Kadir Nelson’s exhibition at the Norman Rockwell Museum interprets the COVID-19 pandemic

As the end of the second COVID-19 summer brings the early days of the pandemic more clearly into focus, one of the most celebrated illustrators in the country, with over 30 picture books and numerous New Yorker appearances under his belt, Kadir Nelson offers undaunted reflections on the ineffable moments collectively faced by the nation in 2020 as racial turmoil and contagion crisis consumed the culture.

Nelson’s exhibition, In Our Lifetime: Paintings From The Pandemic, on display at the Norman Rockwell Museum, comprises static-yet-striking meditations on the contrasting notions of hope and anger, isolation and camaraderie that defined the period for many. A familiar billowing cloud evoking smoke-grenade residue creates an ominous backdrop for the line of protestors whose raised fists and somber expressions portray palpable dolor on canvas in his composition “American Uprising.

In “Distant Summer,” a boy holding a red, white and blue Bomb Pop stares plaintively off into the distance. The patriotic colors and the implied sweetness of the popsicle contrast strikingly with the boy’s facial expression, which has him on the verge of tears. The composition challenges the viewer to grapple with the saccharine symbols we uphold as signs of freedom, our ability to consume endless products in infinite flavors and color combinations, as it contrasts with what little a small treat can do to solve the overwhelming issues plaguing the nation.

A skillful exposition of power and pain, the exhibition will be open until October and should be on the list for New England-bound leaf-peepers this fall.