Panic Pollution Ephemera (2023)

"Cover" of tabloid: Panic Pollution Ephemera, 2023 by Ambeck Design.

It began with a panic to try and protect ourselves, and others, from each other's breath. Home-made masks were all we had to start with, as proper PPE was only for the professionals trying to save lives.

As time passed PPE became more commonplace for all and, like newspapers once littered the city streets with yesterday’s news, so masks became a new element of public littering.

During months of predominantly staying at home, daily walks were much needed. I was taken aback by the amount of discarded masks and began documenting at random what I would see. This tabloid shows a photographic selection from those walks during the period of August 27th, 2020 - April 25th, 2022.

All photos were taken with iPhone 11 without filters and all masks were photographed as seen.

Front and back covers. Bronze sculpture 'Taxi' by J. Seward Johnson Jr. 1983, on the Embankment, London.

I found it ironic that, before the pandemic, one of the hot topics was climate change caused by our own pollution. Then came Covid and pollution took a back seat for obvious reasons. It seemed like many had forgotten that PPE left behind is full of polypropylene plastic particles and will not decompose for up to 450 years. Unexpected historic evidence.

Four seasons.

Themes emerged as I looked at the final collection of images, 302 in total. These extend across more than one page and, as this tabloid is designed as a fluid visual experience – the double-spreads can be rearranged as the viewer sees fit. 

Everything reflects both individual and shared moments during a time of world-wide panic and grief.

Alternative cover example.

Spread of 'blues'.

Spread called: 'solo'.

A tabloid or a set of posters? The viewer decides.

Stacks of 50 – numbered and signed.

Tabloid paper printed by the Newspaper Club, UK.

20 pages covers included.

Stock: 80gsm Bright Recycled.
Cover size: Tabloid (28.9 x 38 cm)
Language: English
Edition 100, numbered and signed.
Published October 14th 2023. 

Launched at the Small Publishers Fair, Conway Hall, Holborn, London, UK (27-28 October 2023).

In the public collections of: Tate Britain, Bodleian Libraries – Special Collections, British Library, Wellcome Collection, Winchester School of Art Library: Special Collections, Manchester Metropolitan University Library All Saints, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art Library, Edinburgh and Victoria and Albert Museum: National Art Library, London.

All copies numbered and signed by Ambeck Design, 2023.