Photographs that show Central Park as a natural refuge during the city’s lockdown.
First opened to the public in 1858 and finished in 1876, New York City’s Central Park was specially designed by American landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted as a democratic space that welcomed all New Yorkers. Inspired by the parks he had discovered during his travels to the UK, Olmsted created the Central Park with lush, verdant spaces. His landscape designs allowed nature to be rather than try to tame it. He also believed that nature had the power to restore the mind. In Common Place, Brooklyn-based Canadian photographer Scott Rossi explored the same concepts of openness, accessibility and recharge, but from a different perspective. Here, the images show a world in lockdown. Poetic and fascinating, the photos display different parts of the park and the way New Yorkers enjoyed its green areas.
Some images show loving, intimate moments between partners while others capture the beauty of the park in all its glory. One photo shows the marks left on a tree by people throughout decades while another frames a koi fish as it swims, the water surface reflecting the city’s iconic skyline. Other photos reveal gatherings with friends or a sunlit pathway through trees. All of the images show how Central Park became a place of refuge for New Yorkers during a global crisis; a place that always welcomes urban dwellers who wish to take a break from the fast-paced rhythm of the city. Co-published by Pomegranate Press and Guest Editions, the book comes with a soft printed cover on Fedrigoni Materica paper. The first edition of 500 books is currently available online from both publishers. Photographs © Scott Rossi.
