The photographer capturing lockdown’s offbeat moments
- Text by Huck
- Photography by Harry Lloyd-Evans
A couple of months ago, when photographer Harry Lloyd-Evans first started documenting his experience of lockdown, he didn’t have a strict criteria in mind. It was simply a case of heading out for his daily hit of state-sanctioned exercise, camera in hand, and shooting what he saw.
But, as time went on, he began to notice new things about how his hometown of Bristol was coping with the new normal. (This was, of course, before the city made headlines after its Edward Colston statue rightly found itself slowly sinking to the bottom of the River Avon.)
Instead of the classic scenes of face masks, supermarket queues and eerily vacant city centres, Lloyd-Evans was drawn to some of lockdown’s more unusual moments.
“I started to notice more and more unusual little moments such as a couple playing badminton from a front garden to a locked-down upstairs flat, a man exercising his chicken in the street, children reclaiming the roads as safe play areas…” he says.
“In some ways, the project began to document how individuals were responding to the crisis, perhaps in a very quirky, British way.”
The subsequent project, Life Under Lockdown, sees Lloyd-Evans focusing on the more offbeat aspects of the past few months. While he correctly pays tribute to the strength and resilience of Bristol’s population, the series places emphasis on how that solidarity can play out in slightly zanier manners. For him, it’s during these moments that the unity is most prevalent.
“I would like to think that this project is a testament to caring, love and community spirit. Even though we are socially distanced, this pandemic is bringing us closer together in many other ways,” he says.
“Many people have mentioned to me that they have found a new appreciation and consideration for each other over the past couple of months – which is something I have tried to illustrate.”
See more of Harry Lloyd-Evans’ work on his official website.
Enjoyed this article? Like Huck on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
Latest on Huck
This erotic zine dismantles LGBTQ+ respectability politics
Zine Scene — Created by Megan Wallace and Jack Rowe, PULP is a new print publication that embraces the diverse and messy, yet pleasurable multitudes that sex and desire can take.
Written by: Isaac Muk
As Tbilisi’s famed nightclubs reawaken, a murky future awaits
Spaces Between the Beats — Since Georgia’s ruling party suspended plans for EU accession, protests have continued in the capital, with nightclubs shutting in solidarity. Victor Swezey reported on their New Year’s Eve reopening, finding a mix of anxiety, catharsis and defiance.
Written by: Victor Swezey
Los Angeles is burning: Rick Castro on fleeing his home once again
Braver New World — In 2020, the photographer fled the Bobcat Fire in San Bernardino to his East Hollywood home, sparking the inspiration for an unsettling photo series. Now, while preparing for its exhibition, he has had to leave once again, returning to the mountains.
Written by: Miss Rosen
Ghais Guevara: “Rap is a pinnacle of our culture”
What Made Me — In our new series, we ask artists and rebels about the forces and experiences that have shaped who they are. First up, Philadelphian rap experimentalist Ghais Guevara.
Written by: Ghais Guevara
Gaza Biennale comes to London in ICA protest
Art and action — The global project, which presents the work of over 60 Palestinian artists, will be on view outside the art institution in protest of an exhibition funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies.
Written by: Cyna Mirzai
Ragnar Axelsson’s thawing vision of Arctic life
At the Edge of the World — For over four decades, the Icelandic photographer has been journeying to the tip of the earth and documenting its communities. A new exhibition dives into his archive.
Written by: Cyna Mirzai