MILANO ON LOCKDOWN
EMPTY STREETS AND CLOSED SHOPS DURING A WORK-DAY AFTERNOON. ALTHOUGH WEEKS AGO THIS SIGHT WOULD BE UNIMAGINABLE FOR ANYONE YOU'D ASK, IT'S AN INEVITABLE REALITY NOW. AT THIS MOMENT PEOPLE REMAIN IN UNCERTAINTY ABOUT WHEN THE VIRUS WILL BE UNDER CONTROLL AND NORMAL LIFE IS TO BE CONTINUED.
HOWEVER FOR NOW IS METROPOLITANO MILANO, THE FINANCIAL HEART OF ITALY, A MERE GHOST TOWN FILLED WITH UNCERTAINTY AND A (SENSIBLE) WIFF OF FEAR.
A shot like this would be normally unimaginable. Throughout the year this square is packed with tourist as it boasts the nr. 1 landmark of Milan; il Duomo. Now just a handfull people, police and soldier are to be seen.
The busy city centre is deserted and all fashion mega-stores have closed their doors until further notice. It appeared to me the city’s heart stopped beating for a while.
The famous and ever-so-busy canals at pt. Genova.
Piazza Duomo, Milan - A man quickly crossed the empty square while wearing a face-mask
Colonne di San Lorenzo, Milano - Normally this square is full of students, people making music etc.
La Galleria, Milan - The “Neccessary reasons” to go outside, are interpretated differently by everybody.
While normally I never see anyone on the balcony, something that I’ve wondered about oftenly, now neighbourghs try to connect with eachother from their windows and balcony’s. If anything, the obligatory quarantine doesn’t withold people from connecting with eachother. Many evenings singing, music or clapping and other rumours are to be heard and many particitape as if they’re prisoners communicating from their cells. The sounds of unity against the common enemy are felt but for how long can the people put up with this? Where does the limit of our solidarity lie though? If it means limiting our primary need of freedom.
Day after day the sirens can be heard, trauma helicopters fly over. Throughout the day Police cars pass by underneath my balcony, urging the people to stay home by megaphone; ‘STATE A CASA’ / ‘STAY AT HOME’, it sounds. However the streets don’t seem to be only filled with neccessary traffic. It’s been a long time for everyone and even when hospitals are in a war-like situation people seem to go about their day.
Daily life has taken on a different meaning. The enemy remains as invisible as before but the consequences are clearly visible. Lines in front of the supermarket run up to a hundred meters or more. Many don’t bother waiting though, as this is the only valid excuse to be outside.
Is this really the way to keep social distance however? The numbers don’t lie, something doesn’t line up. The virus is still spreading, even under the strict rules of the lockdown.
The only thing that remains to do for us is staying home, stay positive and productive and hope the worst of it will have been over soon
- J.E. Boom