March 2020 saw the first national lockdown, followed by subsequent lockdowns and restrictions to daily life. It was a time of unprecedented uncertainty, and this seismic change to the normal routine of life affected both people and place. Towns became eerily quiet, and the prolonged period of closure affected many businesses and people’s livelihoods.
Beaford commissioned photographer Robert Darch to record the uncertain landscape brought about by omicron outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021/22 drawing on the spirit of rural social documentary photography pioneered by James Ravilious for the Beaford Archive.
Robert was particularly interested in how people coped with this unprecedented change and how they managed their wellbeing during the pandemic. Some found solace in nature, discovering, and exploring new places nearby during the lockdowns, while others found ways to maintain a sense of purpose, joining community groups and supporting those around them. Here we have compiled a small selection of his images - For more information about Robert Darch and an extensive gallery of images from this commission visit his website.
Robert Darch - Portrait by Tavis Amosford
“This last year has shown us that the relationship between humans and the natural world feels like it is at a tipping point, with the Climate Crisis, Environmental Pollution, Covid and Ash Dieback all manifestations of our destructive presence on the earth.”