Filmmaker Jason Lock has followed the Covid 19 Reflections project from start to finish. Here he shares the story of this important project that combined connection with communities and nature with art and creativity, to preserve our experience of the pandemic for future generations.
The Covid 19 pandemic has had an enormous impact on all of us, transforming the way we live, work and socialise.
Residents and communities have joined together to reflect on this time and preserve their thoughts for future generations in our borough-wide project, Covid-19 Reflections.
“The council's initial question to the arts team was 'can we do some kind of memorial?' And that immediately brings forward ideas like a granite statue," Paul Newman, archive and heritage manager and Cheshire West and Chester Council explained at the start of the project. "But actually, we thought, isn't it better to try and capture the experience of our residents? The idea was that it should be a reflection. We were keen to capture the voices of residents that aren’t normally captured.”
“It’s had an impact on absolutely everybody and that needs to be recognised," said Gina Bebbington, Covid 19 outbreak management communications manager. "But it needs to be recognised in a way that’s led by communities. Not the council doing something to communities but facilitating and empowering communities to reflect on it in a way they want to."
“In 100, or 200 years time people can look back on this as an honest reflection of what was a traumatic time for our residents," added Newman.
“Seeing the participants understand the value of their own perspectives and opinions shows them that it matters and makes a difference,"
Council leader Louise Gittins said it was important to her that the council found a way to remember the pandemic in a way that was meaningful to people.
"There are two sides to it – nature and arts and culture – and it's very much about healing and connecting with our communities."
Open Eye Gallery worked with photographers who connected with marginalised communities to share their reflections of the pandemic. Many of them came along to a mass sharing event of the work produced over the entire project.
“Seeing the participants understand the value of their own perspectives and opinions – seeing it on a wall in a public space – shows them that it matters and makes a difference," said Liz Wewiora, head of social practice at Open Eye. "They are feeling quite proud of it and so are the artists which is great to see.”
Councillor Gittins said she found the sharing event emotional.
“I’m feeling quite tearful to be honest because it's one of those things you put to the back of your mind, but being interviewed for the project was really cathartic for me.
"I think it’s great that people can express themselves through arts and culture and have some closure but not forget about what happened. It did change us all and it changed the way we work as a council.
"There’s lots of laughter and joyousness here today and that’s all part of that journey of healing and looking to the future."
Explore the archive of work produced throughout Covid 19 Reflections in depth here.
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