The Elephant In the Room

Remembering, Commemorating & Celebrating our shared experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic

Exhibition: Tue 2nd May – Sat 3 June 2023 / Open 10am-4pm (closed Sun/Mon)

“I saw elephants” by Lil Brookes

After nearly two years of avoiding it, in Summer 2022 I caught COVID, and along with the thousands of others I self-isolated, and for eight days endured the unpleasant symptoms. During this period, I reflected on my situation and also began to wonder about all the big stories, emotions and events which must have occurred to many thousands of individuals, families, friends and “loved ones” and thought how can these “big” stories be collected or recorded in some way before they are forgotten or shelved as “normal” life restarts and we as a society move on? How can we begin to recover and enjoy being together again to be happy and feel a sense of wellbeing post pandemic?

Further, I pondered will we share our “big” stories about COVID, lockdown, shielding, social distancing or any other of the many things related to the pandemic? Or will we avoid talking about it among and between those in our community? Would we treat COVID like “the elephant in the room”? How could we remember, commemorate, and celebrate our shared lived experience of the COVID pandemic?

This exhibition has been made possible by the contributions of service users, carers and staff from Renfrewshire Council’s adult day services who usually attended or worked at the Disability Resource Centre, Paisley as well as older adult in day centres throughout Renfrewshire.

This exhibition is made up artworks from participants, many mini model elephants, lots of photographs, poems and stories of lockdown, plus one big massive model “Elephant In the Room”.

Come along and see “The Elephant in The Room”.

A Project Funded by Renfrewshire Council’s Culture Heritage & Events Fund