Winter St. Johns

Deborah Eve Alastra’s Winter St. James is a summation of and a consolation for the tumultuous times in which we live. Navigating formally bustling and now empty streets with the sole company of a dog has become an all too familiar experience for many people during the pandemic. While this memory is tantamount in most viewers' minds when initially encountering the work, Alastra defuses the tension and draws our attention to the unembellished beauty, Americana redolence of the cinema, small hometown shops, and winter scene reminiscent of an idealized childhood and simpler times. In Winter St. James, we find an accurate and emotive depiction of our lives over the past two years and a balm for the concerns we have formed. There is something classic and constant about the picture; obviously, we have experienced great upheaval, but our foundations and traditions remain.

The only issue I take with the work: pandemic or no pandemic, that’s far too short a line for Black Panther.