It seems odd to be writing an introduction to a lockdown London photo-series investigating the epicentre of the night, the quiet, airy night, which is the sum total of the stillness that has occurred thanks to the reduction in human footprint around a city, which has been so alive at all times of the day and night since Londinium has cooked up by the Romans.
Now Londinium seems to be the friend of the Fox, Seagull & even Deer out in the Essex/ East London border (apparently) and not that of the homo sapien. Our city physically seems frozen in time like someone who has irked the White Witch in Narnia. Tilda Swinton’s full potential hasn’t really been fully explored in the role, but this hasn’t stopped all of our neighbours turning into the trees and acting as a proxy spies for naming and shaming Covidiots (I hope you’re listening` Oxford Dictionary). This ongoing photographic series is titled: “Guided by the Night”, and it does exactly what it says on the tin, so please enjoy the first fruits of my questionable essential night travel around London town
Lockdown London “These days shall pass” a sentiment wheat-pasted around town by Flying Leaps, let’s hope……
A crack in Soho seems to have occurred, or Fibre Optic (just in time?) This crack leads us onto a view of the illumination of Raymond’s Revue Bar, a neon reminder of Soho’s more hedonistic past, which seems like a particular distant memory in the present
“No Time to Die” exactly every one listens to 007, even if he is more in touch with his feeling these days and is familiar with the concept of misogyny
Lockdown London – Key workers come in shapes and sizes and at all times of the day
Lockdown London – At least one gallery in London is having a good time
My heart slightly broke, seeing the mighty RA, Illuminated at night, proudly showing off the fruits of its recent renovation. Let’s hope we can all return to such a unique temple of contemporary taste and proper order in the art world institutional hierarchy
Diesel appears to be going for the ultra-minimal look this season, but is still very upbeat and shiny despite everything going down, and I guess it is designed for “Successful Living” (Brian Baderman ©
I am assuming I am not the only one freaked out by empty night buses carrying no one anywhere, so I did my best to give it as ghostly a vibe as Iso possible
At least Anna Summers hasn’t gone bust yet and is one of the illuminating sources brightening up the end of Old Compton Street
Nothing is weirder than standing in the middle of Trafalgar Square and being haunted by the ghosts of enjoyment experienced by so many people in history have stood around taking in the epicentre of a city just because they can
Words/Photos Oliver Malin © Artlyst 2020