Reflections – Lost Voices

COVID-19 Reflections is a project launched by Cheshire West and Chester Council to offer spaces and opportunities for residents to think back on their experiences of the past three years.

‘Lost Voices’ is a new photographic display from 12 – 17 September at the Grosvenor Shopping Centre, in partnership with Open Eye Gallery.

Artists and photographers have been working with communities across the borough to capture their experiences of the pandemic.

Open Eye Gallery commissioned photographers Ciara Leeming, Sam Ivin and Tadgh Devlin to work with groups whose stories are seldom heard to present ‘lost voices’. 

Ciara Leeming worked with seven Gypsy and Traveller women and girls. They discussed their experiences, looked at family photos, made portraits and developed captions from recordings of their conversations. The new window display shows a selection of what was produced, with the full work, ‘Got Through It’, available as a digital zine, via a QR code in the display. 

Using portraiture, video and audio recordings photographer Tadhg Devlin has captured the diversity of experiences and views on life for those living rurally during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This project has resulted in two artworks; a video piece representing a range of collective rural voices, available via a QR code, and a photographic series co-designed and produced with young people from Malpas, mirroring their day-to-day experiences of lockdown. 

Sam Irvin worked with adult and young unpaid carers, meeting with people through supporting charities Carers Trust and Cheshire Young Carers to deliver a series of photography workshops. Sam has captured beautiful portraits, each decorated with key quotes from the participant, reflecting their experience over this time. 

Open Eye Gallery in Liverpool will exhibit a wider selection of the work created as part of this project from 28 September.

This is one part of a wider COVID-19 Reflections programme.  A final showcase of all the work produced will take place on 23 October at Theatre Porto in Ellesmere Port.             

Councillor Louise Gittins, Leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council said:

“The COVID-19 Reflections are being expressed in a variety of forms from photographs and video to audio stories. The Lost Voices exhibition images can be seen in the display and enhanced via the website, to reveal more stories and audio clips. Covid affected people in many ways and this project is an opportunity to think back on your own experiences of the past three years.

“I’d like to thank everyone who has taken part in these reflections, the Covid-19 reflections website includes details about the Open Eye gallery exhibition, podcasts and six areas of reflection in Castle Park, Frodsham, Grosvenor Park, Chester, Winsford Marina, Stanney Fields Park, Neston, Whitby Park, Ellesmere Port, and Marbury Park, in Northwich. I’m sure everyone will relate to some or all these shared experiences.”

For further details about the project:  

www.covid19reflections.website

Pictured - Profile Jonathan Fell by Tadhg Devlin.