Eased COVID-19 restrictions signal the reopening of New York’s vibrant nightlife and arts scene. This fall, a number of museums around campus opened their doors to the public for in-person exhibitions. Although many museums adapted to an online world by offering tours and exhibitions in a virtual format, the absence of in-person exhibitions prompted us to reflect on experiences unique to viewing art in-person. New York’s most popular museums and Columbia’s galleries fully return art to the people this fall with a variety of new exhibitions on display.

With COVID-19 restrictions easing in New York, the art world looks forward to an in-person return in the coming summer months and into the fall. Since the industry had to radically rethink its practice in the previous year, art galleries have found creative ways to present their exhibitions in virtual formats.

“Do you like it?” a young woman asks her boyfriend, referring to the yellow dress she has put on for her first day at a new job.

Black Theatre Ensemble, like all theater groups on campus, has been faced with the difficult task of reimagining theater as a digital medium. Unlike other theater troupes, however, BTE is a unique, artistic social group on campus dedicated to celebrating Black art and culture.

“Look at all those people,” a young woman, played by Lindsey Belisle, BC ’23, says, watching the bustle of a New York street from a park bench. “Who are they? Where are they from? And where are they going?”

The highly ornate facade of the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine is a stunning backdrop for Jamie Wellerstein as he dances on its steps, singing about his writing dreams and his newfound love, Cathy Hiatt. The actor playing Jamie must perform in front of a camera in lieu of a live audience; this is the reality of virtual theater that Columbia’s student theater groups are facing.

“This country owes me. Its spine, its legs, its head—they belong to me!” George exclaims, disillusioned since returning from service in Iraq. “I was the big man, hell, I was the man. Nobody dared to mess with stone-cold George. Nobody knows how that feels.”

Columbia Int Fic has found a solution to the isolation of social distancing—specifically, through an art form called interactive fiction. Ideal for an online format, interactive fiction allows readers to engage with stories by making decisions for the protagonist, similar to “choose your own adventure” books.

After the University transitioned to online learning, many seniors majoring in visual arts struggled to adapt their practices to home settings that lacked the equipment and studio space they relied on at Columbia.

In a time of social distancing and widespread museum closures, the Wallach Art Gallery, located at 129th Street in the heart of Columbia’s Manhattanville campus, has taken advantage of digital mediums to preserve aspects of an in-person gallery setting by embracing the challenges of creating an engaging online experience.