Minding the Store - STEVEN R. TABOR

Minding the Store

Will shopping ever be the same?

The year 2021 has started off with the stores shuttered in Holland. Standing guard is an army of mannequins: some are faceless with their backs to empty shelves while others stand clothed in decorated windows, trying their best to attract shoppers who briskly pass them by.

Most people order what they need on-line. Packages are dropped off by drivers who knock on the doors and then stand back with a frightened look on their faces. On-line packages often arrive with far too much packaging. Inevitably, the paper-trash bins overflow onto near-empty city streets.

Each city has a different mood under the lockdown and its shop windows reflect this. This series presents mannequins from the shop windows of Leiden, Delft, Groningen and Amsterdam. Those who stand guard in these shuttered stores are a strange and varied group, doing their best to install calm and good cheer in these uncertain times.

If you'd like to see the full series, download the PDF catalogue here.