Lockdown art shared in collection

ART completed during Victoria’s COVID-19 lockdowns has been celebrated in an online gallery and book series.

The arts initiative titled What I Did Last Week began in March last year as a way for artists to submit one piece of work that represented what they had been doing in lockdown.

Volumes three, four and five were released last week, as the exhibition marked its one-year anniversary.

Mayor Cr Jennifer Alden helped launched the new volumes and said the initiative had been a great success.

“Participants told us how important it was for them to create and share their works during a very difficult time in their lives,” she said.

“Art, we know, has been a wonderful outlet for many people during the pandemic.”

Contributing artists submitted a wide range of pieces, including drawings, paintings, photography, sculpture, crafts and music.

Over the 32 weeks, 175 artists contributed 780 works.

The final volume asked creatives to submit a final piece of work, bringing the total number of exhibited art to 859.

Sculptor Andre Sardone said he benefited from having something to work towards each week, during the lockdowns.

“It meant I could spend more time at home in my workshop,” he said.  “This initiative was really good because it gave me a deadline every week.”

“Every Sunday you had to have your submission in, it gave me a real structure to my week that wouldn’t have been there.”

Sardone contributed 30 works over the 32 weeks.

“It was a good record of my work; I had a few exhibitions lined up for the year and everything got cancelled so I had nothing to work towards and I like having a goal,” he said.

“It’s always fantastic to be amongst other creatives because we spend so much time by ourselves.”

The online gallery and five books featuring all the artists’ work are available via the Bendigo Venues and Events website.