and within that bait there’s probably only 3-5 people you actually want to interact with your latest revealing photo, but you put it out to the public and wait for them to come to you. Post-quarantine there’s gonna be a sobering “did I really post that?” but for now we’re all in a haze of hormones. There’s a method to thirst trap madness.

DB—As for new relationships (official or not) and couples that got together right before the coronavirus, do you think these relationships will withstand the quarantine? Will the forced isolation build a stronger foundation for them or when this is all over, will people take their coronavirus goggles off and wonder “what just happened”?

FN—Lockdown hit so abruptly that it seemed like nothing really stood a chance. If you had just started a new relationship or were planning to finally meet up with that guy you matched with on Raya last month, Corona put a halt to it all. But what seemed to be a loss can actually be a win. There’s more time to dedicate to nurturing those relationships and build a strong foundation for the future. We can actually focus more on what we have and not the possibility of “What if I meet someone else?”

DB—Has the desperation for intimacy and connection become more magnified?

FN—I never really like to use the word desperate in reference to the natural human want for connection with other people. For me, if you know what you want and pursue it appropriately, there’s nothing desperate about that. All of us are looking to fill in the blanks for the loss of physical connection. The indefinite solitude of it all indeed sparks a want for intimacy or maybe wishing you had a partner through all this, but right now I think we are just eager to communicate.

DB—After coronavirus, do you think there will be a reappreciation of monogamy and less of the millennial sentiment of always “looking for something better”?

FN—Among millenials there’s been this illusion of options because we have access to anyone globally in the palm of our hands— so it's a collective attitude of “Why tie myself down?” What corona has shown us if anything is that the sea of options you thought you had is now a very small puddle. With all the restrictions, it’s leading to a shift in values and people are realizing how important it is to have someone close to you.

Artists Incubation Period

DB—Will incredible art come out of this period or will people emerge from a vacuum with little to show for it? Are the next masterpieces waiting to come out of incubation?

FN—There’s two sides to this— on one hand we have so much free-time to create and think of new ideas but on the other, new ideas & inspiration often spawn from being out and experiencing life. That paired with the crippling anxiety of when this will all end, can stunt ways of expression. But history has shown that tragedy always gives rise to great art. I was reading a piece in the LA Times by art critic Christopher Knight on how the Bubonic Plague in 14th century Europe changed art history and how the interactions between politics, economics and social relations fostered a new approach for art in Medieval Europe. And that's what we have here with Coronavirus, there’s so much to be interpreted on this war we are currently fighting. We’re in a cultural crisis and artists have the great opportunity to translate that into whichever respective medium. Expect to see a wave of new young talent emerge. It’s exciting to see what will come out of this.

Quality of Life & Leaving Big Cities

DB—Do you think standards for quality of life will take on more weight after quarantine?

FN—People are definitely beginning to realize some of the disadvantages of big city living in relation to corona. Here in Los Angeles things are a little different than most large metropolitan cities because we are very spread out and we don’t depend on contact with other people to get around since we rely on our cars as the main source of transportation. Still, with larger populations there’s always going to be an issue of access & availability with everyday things like food and care. We’ve seen New York hit hard by this because people are literally living on top of each other. If you look at NYC following 9/11, there was a mass exodus of Manhattan and New Yorkers flocked to calmer boroughs and even out of the city all together. Similarly with Coronavirus, we’re going to start to see a migration to more rural & suburban areas in favor of geographical wellness, prioritizing our own well-being over the toll and abuse that often comes with big cities because they can eat you alive! People are going to begin to think, “Is this city serving me or hurting me?” and reassess what's important to them in the place they call home.

New Wave of Influence

DB—Will the Instagram facade fade?

FN—I think we’re reverting back to the origins of what social media was meant for, and that's communicating. Staying in touch and keeping up with your friends. We’re moving away from the element of ‘influence’ as people embrace authenticity. One of the weights that’s been lifted during lockdown is the outside pressure we normally get from Instagram. Things like FoMo, wondering why you weren’t invited and comparisons like hey look they’re doing that! And now with the transition from produced content to a now more lo-fi existence, we’re seeing a much more organic side of the people on our feeds and things are feeling more real, more creative, making it more fun to engage with.

