This publication marks the 15th edition of the travel grant by Neue Kunst in Hamburg e.V., which has been supporting emerging artists from Hamburg since 1996. The selection process for the grant was highly competitive, with around 100 applications received. In mid-February 2020, the travel destinations and research inquiries were presented by the grant recipients to the association's members. However, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic soon made travel difficult, leading grant recipients to stay home during the lockdown. Planned journeys to various international locations, including Brazil, Trinidad, and Nigeria, were either postponed or altered due to the pandemic's impact. The accompanying series of publications reflects these unique circumstances, featuring travel reports and introductions to the artists' works. Each volume not only documents physical travels but also explores the mental journeys undertaken during this challenging period. The series addresses themes of access and exclusion, the experience of lockdown, and the emotional landscape of waiting at home. Ultimately, it presents five travel notebooks that capture both the realities of navigating a drastically changing world and the resilience of artistic expression in the face of adversity.
