Watermark residents visit local museum exhibition featuring images of essential work amid pandemic
One of the photos on display was taken by the Watermark at Logan Square's Community Life Director, Anna Kurtz
DOYLESTOWN, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- A group of residents from the Watermark at Logan Square recently took a trip to the James A. Michener Art Museum in Doylestown for one of their first outings since the pandemic. They came to see an exhibition called 'Essential Work 2020: A Community Portrait.'
The Michener Art Museum's Chief Curator, Laura Igoe, Ph.D., says the museum put out a call to the public for photographers to submit images of what essential work meant to them this past year.
"We just wanted to provide this moment of reflection," she said.
The museum received over 200 images and is showcasing 25. Igoe says they chose images that collectively provided a diversity of vision about the past year, whether that be COVID or social injustice. The photos chosen struck an emotional chord as well.
Among the picks is a photograph titled, 'A Safe and Special Celebration.' It was taken by the Watermark at Logan Square's Community Life Director, Anna Kurtz.
"His name is Judge James O'Connell and he turned 94 this day, so it was a big birthday for him," says Kurtz. "I thought it was a beautiful celebration."
Kurtz says the Watermark had to come up with creative ways to celebrate special occasions amid COVID-19, so O'Connell's family came to the Watermark to celebrate his birthday and stood outside.
Kurtz snapped a photo of the special moment. She says O'Connell was excited to see his family as they spoke to him on a cell phone through the glass.
"He actually said it was one of his best birthdays ever," said Kurtz. "And I love that it was captured in this way so they can have that memory forever."
Kurtz says she's happy to be able to take the residents out again and look back at the photo as a moment in time.
"They're really eager to do things. I feel like people are excited," explains Kurtz.
Watermark resident Dee Levin agrees with that sentiment.
"We feel the cloud has lifted and we are coming back to normal," said Levin. "When you reach a certain age, you don't want to miss any happy event."
Kurtz says the past year was a rough time for the community due to the pandemic.
"Seeing that we did this and it was picked, it made me feel good about all the work that we did," says Kurtz. "It really meant something."
'Essential Work 2020: A Community Portrait' will be on display at the James A. Michener Art Museum in Doylestown through July 11, 2021.
For more information:
Essential Work 2020: A Community Portrait
