Shielding Mila by Lynda Sneddon, one of the photographs in Hold Still, a photography book on COVID-19 Pandemic launched by The Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton

Kate Middleton visits the National Portrait Gallery where she launched Hold Still, a photography book documenting the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

BY KAZAD

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM–Hold Still, a photography book documenting the impact of the coronavirus pandemic has finally been released. The Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton was at the National Portrait Gallery for the book launch.

Hold Still addresses three major themes: Helpers and Heroes, Your New Normal and Acts of Kindness.  The images in the book document shared and individual experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.  They convey humor and grief, creativity and kindness, tragedy, and hope.

Paul Farmer, Chief Executive, Mind notes that:

“The coronavirus pandemic is a mental health emergency as well as a physical one. The devastating loss of life, the impact of lockdown, and any recession that lies ahead means there has never been a more crucial time to prioritise our mental health.”

Hold Still features 100 photographs selected from the Hold Still exhibition that included 31,598 submissions during the project’s six-week entry period.  Each photograph is accompanied by stories that provide deeper insight about the images, engendering greater context. The stories reflect the words of the entrants themselves, revealing the impact of the coronavirus on families, friends, neighbors, and people as they respond to this unprecedented catastrophe that has claimed millions of lives across the globe.  

Some images and stories are heartrending as they illuminate how people are addressing illness, isolation, and loss. From virtual birthday parties to handmade rainbows and greetings through glass walls, these images and stories are sometimes jarring.  However, there are some cheerful moments like community clapping for brave NHS staff and resilient key workers striving to help others in the book. 

Heartrending Stories and Images

One of the photographs is that of a sick boy (Mila) looking at his father through the window. The photograph by Shielding by Lynda Sneddon explicates the struggle of parents and caregivers to keep their children safe from contracting COVID-19. There is also the photograph of a Reverend praying for stand-in photographs of his congregation by The Revd. Tim Hayward and Beth Hayward. The priest stretches out his hands to bless the photographs as he does every Sunday with his real congregation. The heroism of Captain Tom Moore remains indelible in our hearts. Terry Harris captures the Captain as he drags his walker, walking to raise money for NHS.

COVID 19: Illness, Isolation, and Loss.

“The images tell such a moving and deeply human story of the pandemic, notes Paul Farmer. He that: “This inspiring collection of portraits illustrates the impact of the pandemic in all its complexity, but also how creativity, art, and human connection can help us find meaning in unprecedented challenges.”

People in the United Kingdom and around the world first got a view of the images in Hold Still in an online exhibition in September 2020. Nine months later, the exhibition has been viewed over six million times. Those that did not see the images in the online show saw them on the streets. The images were on hundreds of billboards and posters in towns and cities across the UK in October last year. The public art exhibition was part of a unique community exhibition held with the support of the Co-op. To reach more people, one of the portraits ‘Melanie, March 2020’ by Johannah Churchill, was recreated as a hand-painted mural in Manchester’s Northern Quarter. The image also adorns the cover of the book.

Kate Middleton at the National Portrait Gallery

During her visit, Kate Middleton met with some of the Hold Still entrants, including Lotti Sofia, Niaz Maleknia, and Claudia Burton, whose photographs feature in the book. She heard firsthand more about the stories behind their photographs and their love of photography.  The Duchess also visited the National Portrait Gallery’s Heinz Archive and Library where she viewed other photographic portraits from the Gallery’s extensive archive. She saw works from the Collection which demonstrates how photography has been used since the 19th century to document individuals’ experiences and key moments in Britain’s social history.

Melanie, March 2020 by Johannah Churchill

Prior to visiting the Gallery, The Duchess of Cambridge visited The Royal London Hospital where she viewed a framed portrait of Melanie by Johannah Churchill. The portrait was gifted to The Royal London by The Duchess and the National Portrait Gallery. It will hang in the hospital’s main corridor as a reminder of the phenomenal efforts of NHS staff throughout the pandemic. Further portraits will soon adorn locations around the UK for public display over the coming months. A selection of the Hold Still photographs will soon go on display at London’s iconic Piccadilly Lights screen, owned by Landsec, in Piccadilly Circus from May 10 – 16.

Kate Middleton and The Book Fairies

In addition to the exhibitions, a book hunt for the book is on in several locations across the United Kingdom.  To coincide with the release of the publication, 150 copies of the book were hidden in secret locations across the UK in a community activation supported by The Book Fairies.  The Book Fairies is a U.K.-based organization with the purpose of sharing books, leaving them in places for people to discover. 

The book fairies activity included 46 of the Hold Still participants, The Duchess of Cambridge, and her fellow Hold Still judges. They include Nicholas Cullinan, Director of the National Portrait Gallery; Lemn Sissay MBE, writer and poet; Ruth May, Chief Nursing Officer for England and Maryam Wahid, photographer. Each copy has a gold book fairy sticker, gold ribbon, and a letter from The Duchess tucked inside.

National Portrait Gallery Acquires Hold Still Photos

As part of efforts to continue augmenting its collection, the Gallery will acquire the digital images of all 100 portraits in the Hold Still exhibition, preserving this unique collective portrait of the first nationwide lockdown. Dr. Nicholas Cullinan, Director, National Portrait Gallery London describes Hold Still as an important part of British history “and a unique record of our shared and individual experiences during the pandemic, which will now be preserved for future generations looking back on this extraordinary moment in our history.”

Steve Murrells, CEO, Co-op Group echoes Cullinan’s views, describing Hold Still as an important publication that will remind people “of a year that changed all of our lives.”

The net proceeds from the sale of the book will be equally split to support the work of the National Portrait Gallery and Mind, the mental health charity.

Kate Middleton brings some context to the impact of COVID-19 on people in Hold Still. How are you coping during COVID-19? Do you have photos? Share them with us or leave a comment.