The “Bubble” represents our social, familial, or solitary bubbles that we live in during the pandemic. These public art installations, activated by Vietnamese and Latinx community members, are meant to empower San José communities impacted by the pandemic. Messages such as “Vaccinated, no more loneliness!” are written in Vietnamese, Spanish and English onto either silk lanterns or papel picado. Rather than telling people they should go out and get vaccinated, the messaging on the billboards speak to the relief, joy, and celebration one feels once vaccinated; and with how good it feels to be able to visit grandparents once again, and safely be with friends. The Vietnamese and Latinx bubbles were inspired by a conflation of Asian and Latinx traditional fashion. The spirit of the work is intended to provide a sense of magic, to uplift, and imagine a hopeful future as we emerge from our solitary bubbles.

Twelve unique and eye-catching billboards went up in under-served areas of San José in July and August 2021.

Covid Bubbles: Californians Dress for Emergence is one of 18 statewide community projects commissioned by the State of California and The Center at Sierra Health Foundation.