Francois Prost - Covid Portraits

We all have to do it and we all dread it in some ways: The weekly grocery run amid COVID-19.

The scenes captured in Francois Prost’s series is an uneasy sight we’re growing more familiar with as the fight against COVID-19 progresses – daily shoppers in personal protective gear. Francois begun capturing shoppers on his regular grocery run in France’s rural Brittany to help process the abrupt changes to everyday life as we know it. His series speaks to how we are coping and adapting to the changes of life’s most mundane tasks. Most of all, Francois’ Covid Portraits reminds us of the art of the human condition.

How did people react when you asked them for a pandemic portrait?

For a few weeks, I’ve been committed to documenting people going to and from the supermarkets with masks during the COVID-19 crisis. It all started during the beginning of the lockdown, when I moved with my wife and kids from Paris to Brittany. Watching people leaving the supermarkets with surgical masks and shopping trolleys filled to the brim was, of course, strange; there’s nothing more usual than doing the groceries, while there’s nothing more unusual than going about your day in masks. So, I thought documenting this phenomenon would be both visually uncommon and interesting. When I would go out to do my own shopping, I started asking people if I could take their photos. Generally speaking, people reacted in a positive way and let me take their picture; I think they too saw this as a foreign situation, and could therefore understand why a photographer would want to document it. From my experience, once people get to understand why you’re taking the photo, they usually have a positive response, some are even happy and flattered.

What was the mood like at the grocery store? How were people coping with this extraordinary situation? 

The first week felt very anxious. People looked at each other with suspicion and fear, and at this stage, it seemed like many people would overbuy toilet paper and pasta. However, after a week, the panic passed, and things slowly came back to a “normal”. Shoppers have started to come less often and tend to do the groceries for 2 weeks instead of coming every week/few days; people appear to be less stressed now than at the beginning. Nevertheless, supermarket shopping still feels very strange because of people wearing masks and also because of physical emptiness; some people are afraid to come because of the virus, and the supermarkets are also restraining the number of people allowed inside. 

Does there seem to be a different mentality in France compared to North America and the rest of the world? What I mean by this is, are people hoarding their shopping carts with toilet paper? 

I think we get the same reaction everywhere on the planet, it’s a human behaviour to get anxious about such an event. It might feel more extreme in North America, as everything especially seems “huger“ and “higher“ in the USA than in Europe, but it’s more a feeling than reality I think. Also, those pictures were taken in a pretty quiet and lay down area, so it might not be very objective.

Most importantly, how are you coping with this situation? As both an artist and in your everyday? 

As an artist, the “quarantine lockdown“ is definitely exciting as it’s breaking the order of daily life. As a Father/husband, it’s also positive, as I’m spending my entire days with my two kids and wife. I feel a little bit like I’m in a “big brother“ TV show, but it’s interesting to change our habits and way of living/interacting. And as a professional freelance worker, it’s a huge mess, as all my jobs got canceled or delayed and I’m not sure about what the next months will be in terms of business. All of those words concern the quarantine as we live it now after one month, let’s see how it will be in 6 months…and of course, I’m speaking only about my situation, I’m aware I’m very lucky and the situation is a real nightmare for many people.