#MuseumFromHome As the National Gallery remained closed to the public due to COVID-19, staff quickly adapted to running the institution while working from home, writes Keren Nicholson.
On a Friday in March, many Gallery staff loaded
Annie O’Hehir Curator of Photography
Wayne Duroux
the contents of our desks onto trolleys, departed through the staff entrance and headed home
I’ve worked at the NGA for … too long possibly!
to set up our new temporary offices: on dining
I’ve worked at the NGA since … January 2019.
I worked in the Library years ago which I loved.
tables, in lounge rooms, on balconies. Some
I wanted to work for the NGA because …
I used to come to the Gallery in the early days.
I wanted to be part of an organisation that is
Seeing a Diane Arbus photo for the first time,
highly respected and to undertake a role that is
it blew my socks off.
challenging.
My daily #WFH routines are … I am keeping
My daily #WFH routines are … not that
regular working hours a bit more successfully than
different. I am actually still on site at the Gallery
I might have thought. I wander around the garden
to undertake essential work. My work entails
then get straight to work. I have more time for
ensuring that the Gallery is maintained and
doing things I like — yoga and my Zen Chi machine.
ready to accept visitors and those staff who have
behind our closed doors – to keep the national
My COVID-19 isolation buddies are … the
been working from home upon re-opening.
collection secure, to conduct major conservation
Gallery’s Exhibitions Designer Jing and her
I’m currently working on … reviewing the slate
treatments on works that rarely come off display
husband Kevin are staying with me while their
and concrete areas that surround the building
and to continue to build new public spaces for
house is getting built. Their Cavalier King Charles
and Sculpture Garden to ensure they are clean
you to enjoy in the future.
Spaniel McKinley is here too. We think he might
and safe for access when the Gallery reopens.
be needing some ‘me time’. Last night he slept in
The pandemic has taught me … not being able
borrowed library books, and those of us who were really on our game borrowed office chairs. The IT department became our new best friends. Since then the Gallery has been (mostly) delivered to you from our homes in various parts of the country, including Canberra, Sydney, Adelaide and Darwin. Some staff remained; essential personnel continued to work
We adapted to a new normal: we shifted exhibitions to online, we educated our children while managing full-time work, and we physically worked alongside
to a dog all day to hug and talk to is excellent.
our families and of course our beloved pets.
The pandemic has taught me … that our need
Importantly, for all of us, we know that these times
to control the world doesn’t always work out.
will change us. We are both challenged and
The knowledge that so many people are suffering
enlightened – we’ve stretched our communication
in so many ways is confronting. Hopefully, it is the
muscles, our work processes are altered forever and
beginning of a big change in how we are on this
our relationships have been tested.
planet so that we can heal it and ourselves.
Here, five staff talk about their experience. Keren Nicholson is the Social Media Manager
10
the loungeroom by himself. Having access
nga.gov.au
General Maintenance Officer
to visit family members in person and the effect of the social isolation rules in regards to funerals and weddings has impacted on me. When this is over, I’m looking forward to… visiting my family members, and those who are elderly and vulnerable.