Aaron Yeandle – PPE-19
Pandemic in Pictures Prize Nominee Aaron Yeandle created a fascinating and bizarre pictorial response to the Covid 19 Pandemic in the form of self portraits. Provoked by the shortage of PPE that the United Kingdom experienced during the early months of the pandemic, Yeandle reflected on the notions of the facemask as an object and explored the deep and methodical symbolism that this somewhat simple item has, based on the pandemics and health emergencies of the past.
Aarons work was among the final shortlist for the Pandemic in Pictures prize.
Words by Aaron Yeandle:
PPE or Personal Protective Equipment is specialist equipment health professionals wear to protect themselves from germs and viruses. COVID-19 virus has now been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation. Images of medical professionals in hazmat suits are inundating the media and society. The sight of so many people wearing these outfits makes many of us feel anxious. There is presently a global face mask shortage due to an unprecedented need by health services. Contributing to the mask shortage has also occurred because of people outside the medical profession purchasing PPE masks.
Humans have been wearing masks for a millennia and they are deeply ingrained in our primal psyche. Masks have been used since antiquity for both ceremonial, PPE and martial purposes. Masks rituals occur throughout the world and seem to share numerous characteristics. The function of the masks may be magical or religious or deeply rooted in folk law.
During the bubonic plague epidemic that swept through western Europe. Plague doctors who treated the infected wore Personal Protective Equipment to protect them from infections such as miasma, or “bad air”. This menacing suit typically consisted of animal-like masks.
This work delves into the past and the present of PPE masks from the bubonic plague costumes to the modern-day hazmat masks. These images have all been produced throughout lockdown and were all created in my flat.
A huge thanks to Aaron for taking part in the Pandemic in Pictures prize. Creating imagery of such a high quality within the confinement of your own home has every right to be commended. We hope to see more from Aaron in the future.
As always, we have more opportunities and news coming your way very soon. Stay Safe.
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