Unlocked Lockdown 2023

Unlocked Lockdown 2023 is a new art exhibition being held in The Port Arcades shopping centre, Ellesmere Port from 23 to 25 June 12 noon until 5pm.

The exhibition is part of COVID-19 Reflections, 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.

Councillor Louise Gittins, Leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council said: “We launched COVID-19 Reflections last month, it’s an opportunity to take the time to look back and reflect on the pandemic, and even preserve some of our thoughts and experiences for future generations.

“Unlocked Lockdown features work by Jayne Lawless, Mick Ord, Gill Smith, Ginni Manning, Debi Jones, and the North End Sketchers. The exhibition reflects the experiences of people living and working in Ellesmere Port throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Reliving her experience over the past 9 months working in Ellesmere Port, artist Jayne Lawless, will exhibit elements of the project commissioned by the Council.

Jayne worked with residents and a foodbank based at Westminster Community Centre, to explore how society has changed. This project has been inspired by a dog, which was bought as a puppy just before lockdown and lived in the area. It has now taken the form of an illustrated story about the pandemic with the fictional ‘dog called Bear’ as a major character.

Documented in sketches by local community members, the book is illustrated by Gill Smith and written by Ginni Manning. Whilst Mick Ord has captured audio experiences of this unprecedented time as told by local community members.

Jayne Lawless is an artist from Liverpool who has worked in communities across Merseyside, Europe and the USA, building relationships and responding with art projects that directly reflect the people and places she’s worked with. Jayne founded Dead Pigeon Gallery in 2017, a project presenting art exhibitions/events in unusual spaces. She set up a sketch club in 2018 as a simple and effective way of bringing art into communities that may not ordinarily access art activity, including an ongoing relationship with Fans Supporting Foodbanks as a volunteer and artist.

There are six areas where spaces to reflect are being created in Castle Park, in Frodsham, Grosvenor Park, in Chester, Winsford Marina, Stanney Fields Park, in Neston, Whitby Park, in Ellesmere Port, and Marbury Park, in Northwich.

For further details about the project:  

http://www.covid19reflections