Mind the gap: 2 metres apart and masked in Hackney – a photo essay

Gideon Mendel photographed people at Ridley Road food market in Hackney, east London, during the coronavirus lockdown. The red markings on the road were painted by the council to indicate the 2 metres of physical distance that shoppers are advised to maintain for their safety

• Originally commissioned by Cortona on the Move for The Covid-19 Visual Project

Shortly after the imposition of lockdown, I came across a team of workers painting red lines all the way down Ridley Road. They started at dusk and had to work through the night to complete the task. I was intrigued by the addition to the street iconography and developed the idea of making portraits to include both masks and these new lines of separation.

Most of the people I approached were keen to be photographed, feeling that they wanted to advocate mask wearing. They had widely different reasons for choosing to wear a mask. Some felt they were protecting others – some were fearful of contracting the virus themselves.

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