Capturing every hour of each New Year's Day for 24 years

31 March 2021

Coronavirus

A photography project, now in its 18th year, has released its latest images, reflecting on life in 2021, amid the coronavirus pandemic.

A montage of four photos from the project — Image caption,
Photos by Brendan Delany, Sabes Sugunasabesan, Teri Pengilley and Helen Chambers

In 2004, 24 postgraduate students at Central St Martins, in London, set out to document every hour of New Year's Day, each year, for 24 years.

Each photographer progresses by one hour every year.

"Time is a construct, which 2020 has taught us," curator Cheryl Newman says.

"But as the clock struck midnight on 31 December, there was a collective tension.

"Covid-19 has forced us into isolation.

"And yet there is a communal anxiety driven by the dawn of a new year.

"Photographing the first day of 2021 was a profound journey... made under unprecedented circumstances.

"The work thoughtfully reflects the conflict between the hope of a promised vaccine, the dread of UK Brexit and an unsettled future."

The photos can be seen at an outdoor exhibition in Soho Square, external, west London, until 16 April.

An image showing bright lights from someone's from room — Image caption,
00.00 The light at the end of the rainbow by Amy Adams

An image of a phone receiver in a public phone booth — Image caption,
01.00 Nothing more to say by Raphael Schutzer-Weissmann

An image of street art celebrating a black woman — Image caption,
02.00 Black Lives Matter by Helen Chambers

An image of the moon shining through clouds — Image caption,
03.00 Blue by Claire Spreadbury

A blurry image of Christmas lights on a house — Image caption,
04.00 Fragile by Gini May

An image of a man with a big furry hood pointing at the camera — Image caption,
05.00 Big O by Roland Ramanan

An image of a child in a bedroom with a constellation of lights above representing stars — Image caption,
06.00 Untitled by Yvonne De Rosa

An image of snow-covered ridge — Image caption,
07.00 Contentious skiing by Enrico Vietti

An image of a sign instructing people to stay at home next to a main road — Image caption,
08.00 Main road into Oxford by Wendy Aldiss

An image of a spread of breakfast food with people eating — Image caption,
09.00 Continental breakfast by Sabes Sugunasabesan

An image of a woman walking into a lake whilst wearing a bathing suit and a mask — Image caption,
10.00 Untitled by Teri Pengilley

An image of a woman limboing a pole in a snow-covered forest — Image caption,
11.00 Don't breathe… breathe again… repeat by Spei

An image of a large hourglass with yellow sand inside — Image caption,
12.00 Slipping away by Ali Waggie

An image of a closed door next to a Guinness sign — Image caption,
13.00 Turn, turn, turn by Colin Blackstock

An image of a motorway sign next to a sign giving people Covid travel instructions — Image caption,
14.00 Untitled by Ray Malcolm

An image of a dark sky and a large sign that says Hope — Image caption,
15.00 Untitled by Sarah Lucy Brown

An image of beach houses next to a snow-covered beach — Image caption,
16.00 1.5m [5ft] apart. Still banned by Nicky Townsend

An image of a furniture shop with people inside — Image caption,
17.00 Everybody inside by Amanda Eatwell

An image of a sun setting over a line trees with a house in the foreground — Image caption,
18.00 After the storm by David Mazza

An image of a boy roasting food over a fire — Image caption,
19.00 Capetown by Rue Kruger

An image of a street emblazoned with lights — Image caption,
20.00 Covent Garden by Brendan Delaney

An image of a portrait of a woman looking thoughtful on a wall behind a gate — Image caption,
21.00 Lost in this moment by Wayne Crichlow

An image of a man drinking in his home whilst wearing oven mittens with the EU symbol on — Image caption,
22.00 A remainer's solace by Candida Jones

An image of a street at night with lots of lit hanging signs saying messages — Image caption,
23.00 Closing time by Rachel Hain

All photographs are subject to copyright.

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