The LCKDN20 project
There are moments in history that resonate for centuries. Events capable of dramatically transforming society, that mark a point of non-return, leading to an irreversible change.
On December 31st 2019 the first reports emerged of a new virus, Covid-19, spreading from Wuhan, China. Following the UK government’s decision to impose a lockdown on March 23rd, Giacomo Mantovani decided to start documenting London as it became an ‘abandoned city’. He took a map of London and pinpointed all the locations he intended to document, creating a 20-day shooting plan to cover the selected areas.
Giacomo decided early on that the entire project would be captured on medium format film, rather than digitally, as he felt this would enhance the historical value of the pictures.
“Film doesn’t lie, it cannot be manipulated like digital can, for example by removing people from a shot. That element alone makes the entire series a sincere window overlooking this unique historical moment. Impressing this surreal situation on film is essential for us to never forget what happened. Unique memories of a moment in time where citizens locked themselves at home to protect each other, leaving what used to be the most crowded places, empty beyond imagination.”
With a tight shooting schedule and the limitations on public transport to consider, Giacomo decided to use Uber electric bikes to navigate the city.
“Travelling through the empty city was a surreal experience. I never imagined I’d see London like that, at least not during what used to be rush hours. I would only see key workers going to or from work, or having a cigarette break. Almost everyone was wearing masks and gloves initially, though this trend declined over the weeks, to the point where almost nobody was wearing them.”
“After the first few days it became clear I had to start developing my film, as I was accumulating dozens of rolls. I started looking for solutions, as unfortunately darkroom had been forced to close. I considered buying my own processing kit to develop the films at home, but this would be costly and have impacted on my already tight shooting plan. Fortunately, Rapid Eye agreed to develop my films. So, during the day I was shooting and at night I was scanning and archiving the pictures.”
The result is possibly the most exhaustive documentation of ‘empty’ London shot on film. Giacomo used 150 rolls of film to capture more than 1500 pictures. He is currently editing these down to the best 200 from which he will make large scale fibre-based prints. His ultimate goal is to produce a collection for exhibitions and a book.
With his day job on hold LCKDN20 not only managed to help keep Giacomo focussed and busy, but also presented the opportunity for a great adventure. In the process he has created a powerful reminder of a city as it has never been seen before.
About Giacomo
Giacomo Mantovani is a London-based producer and director. He produces creative assets and ads for well-established organisations and high-profile companies across a variety of sectors. Over the past six years he has been an champion of mobile filmmaking — producing award winning short films such as Lightning — supported by smartphone manufacturer OnePlus.
He was introduced to analogue photography as a teenager and continues this passion in his spare time. He is currently working on number of photographic projects, mainly shot on medium format using Ilford FP4 Plus and HP5 Plus.
Check out Giacomo’s Instagram
