The Picturing Lockdown Collection was created during April and May 2020, in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. During seven days the public were asked to submit photographs that they felt best represented their experiences of lockdown in England, and from these submissions one hundred representing all the different geographic regions were chosen to be archived with Historic England. Alongside these images, ten artists were commissioned to produce their own images over the course of five days, representing their lockdown experience. These were supplemented with images by Historic England’s own photographers. Together, the Picturing Lockdown collection forms a permanent visual record of this unusual time in history.
This photograph is one of fifty taken by Historic England's staff photographers. It was taken at 20.05 on 30th April 2020, and is one of a group entitled 'Passing Strangers'. The photographer writes: Henley Lane, a single track lane that winds and ends up on itself after almost a round mile. During the Covid-19 outbreak, government measures decreed taking exercise was acceptable for recreation and well being. This gentle, countryside lane suddenly saw a greater number of people walking and cycling: taking their time to appreciate the silence, the cattle in the field, the return of swallows, the hedgrows filled with hawthorn, speedwell, marigolds, dandelions, cow parsley, nettles, saxifrage, the stems of emerging willow herb and delicate cowslips. Time altered, adjustments in normal routines were shifted and spring in all its infinite beauty gave hope. For many, this period of silence and clean fresh air fought in contrast to the horrors of the virus. It is the former that are celebrated in this portrait, mouth open drawing in air as refuge.
Note on photograph. All sitters were total strangers, social distancing was observed. I would stop people in the lane, explain what I was attempting, ask them to sit - not one person refused. We would make some photographs and then as the lighting came together, I would ask the sitter to look up, open their mouth and draw in the air. A collaboration was formed, we exchanged thankyous and goodbyes, a moment passed."
This is part of the Sub Series: HEC01/036/03 Picturing Lockdown Collection - Historic England Photographers' Submissions; within the Series: HEC01/036 Picturing Lockdown Collection; within the Collection: HEC01 Historic England
© Historic England Archive
Photographer: Davies, James O: Historic England
Health And Welfare, People Posed, Leisure And Recreation
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