MONTPELIER, Vt. (WCAX) – While many Vermont communities continue on the road to recovery from this past summer’s devastating floods, a new exhibit at the Statehouse aims to capture those moments while also recognizing the volunteers.
Lining the walls of the Statehouse in Montpelier are photographs capturing various moments from the July floods.
“It felt post-apocalyptic — the day in Barre — just seeing it like that. It didn’t feel like it could be reality,” said Shannon Alexander, a freelance photographer.
“As a photographer, I thought there were a lot of images that needed to be captured and shared,” said Elliot Burg, a Middlesex photographer.
And now, through the “Recovery” exhibit, Burg and Shannon’s work is on display for everyone to see.
Vermont State Curator David Schutz says he helped create the exhibit to show how volunteers in Washington County communities stepped up to help. “The aftermath of the flood and how Vermonters responded positively to rescue their communities. And these dramatic photographs tell that story. That’s what art can do in a place like the Statehouse,” he said.
Both photographers say each photo serves as a reminder of the road to recovery not only in Washington County but throughout the state. “It completely haunts all of us and none of us who experienced it will ever be the same. And even though the streets and everything are looking nicer, there’s so much that’s not seen that everyone is still suffering from. So, I want it to stay present in everyone’s minds,” Alexander said.
“To serve as an inspiration, a prompt, a reminder about what’s at stake and what they can do,” Burg added.
Recovery will be on display at the Statehouse through the end of March.