Ben Rook.

Location: Spain; Madrid

Dates: Jan - Feb 2020

Synopsis: A collection of street scenes from the Spanish capital before it became an epicentre for COVID-19 and its inhabitants were relieved of their civil liberties - a decision I found difficult to accept at the time and was no easier to fathom with hindsight. But I was just a visitor to Madrid, and my countries of citizenship were about to follow suit anyway. So, like almost everyone else, my captivity was a fait accompli.

The meaning of these photographs come from the unprecedented events that followed and to that extent, they are a reminder of the freedoms we took for granted. The eventual return of those freedoms felt superficial. The relationship between the state and the individual shifted. Liberty is only ours until the authorities find a reason to take it away. It is a sobering reality. Or, to use their words, a new normal.

Equipment: Fujifilm X100F

My creative process - on Substack

Zine: 28 photographs and a 650-word essay - available on Blurb