In April 2020 - two weeks into lockdown - Philip Robinson sat at his kitchen table in Crediton wondering what it was like for other people in this similar predicament elsewhere in the world. Same or different challenges, what did they feel and think about it all, what could they see from their window? And so began One Day At Home In the World, an extraordinary project connecting over 50 people aged from 9 to 89 spread across 30 countries all recording what they did on one day in April 2020.
I chose Tuesday 21st April as it was United Nations’ World Creativity and Innovation Day.
I had only two weeks to contact as many people as I could to see if they might be persuaded to contribute. I drafted an invitation saying I’d like up to 300 words, a couple of photos including the view from their window, name, age. I sent it out initially to friends and colleagues all over the planet, asking them to forward it on and to continue pushing it out there, person by person, bit by bit.
April 21st arrived. I had no idea how many people might respond. Would there be at least 20, I hoped it wouldn’t all fall flat. Check the laptop, only two submissions…
My role was as collator not editor, midwife not parent, to frame the words and images that arrived, come up with a visual way of displaying everything, no one person any more important than any other. Each contributor had the same square which would be occupied by their words, thoughts, message, their photographs (a view, maybe a selfie or an important object) and their whereabouts. Check my laptop again….? No, nothing more coming in yet!
I needn’t have worried. Within five days from 21st April I had contributions from more than 60 people, mostly individuals, some couples, some families, sending in from all over the world, to Crediton. It was overwhelming, inspiring, moving, extraordinary, at a time when we are actively being encouraged to distance ourselves from each other that here was a way to touch the lives, hopes, fears, loves of others, to share and make a connection.
Their submissions made up the project and they are on Facebook
for everyone else in the world to see. There have been over 3000 people reached in the six weeks since One Day was posted.
Here are some of the words and images I received:
There has been talk of an exhibition (maybe along the High Street in the shop windows) a book, a video compilation, a website, a presentation. I am drawn to that moment at the start of all this, at my kitchen table, and can’t help thinking that the way I might choose to view the project is to quietly read, look, absorb, in the privacy of my own home. There may well be the opportunity to do that in the many weeks ahead…
If you would like me to send a pdf version for anyone that doesn’t do Facebook then do contact me athomephilip@gmail.com
Philip Robinson is an actor, musician, artist and trainer.
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