Sydney in Lockdown

Art history is replete with portraits of the good and the great, vistas of great landscapes and stories of great heroism, sometimes true, sometimes imagined. In our own time the story of Australia’s most populous City without people over a two-year period is told by photographer John Swainston in a series of images that start in the country town of Bowral and explore the great buildings of Sydney without people. As the story progresses, we learn of those who worked through, some who survived in business, some who did not. The visual record of the greatest pandemic of the modern age, as well as the return to more normal life, as seen through the eyes of a single photographer, stands unique across the country. There are less than a handful of remaining images from Australia’s previous pandemic of 1918-1920. Here is an extensive series of defining architectural images and striking portraits in our own time, reinforcing the importance of documentary record in an age of otherwise mass voyeurism without considered reflection.

Born in London, John Swainston moved to Australia in 1979 and worked for 50 years in the photo industry, including 24 years as MD of Maxwell Optical Industries. A former president of AIPP and PICA, he has exhibited his work widely and published several books. He now lectures, writes, and contributes to photography organisations. Now, with I Will Lift Mine Eyes, he explores England’s great cathedrals, blending history, architecture, and faith into a powerful visual journey.