An new art show focusing on life during the COVID-19 pandemic opens in Nathalia this week.
The G.R.A.I.N Store's Art, Covid and Our Story Now is an exhibition of photographs curated by Shepparton-based photographer Liz Arcus featuring images taken by photographers from around Nathalia and surround districts.
The exhibition will take place in the window space of the gallery on Nathalia's Blake St.
It can also be viewed online at www.thegrainstore.org/online-gallery
Curator Liz Arcus said Nathalia residents had responded to the restrictions on daily life brought about by COVID-19 through creative and resilient ways.
She said photographers played a vital role in society, helping document historic moments and stories.
“What we are living in now, is a unique period in history and our local stories attached to the global pandemic are important.
“Art communicates stories in a unique and valuable way, which helps people process and deal with the big issues they are experiencing,” Ms Arcus said.
She said selected images depicted different approaches to them, including Judy Ormond’s whimsical storytelling, Kate Butler and Regina Pavlovic’s documentation of the town’s drive-by birthday parties, Kristy Bourke’s new version of routines with her son and, Linden Lancaster’s special record of the rebuilding of her church continuing in spite of the pandemic.
"During challenging times like this, when it can be hard to make sense of the day to day, recording a single image can sometimes help make more sense of it all,” Ms Arcus said.
An online opening will take place on Thursday, September 3, at 6 pm on The G.R.A.I.N. Store's Facebook page and will be available for viewing later at www.thegrainstore.org
The exhibition has been supported by Creative Partnerships Australia through the Australian Cultural Fund as part of the project Art Persists.
Art, Covid and Our Story Now runs until October 10.