Consumerism & Mindful America

DB—Do you think Corona will affect consumerist values and shift mindsets away from materialism and onto more meaningful, non-monetary things?

FN—We’re all anxiously looking for a return to normality and to get back into our routines whether it be shopping, dining out or clubbing. With that I’m sure we will see a spike in indulgent spending during that first wave of openings once restrictions are lifted and the economy opens back up. Although, there are some economic factors that will determine how we approach this, like job opportunities and financial security. It won’t be this grand bounce-back for everyone and there’s a lot of losses that need to be recovered. But I think we’re going to be moving into a more mindful era of spending especially with millennials, and we’re going to alter our relationship to material things. Instead of frivolous spending on trends, you may see more investments into quality, long-lasting products. The world we will step into post-quarantine is not going to be the one we knew before and that's something that will take time to wrap our heads around. The good thing is we will come out of this with our value system more focused on the interpersonal rather than the material. Prioritizing the people close to us over the superficial.

Reverting to Simplicity

DB—Is this a “natural selection” of sorts in terms of quality over quantity, filtering out the complete saturation and endless options we’ve convinced ourselves we need?

FN—Absolutely. There’s just too much overproduction when all we just need is enough to satisfy our basic needs. Being in quarantine has shown us how to live and operate on less. We’re now more conscious about the things we consume, how we utilize what we have, and overall and less wasteful.

DB—NYT predicted that 70% of independent restaurants will not withstand the effects of coronavirus and be forced to shutter. What do you think about this?

FN—It’s really tough to see because a lot of these places have become cultural institutions and anchors for their local communities. Your local diner, magazine stand, coffee shop become mainstays in your routine and markers in your relationship to a city and without them, it changes the landscape forever altering the city you once knew. In LA we saw Swingers Diner announce it’s closing after almost 30 years, a true icon of Los Angeles. How does that happen? We’ve seen large corporations announce they’ve opted out of paying rent. Of course they will survive, but who protects the little guy? These sorts of closings can even discourage new small businesses from opening because it feels like no one is safe. Landlords are out for blood even in a crisis and around the country we’re losing some real gems.

DB—Has isolation forced people to become more self-sufficient, less reliant on others, and more reflective, slower, and inward?

FN—For me, this has really been about slowing down and taking time to assess myself. The constant ‘Rise & grind’ culture we’re hit with on a daily basis says there’s no time to relax but I’m enjoying the time to take things easy without the pressure to constantly be on and produce. With distancing, we’re learning how to move more independently, be stronger problem solvers and less reliant on others. Ultimately, balancing that need for social stimulation with the notion that my own company is enough, too.

DB—It seems like craft is having a major comeback. Will there be a resurgence in DIY culture? Will people begin darning their own socks and making their own almond milk for months to come?

FN—It feels like everyones on Quarantine’s Next Top Chef right now, people are cooking, crafting and exfoliating like crazy. Places like Etsy & Depop have probably never seen more site traffic. With fashion there’s been a big surge in reworking old clothes and upcycling to bring some new to the old. My friend Reese Cooper just released a DIY kit where he’s shipping excess fabric from his factory & instructions for customers to make their own jackets. So it’s cool to see everyone inspired. With so much time on our hands we’re all tapping into new hobbies and eager to create. What better time than now, right?

Culture

The Club Is Coming to the Stage

We enter and make our way to what is approximately front left of the DJ booth, where we’re accustomed to dancing at clubs in New York. “So is this a techno club or a dance performance?” yells an uncertain participant in my boyfriend’s ear. He laughs, bouncing along to Ben UFO, and yells back, “It’s both!” The club has long been a hot topic in European contemporary dance but it is only now making its way into New York performance venues, largely through transatlantic tours. R.O.S.E. follows recent examples like Michele Rizzo’s HIGHER xtn. at MoMA PS1 (May 2024), (LA)HORDE’s Room with a View at NYU Skirball (October 2023), and Gisèle Vienne’s Crowd at BAM (October 2022).

Do these performances compromise the club’s spirit — a space idealized for its anonymity, dark lighting, and thundering music? The notion of the club as a utopian escape is admittedly just that — an ideal — because of how its intense conditions can create barriers to entry. Still, the club remains sacred for many, a place to forge connections and embrace an alternative state of being. Looking at how performances transfer this spirit to new settings reveals what aspects of the club are essential and those that aren’t.

