ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

How to Be at Home: Animated Short on Social Isolation

digital · 2026-04-27

The 2020 pandemic forced millions into lockdown, prompting a reimagined animated short by poet Tanya Davis and filmmaker Andrea Dorfman. Titled "How to Be at Home," it updates their 2010 video-poem "How to Be Alone," now unfolding within the pages of a book to tell a poignant story about solitude and confinement.

Key facts

  • The short film is titled 'How to Be at Home'.
  • It was created by poet Tanya Davis and filmmaker Andrea Dorfman.
  • It is a reworking of their 2010 video-poem 'How to Be Alone'.
  • The story is set entirely within the pages of a book.
  • The film comments on social isolation during the 2020 pandemic.
  • 2020 was a year of social distancing, lockdown, curfews, and restrictions.
  • Millions experienced unprecedented confinement at home.
  • The film is described as touching and melancholic.

Entities

Artists

  • Tanya Davis
  • Andrea Dorfman

Institutions

  • Artribune

Sources