Last Updated on 12/20/2024 by Nilofer Khan
The COVID-19 pandemic was a time of profound loss, anxiety, and a general dread for the way things going. The rising death rate and an uncertain future led to intense mental health issues, with many finding it achingly difficult to console themselves. While some turned to entertainment to distract their feelings, others began photographing. The pictures from the pandemic, thus, were not the only ways to cope with the situation but also shed light on the fragility of human existence. After all, living in such challenging circumstances is no easy feat; art is a gateway to express your emotions. One photographer who also used this time to turn an introspective lens on his life is Will Green, whose work reflects these themes. And now, his upcoming photobook gives us a glimpse into his experience.
All images are by Will Green, courtesy of Gost Books and used with permission.
Will Green And A Quiter Look At Loss
The year was 2020 when the London-born Will Green began to focus on his home city of Bath. At that point, the pandemic was at its peak, and after experiencing the pandemic for so long, Green began to document his life. His photobook, Death and Other Belongings, offers an intimate glimpse into the themes of fear, loss, and legacy, which reflect his journey through COVID-19. Not only did Will Green contract the virus, but he also lost his parents within two months of the detection.
The pictures, which are black and white, are a poignant portrayal of what it means to be human. The photographer turned his cupboard beneath the stairs into a darkroom. The pictures, which were of varied elements around him, were then processed in his bathroom, which gave his images a distinct quality. This includes his plants, self-portraits, still life, and much more. Through each image, one can notice how Will Green chose to turn the series into an introspective narrative, which is not only poetic but also haunting.
At the time, a project was not a conscious decision. It was more a process of keeping emotionally stable and experimenting with processing techniques and being distracted when possible…. I am now aware of how many of the images are close-ups. At the time this was not the intention nor considered. Looking back, is this because I was focusing so hard on the small details of home and a closed environment, rather than the real world.
Why You Should Not Miss This Monograph
Death and Other Belongings is Will Green’s first monograph that intertwines his experiences with that of the entire world. The pictures of an empty chair, a quiet street, a mark on his partner’s thigh, and a portrait of his partner having a bath are some common experiences we all have gone through. You would certainly enjoy the blur effect, which often washes out any human in the frame. This makes the message of the book even stronger: We are on Earth for a brief period.
However, the book also highlights our fragility and how living things must die. Considering the context in which it was created, Death and Other Belongings stands at the junction of personal tragedy, global crisis, and universal experience. It is a book that must not only be owned but also cherished. It’s a book that you can always come back to every other few years down the line. Very few works can do that.
Will Green’s book is available for pre-order at $55.