2 Lizards Exhibit

This week I went to the Whitney Museum in Chelsea to see the 2 Lizards exhibit. The piece is showcased in the gallery of the Whitney, so attendance was free. I went inside the gallery with a friend and sat down to watch the piece. The film 2 Lizards is created by the artists Meriem Bennani and Orian Barki and centers around many of the initial fears surrounding Quarantine. During the early days of the pandemic, the city was a ghost town. Stores shut down earlier, many businesses lost their residency, the streets were empty, and there was a general air of unease. New York City had lost its charm because the people who made it what it is were nowhere to be found. 2 Lizards addresses much of this tension in a dreamlike way through anthropomorphic animals navigating the early days of the pandemic.
The film centers around two roommates who are both lizards that live in an apartment in NYC. In the midst of the Coronavirus, the pair didn't have much to do beyond exploring the city and spending time with one another. There is this one segment in the film where the pair wander through Times Square, and the area is desolate. The two comment on how surreal everything feels and how the once bustling part of the city is now empty. Having lived in New York my whole life, I don't think I've ever seen Times Square as open as it was during the pandemic. I remember driving through the area with my Dad during the height of everything and having the same discussion they had. It was a very rare sight that I hope we never have to experience again. Not because I love Times Square or anything (truthfully, I wish the area was less packed, and I avoid it at all costs) but because of the implications of it all. Seeing New York so empty is not a good thing for any of us! This city needs people to keep it alive. I appreciated how the film covered the strange feeling of seeing an empty Manhattan.
The film also covers the tensions surrounding wearing masks and how many people initially hesitated to do so. The annoyance many felt at those who walked outside without their masks, especially the parents who did not make their children wear masks. I liked how at one point, the cheetah complained about a family walking around without their masks, because it reminded me of similar conversations I had at the time. Beyond the medical anxiety, what I especially enjoyed about 2 Lizards was that it explored not only the social climate during this time but also the political climate. It would be amiss to mention the pandemic without mentioning the tensions for social justice. It was interesting to see so many aspects of the pandemic covered. I had a lot of fun watching the film with my friend, and I think if I have the time, I'll definitely go back for a rewatch.