Book Review: On Pause: Three Months That Changed New York
© Charlie Bennet
Written By Parker Renick
Photo Edited by Lucia Luzzani
The entire city was locked in their homes, leaving only for emergencies, while the streets sat barren. In March of 2020, the city that never sleeps was forced to take a rest. In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, Governor Cuomo stated “New York City is on pause,” and with the help of New Yorkers’ commitment to escaping the pandemic, bridges, streets, and subway platforms were left sitting empty. Photographer Charlie Bennet set out to capture this unprecedented time In New York, and together Bennet and Helena Gustavsson, a writer and journalist in New York, share the story of this poignant time, the first three months of Covid-19 in New York, in the new book On Pause.
© Charlie Bennet
In late March of 2020, while walking his dog to Central Park, Bennet could not help but capture the strange feeling of a bustling city that had seemingly become a ghost town. As Bennet describes it, “There was only one word for the feeling I had: bizarre.” While struggling at first with the decision between capturing the beauty of such a unique time and protecting himself and his loved ones from a disease that, at the time, we had very little knowledge about, Bennet ultimately realized that this moment in all of our lives was historic and needed to be documented. Bennet set out to save memories of a quite unforgettable moment in our world’s history.
© Charlie Bennet
As a writer, Helena Gustavsson attempts to explore the year that “gave way for reflection and reevaluation.” Throughout On Pause, Gustavsson attempts to maintain an optimistic standpoint, reflecting on the pain, death, and hardships, but also emphasizing the beauty revealed through the pandemic in the form of human resilience, grit, and sense of community. Bennet’s stunning photography and Hustavsson’s vivid writing come together to remind the reader of a unique time, one that we wish we could have avoided, but that is worthy of being remembered.
On Pause walks readers through a difficult time, reminding them of their struggles, but also their accomplishments. The Abandoned landscapes created by empty New York streets and buildings paint pictures of the sacrifices made, and the portraits of individuals masked up and doing their part illustrate the city's slow but certain return to a sense of normalcy. The sounds of each picture can almost be heard by the viewer as the rushing of wind through streets and the chirping of birds overhead replace the otherwise bustling sounds of Manhattan. Bennet’s images share the story of New York in 2020, while Gustavsson expands the exploration of the year through interviews with individuals and reflections on important moments on the timeline of the first three months of New York’s Covid-19 response.
© Charlie Bennet
© Charlie Bennet
On Pause, created by photographer Charlie Bennet, writer Helena Gustavsson, and art director Jon Palmqvist is available now online, in independent bookstores, and directly from the website.
