Friday Essay: COVID in Ten Photos

Compiled by author and art historian Chari Larsson, “Friday Essay: COVID in Ten Photos” presents a collection of iconic photographs from the first wave of the pandemic in Australia. Through these images, Larsson explores major themes that have emerged from the pandemic experience, such as the role of globalization in COVID’s spread, the shifting meanings behind once-benign behaviors, economic decline, and social inequality.

One key photograph featured in the essay shows the Ruby Princess, a luxury cruise ship that became notorious when it was linked to a major COVID-19 outbreak after docking in Sydney in April 2020. The image of the ship stranded off the port evokes historical associations with quarantine practices, which originated during the Black Death of the 14th century.

Larsson uses such photographs to illustrate how familiar scenes have taken on new, often ominous, significance in the context of the pandemic. By examining these images, she argues that photography plays a crucial role in both documenting history and translating abstract events into emotionally resonant, tangible experiences for the public. Her project suggests that COVID-19 photography will not only capture the severity of the pandemic but will also serve as a reference point for future comparisons with other global crises.