London Sleeps: Photos Of The City Without Its Citizens

By Londonist Staff Last edited 89 months ago
London Sleeps: Photos Of The City Without Its Citizens

London Sleeps is a series of quietly stunning images by photographer Matthew Joseph that show what our city would be like if none of us were around. All the sound and fury we insist on creating is absent, leaving London's landmarks to bask in a stillness that is almost eerie.

Joseph's aim is to focus on the underlying structures of the city in order to "remove the chaos and reveal the beauty in the incredible variety of infrastructure and architecture". Of course, the buildings are a reflection of the inhabitants who have come and gone over the years too, as Joseph says: "From the sharp angles of the glass-clad City of London to the neoclassical pillars of the National Gallery — there is statement all around."

He manages to capture these images by spending hours at each location waiting for the huff and puff to subside. His pictures show that even though we associate the city with sound and motion there are fleeting moments of total tranquillity — if you can find them.

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Last Updated 06 October 2016