Isolation Portraits - COVID 19 in the Upper Yarra Valley

Monique

Suzanne Phoenix is a local Melbourne / Yarra Valley street and art photographer. During COVID-19 Suzanne photographed over 60 people The series captured Yarra Valley households at their front gates, by their pools, in the paddocks or by abandoned farm buildings and features everyone from farmers (and their animals) to artists.

Speaking about the isolation portraits with Time Out, Suzanne said: "I believe it is important to document the lives of local people at a grassroots level during this time for historical purposes. The project is also bringing the community together through different stages of restrictions over the past after being apart with very positive responses from the local community.

"It has also given me a different way of continuing with my photography work as Covid-19 saw my entire photography business cease with live music and events shut down."

The subjects have also written about their isolation experience at the stage when they were photographed. These have been compiled, largely unedited to maintain the individuals voices, into two self-published magazines alongside the photographs. These can be purchased via Suzanne's website: www.suzannephoenix.m.au

YVWF is interviewing a selection of those involved and filming them reading their own written piece and occasionally having a chat afterwards. Most of these people have never 'written' anything before. We're interested in their experience of COVID19 and also how being a part of larger creative project, and the act of writing, was for them at this time.

More information on www.yarravalleywritersfestival.com