Sage, Stone, Elizabeth, Shawn, Stephanie, and Seth

A white-haired bearded man stands in the foreground weaing a Chicago Cubs jersey with his hands in his pockets, a woman to his left stands in a slamon sweater and socked feet, a young man to her left with a white cap and sandals. To their right, a young woman with curly hair and a blue flanneled shirt, a young man with shoulder length hair and glasses, and a young woman with curly hair tied back in a light blue sweater.

For Shawn’s 50th, his family had planned a weekend in Chicago. They were especially excited to take Shawn to a Cubs game at Wrigley Field. The trip was to be a big surprise for him. As it turned out, there could be no trip to Chicago, but they all managed to get together anyway. And Shawn turned 50 anyway.

Audio Transcript

I’m Shawn Gannon. I’ve lived in Lexington for 15 years.

The American political climate has become caustic and divisive. Today the inequality in our country may seem impossible to resolve. The gap between us sometimes seems too far to bridge.

The ideal America is led by people who see the divide as surmountable through sacrifice and humility.

The ideal America doesn’t strive to conquer, it submits to its past and finds growth in forging a new way forward together.

The ideal America reconciles its debts with those who have paid with their lives in the name of freedom and equality.

The ideal America is strong because its people are citizens engaged in the building of communities with hopeful futures.

The ideal America does not remain beyond our reach.

Lexington in the Time of COVID-19 is an artwork about people practicing social distancing at a time of a deadly virus. And also offering kindness.

Kurt Gohde and Kremena Todorova capture photographs at the periphery of American culture, where drag queens, discarded couches, and abandoned motel signs exist.