One Lens: Sharing Our Common Views exhibit, ROBERT SHIPP
PHOTOS FRAME PANDEMIC LIFE
S
By Deborah Lynch
dlynch@harrisburgmagazine.com
ome day in the future when all current Pennsylvanians are “We have seen scenes that run over and over — how people drew no longer around, their stories will live on through One Lens: comfort to themselves,” Wolf said of the submissions. “They play out Sharing Our Common Views, a project that has been organized over and over again from so many photographs from all over the state. … by First Lady Frances Wolf to help Pennsylvanians see their similarities people may recognize that someone in Erie has the same experience as and common goals, and to build stronger bonds between neighbors someone in Montgomery County; someone in Philadelphia did exactly and communities during the Covid-19 pandemic. Everyone in the the same thing as someone in Allegheny County. There are connections state, nation, and world experienced 2020 as a year of great challenge, and we can actually show the connections. I’m hoping that by doing struggle, strife — yet also as one that helped many to appreciate simple that, even though we are all in different places, we are absolutely a part pleasures, family, and friends. All of those emotions and experiences as citizens of Pennsylvania — we are still a community.” are illustrated in the One Lens exhibit. Part of the project was to ensure that everyone was represented, The virtual project collected photo and audio submissions from so regional ambassadors were appointed to help promote it and then Pennsylvanians that covered Our Lives, Our Heroes, and Our to analyze it. As the ambassador for Central PA, Porcha Johnson — Communities from March 2020-March 2021. Nearly 900 photos founder and CEO of Black Girl Health and executive director of Black were submitted from 58 of the 67 Pennsylvania Girl Health Foundation, and former WGAL reporter counties; three audio chronicles were submitted — used her social media influencer role to galvanize in partnership with LAMP (Libraries of Accessible “This is a moment that the people of this region to document their lives. Media for Pennsylvanians) to make this project “This is a moment that changed our lives,” she said of changed our lives,” accessible to everyone. The photos and audios will be the pandemic. “We remember when it happened. We — Porcha Johnson archived by the state library and the state archives to remember how it affected us and the people we love. Regional Ambassador help record the pandemic experience forever. We remember how it changed how we do things.” “It doesn’t happen often that we have a chance to To partner with the One Lens photo exhibit, Wolf provide primary information, that we are creating a also set up a series of virtual conversations to take a primary source for historians,” Wolf said of the project. “... everyone deeper look into pandemic life that were recorded. This “Bigger Picture” has their own image or images that they have submitted, but en series includes conversations with experts on topics including mental masse they are creating a historical document of evidence — a body of health, small business, tourism and the outdoors, and healing in art. evidence of what Pennsylvanians did during the 2020 pandemic,” she “I was talking with people who had experience either personally or said. “This very much parallels the images of the 1918 pandemic that professionally in the roller coaster ride that we are all on. There was the state archives has.” encouragement — they promised there was going to be light at the end The idea for the project grew out of Wolf’s personal experience. She of the tunnel — that we could do this,” Wolf said. “I don’t know if this had just had an exhibition of her paintings open in Gettysburg, but is a Pennsylvania thing, but each in their own way were very intent on within a week, the pandemic had closed it down. She went to work moving to that light. In the midst of everything we’ve given up — time sewing masks, and then reaching out to her community of close friends with family, time with friends, losing a family member to Covid and and family through Zoom to help get through the start of the pandemic. the unbearable grief that follows -- still they talked about that despite She realized that everyone was suffering and began looking for ways to these hard times, we will still prevail. It was beyond encouraging.” bring comfort to the communities of Pennsylvania. Acknowledging that The virtual photo exhibit and “Bigger Picture” conversations will be many people communicate through visuals (such as social media) and accessible through the One Lens website at https://www.pa.gov/onethat most people have a phone that can take a photo, she decided to lens/ at least through the rest of the Wolf administration (until 2023). create a project based around the images of a life in lockdown. The gallery will include more than 1,200 photos. 7 10 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE APRIL 2021
