TOYS IN THE WOODS | ART LEWY PHOTOS COLLECTIONS 2

“Toys in the Woods (The Colour of Pretend)” is inspired by the solitude of the COVID lockdown. This black and white photographic series explores the boundary between imagination and isolation. With no human contact allowed, I turn to toys – forgotten figures of play – as stand-ins for connection, curiosity and story. Set against woodland backdrops, these staged scenes become a quiet form of communication, and speak in the language of pretend. Stripped of colour, the images lean into mood and metaphor, inviting viewers to reflect on the ways we adapt, imagine, and find presence in absence.

TIME FOR A DIP

The little diver stood on the edge of the puddle, arms poised, eyes fixed on his own reflection. The water was shallow, still, barely enough to ripple — yet he braced as if it were the ocean. His bowler hat stayed on; it always did. Around him, the woods held their breath. Perhaps it wasn’t about the depth, but the courage to leap — even into yourself.