SPARE ROOM GALLERY
Initially starting as a creative project for a group of English Teachers based in Puglia, Italy. The Spare Room Gallery has moved to occupy a digital space online. When the first lockdown started in Italy, in March 2020, we felt that it was important that the Spare Room Gallery still needed to exist, to motivate people and give them a different thinking point. Anyone can enter the Spare Room Gallery, there is no selection process. We aim to pick themes that are accessible to all. All the entries were exhibited on my Instagram.
INSIDE / OUTSIDE
This theme came from the want and need to be outside. Week 7 of Lockdown and we are missing an outside space. The feel of grass between our toes. It’s also a play on what being inside constantly can do to your wellbeing. How you’re affected and therefore act and behave.
COMMUNITY
This theme came from the immense feeling of warmth and hope I was feeling from communities connecting and building online, since the beginning of lockdown began. Also for my loss of being part of a community, be it my community here in Italy, of English teachers and Students at the Language Academy or those that I missed at home.
ISOLATION
The Spare Room Gallery that moved online and the feeling of being isolated was still fresh and new. This theme I think was being felt by people all everywhere and we had a huge amount of entries for our original Spare Room Gallery online. I think we can all connect to feeling isolated every now and then, but Isolation is not like loneliness it’s more of an intentional action.