Hamza Ahmed talks to the citizens of London reconnecting with their city after numerous lockdowns
London, is a vibrant, bustling, cosmopolitan hub where every street is crowded that you can’t even see the curbside. Rush hour on public transport, beautiful vibrant parks, and hordes of persistent people trying to get past you as you walk. London streets are such a special place, there’s a sense of community and culture wherever you go and inclusion you don’t have anywhere else. Henry James the British author said “it is difficult to speak adequately or justly of London. It is not a pleasant place; it is not agreeable, cheerful, easy or exempt from reproach. It is only magnificent”
Then the inevitable came.
Coronavirus sucked the lifeblood of our busy, beautiful, brazen city. Lockdowns came into full effect and left our streets deserted and desolate with nothing but tumbleweed rolling in the distance. Alright, maybe not that dramatic but our streets were remote, London went from the identity of a famous, prominent landmark to an identity of a reclusive rockstar.
I love London, its a unique vibe, the cultures and communities and everything in-between. I went out with my camera one day to snap everything I’ve been missing about the city and see if I could capture the public reconnecting with their city once again
Walking around London, I approached a few people to take their picture, they seemed to be quite isolated and cold towards me, almost as if I was an alien from outer space.
There were a few amazing people I met, who were happy to talk to me and were very satisfied with the way their picture was taken. There was almost a sense of joy and ease before I approached them, it seems COVID hasn’t crushed everyone’s spirit.
Emmanuel a partygoer said “lockdowns being over feels good, London has got a different vibe to it now. I don’t know it seems different, COVID has changed a lot. I’ve realised people are much more paranoid now when it comes to normal things like shaking hands. I do see more and more people are coming out nowadays now, I think people were sick and tired of being in and out of lockdown” (East London, Shoreditch)
One happy go lucky man said to us “We are free! I’ve always been free!” He lifted his arms out and let out a sigh of relief and smiled, then walked away. (West London, Paddington)
Isiah, an East London native said “Hmm what did I notice? I feel like the people were not people, people were strange. When the first lockdown was over, I felt like people were a product of lockdown. I grew up to like my area more than I did before lockdown” (East London, Isle of Dogs)
A homeless man who was sleeping outside an off-licence and people in the distance outside a bar. (East Central, Tower Hill)
Walking around London, I noticed that people seemed to have a disconnect with other people than they usually did. It was seen as such a shock when a stranger approached them to ask a question, almost as if it was forbidden, was this because of the lockdowns?
Each citizen had their own unique story, journey, and reconnection with their city. Everyone is impacted by similar isolation and trying to find their reconnection in their own way.