Sharon Eyal, R.O.S.E. 2024. Photography by Stephanie Berger, courtesy of Park Avenue Armory.

Eyal’s dancers make their entrance. The lighting shifts from roving blue to yellow spotlights as Ben UFO’s tracks transition to more melodic beats. Clad in deconstructed lace Dior lingerie with dark red tears painted on their faces, the dancers move cautiously in a tightly maintained pack, slicing paths through the horde with hoof-like steps and jerky leg extensions. After around ten minutes of this controlled choreography, the dancers vanish as the lighting shifts back to blue and Ben UFO picks up his dubby beats. The club, as we knew it, resumes. This cycle of tightly executed movements and free-flowing club-goers repeats several times, each time emboldening the dancers to plunge further into the crowd.

Clubbing in a building once built for the U.S. Army National Guard on Manhattan’s Upper East Side turns out to be surprisingly successful — at least for the audience. What starts as an awkward, scattered group searching for their non existent seats gradually gels into an engaged, bouncing crowd that erupts in cheers each time the dancers enter and exit. Performance patrons who might never step foot in a club find themselves swept up in its potential for communion, moving in unison with fellow ticket holders. But it isn’t until the very end of R.O.S.E. that the dancers finally break free from Eyal’s choreography and join the fired-up audience in a brief moment of improvisatory movement with the music. By keeping her dancers at arm’s length, Eyal seems more interested in the club as a backdrop for her signature movement style than wholly as a space with meaningful stories to be told.

Michele Rizzo, HIGHER xtn. 2024. Photography by Cameron Kelly courtesy of MoMA PS1.

Back in May, I attended Wire Festival, a multiday electronic music event at Knockdown Center that had no shortage of organically united dancefloors. It attracted a crowd of seasoned ravers who were eager to celebrate the start of spring as they danced alongside DJs who played well into the daylight. I left Wire in an afternoon daze to see Michele Rizzo’s HIGHER xtn. at MoMA PS1. My sleepless euphoria only deepened as the performance unfolded, starting with a lone dancer who looked plucked out of the festival.

The dancer, dressed in sneakers, baggy jeans, and a tight tank top, shuffled slowly into the gallery, perfectly in sync with the looping bars of an understated electronic melody. Soon, other dancers, clad in the same staple rave uniform, joined him — each having traveled from Europe for the U.S. museum debut of HIGHER xtn., which premiered at the Stedelijk in Amsterdam in 2018 and quickly became a fixture at kunsthalles and festivals across the continent. As the score’s tempo climbed, the choreography locked into a 16-count sequence, which the dancers executed with precise synchrony. They remained intensely focused, never making eye contact with each other, as they sought release in the endless repetition of synthesized beats. Once the dancers reached their limit, they stopped the sequence and exited the gallery, one by one.

HIGHER xtn. used the focused daylight of the gallery to highlight the meditative release found in the repetitive movements that dominate dark dancefloors. The performance’s restraint brought more consistency and intentionality than Eyal’s all-encompassing club construction in R.O.S.E. Yet both performances offer enticing entry points into club culture for those who may not frequent raves. Rizzo’s ecstatic, hypnotic repetitions reveal how the club can mirror other meditative practices, while Eyal’s interpolation of performance and clubbing helped hesitant audience members blossom by the end. Still, both works overlook one of the most underappreciated aspects of clubbing — its potential for individual expression. HIGHER xtn.’s pristine uniformity especially risks promoting the outdated techno trope that there’s a “right” way to dance to electronic music.

Maybe this shortcoming is, in fact, a benefit. For habitual ravers jaded by one too many sunrise sets, it’s a reminder to return to the club with more intention. If you pause and peer through the darkness, you’ll see hundreds of people moving to the same beat, each with their own subtle variations. This collective choreography is a ready-made spectacle that doesn’t need validation in a theater or museum. And when the music shifts slightly, you can watch the ripple effect sweep through the crowd while feeling the new beat in your body. Maybe this small bit of magic is best left on the dance floor.

