Page 26 - 363990 LP241339 In and Around Magazine 56pp A5 (July 2022)

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Exhibition showing life during lockdown to get a second viewing
A number of County Durham’s residents took part in a photography project that showed off what life was like in lockdown, and now they’re going to see the results of their work!
The exhibition, which was shown by Durham County Council in January, tells the story of the most vulnerable in our county, during the pandemic. Home Time shows the life of people in the lockdown through the eyes of those who had to shield, care home residents and isolated members of the community.
Who got involved?
27 people from across the county were recruited
to share their stories, after receiving photography mentoring to help tell their stories during lockdown. Wideyed, the not-for-profit photography collective that produced the collection, displayed it at the Gala Gallery between January and March this year.
Some of the participants however, weren’t able
to make the journey to see the exhibition, due to the threat of coronavirus at the time. The council have now proceeded to fund Wideyed to bring the exhibition to the remaining participants.
From this funding, an “exhibition in a box” has been created. It contains all of the elements of the
exhibition on a smaller scale, and includes some interactive pieces. These include jigsaws made from the photography and a dictaphone to listen to audio.
Where is the exhibition going?
Right now, the exhibition in a box has been delivered to West Lodge Care Home in Billy Row, where the residents will be able to enjoy the results of their work during lockdown.
It was incredibly important to the council that the residents of West Lodge Care Home got to see the results of their hard work, as they played such an instrumental role in bringing the Home Time exhibition to life.
Cllr Elizabeth Scott was particularly enthusiastic about the residents seeing it, saying: “Through the exhibition in a box, participants will be able to see their finished work and, with its interactive elements, can enjoy the exhibition in a more personable way knowing they have contributed to a significant piece of work.”
The team responsible for putting the exhibition in a box together expressed great excitement at meeting the participants in real life, as they had been so crucial in telling the untold stories of life during lockdown.
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