Reflections

The COVID-19 pandemic caused worldwide devastation, affecting people’s physical and mental health, livelihoods and the economy. Changes to our lives meant each of us had to rethink the way in which we related to and navigated the world. Life as we knew was put on hold, and among the many changes we have had to adapt to, was the closure of all but the essential services.

During the COVID-19 outbreak in Sydney in 2021, one area in particular that saw unprecedented changes unfold, was the hospitality industry. A staggering 70% of businesses in the hospitality sector either laid off or reduced staff. Many venues, once bustling with people, stood vacant.

The photos I have taken don’t depict the pandemic, but the effects of it. Similar to Harry Callahan’s photos where he uses multiple exposures and reflections, I created layered images using reflections in glass of life during the pandemic, portraying an unobtrusive “visual complexity with no specific point of focus”. There is a contrast between the emptiness within these closed restaurants, deserted except for the vacant tables that once sat people shoulder to shoulder, and the reflected images from outside, suggesting that life still goes on, at least for some.