Culture

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Culture

Porsche SCOPES Brings Art, Music, and Design to Toronto

The festival was a full immersion into Toronto’s dynamic creative energy. Day one set the tone with DJ collective Living Room, followed by an experimental performance by Claire Rousay that captivated the crowd. Jewelry designer Steff Eleoff unveiled her Porsche Taycan 4S art car installation—a bold fusion of automotive and wearable art inspired by her Sedona ring—while OVO Sound’s Naomi Sharon and DVSN wrapped up the night with powerful, genre-defying performances.

We witnessed SCOPES Toronto bridging underground and mainstream with day two’s lineup. DJ Korea Town Acid’s set paved the way for Angelphroot and Dameer’s debut of BASSMATI, a track blending South Asian influences with bass-driven sounds. Chippy Nonstop’s return to Toronto and Richie Hawtin’s extended set were milestones of the evening, proving that the city’s underground scene has a global resonance.

The final day featured standout performances from local pianist Harrison, Indigenous artist Tia Wood, and hip-hop visionary Sean Leon, who elevated his set with a live choir. Moonshine Collective’s film and musical performance explored themes of African utopia, showcasing art’s power to bridge culture and technology. Rising Toronto star SadBoi, who paused her tour to perform at SCOPES, further underscored the festival’s commitment to nurturing local talent.

Throughout the weekend, we experienced installations from artists like Mitsu Mitsu and culinary creations from Bar Mordecai, capturing the multifaceted creativity Porsche SCOPES brought to Toronto. This milestone 10th edition, open to all, allowed Toronto’s vibrant arts scene to thrive, underscoring SCOPES’ mission to celebrate local talent while connecting it to a global audience.

office had the chance to connect with rising star SadBoi ahead of the event. In our conversation, she shared insights into her creative journey and reflected on what performing and growing up in Toronto means to her and her work.

How are you, and where are you at right now? You told me you were traveling.

Um, I’m good, I’m feeling really good right now. I’m traveling back to Salt Lake City. I had a show yesterday in Seattle. I’m on tour right now with Coco and Claire.

How is touring life treating you? Do you like it?

I love being on the road. To be honest, I feel like I don’t know—like I’ve had good experiences and bad ones—but this time it’s really fun, especially with the people I’m surrounded by. It’s also the longest tour I’ve been on; I have about four more weeks to go. I’m trying not to think about how many days I have left.

Do you feel homesick?

Yes, because when I start thinking about how many days are left, I start to miss my dogs. I’ve just been trying to stay in the moment—I don’t even know what day of the week it is, to be honest with you.

Oh, sweet! What are your dogs’ names?

Jillian and Winston. I know, they’re crazy names.

You’ll be performing at SCOPES in Toronto, which is where you grew up. Do you feel like the crowd is different when you perform in Toronto compared to other cities?

Yes, I mean, Toronto just feels different because it’s home. Every time I come back to perform, something in my career has changed. The last time I performed in Toronto, people just wanted to have a good time, and I’m excited to perform back home again to see everyone’s reactions. I know it’s going to be different from the last time. It’s exciting to see your own growth. Toronto is a tough crowd, though. If we’re with you, we’re really with you.

So, they’re super picky? You have to gain their respect, or what is it?

I think Toronto people are in their own world, but when something really connects with them, they’ll lose themselves in the moment. But it takes something to bring them out of that. Toronto crowds are tough because even if they like you, they won’t show it outright until they’re really vibing with you.

It’s like a vibe check, right?

Exactly. They’ll enjoy your performance, but it’s hard to explain. When people visit Toronto, they often say, “Oh, you guys are so nice,” and I’m like, “I don’t think we’re that nice, we’re just polite.” Like, you can walk down the street, and no one will say anything, but it’s just our mannerisms.

You mentioned Toronto can have a moody energy, especially at night, and that the underground night scene there really inspires you. Can you talk more about what makes Toronto's nightlife so influential for you?

Absolutely, Toronto has this unique energy that comes alive at night. Similar to New York, there are the popular clubs everyone knows, but you need to find your niche—the people who know where the real parties are. I remember going to raves in high school yards, sneaking in because I wasn’t old enough. Events like Baby, Jerk!, and Yes Yes Y’all were pivotal, exposing me to DJs blending dancehall with EDM—something I hadn’t seen before. Toronto nightlife is moody and intense, but when everyone’s out, it’s like the whole city is alive.