STILL Melbourne – A pictorial ode to the city’s resilience through the toughest lockdown

Tony Pierrakos' glimpse of a city that stayed still more than any other in the world and yet again proved worthy of loving


A Melbourne still, but not lifeless; a city locked-down, that even in its quietest and most uncertain times, still exuded love, patience and strength.

STILL Melbourne is street photographer Tony Pierrakos’ visual narrative of a pandemic-stricken CBD implementing some of the strictest public health measures globally.

Measures that amounted to six harsh lockdowns from March 2020 to October 2021.

It is estimated that tens of thousands of lives have been saved due to these measures, yet, the journey to where we are today was a somber one.

Pierrakos who is also one of the founding traders on String Bean Alley at Queen Victoria Market took these photos in the course of many solitary walks through Greater Melbourne during the lockdowns with his Nikon as his only companion.

Photo: Tony Pierrakos/STILL Melbourne

Sectioned into three themes – cityscape, people and feel – the images capture a city, and her people, simply biding time.

Dedicated to all Melbournians, and to his six-year-old daughter Grace, STILL Melbourne comes with the reminder that we should not forget how resilient, stoic, and patient we each were in order to return to “the best city to live in”, a privilege not to be taken for granted.

Tony, who also goes by the social media alias InTone Photography, has been taking photographs that have captured the attention of Queen Vic Market crowds and photography lovers .

“It’s the light,” he says. “The tones…”, the feeling in the moment. Even the deafening silence in his images, speaks.

In his 48 years, Pierrakos, who was born in Brunswick to two Spartans, had never before experienced such stoicism as in those remarkable dark times. Not even across all his travels.

“Europe has the architecture and history, Vietnam has the faces, the peoples faces have such a story to tell,” he reminisces. “Melbourne has the laneways, restaurants and street art, its a beautiful city especially in the morning along the Yarra River.”

Photo: Tony Pierrakos/STILL Melbourne

The Australian landscape has an exceptionally rich colour, from the red desert to the oceans of the North and South. The biggest difference is how softer the light is in the northern hemisphere in comparison to the harsh light of Australia, he argues.

Enamoured with light, he was naturally drawn to photography at an early age.

“For my 12th birthday I asked my parents for a camera, for some reason we didn’t own one,” he tells Neos Kosmos.

“In year 7, my teacher asked to pick a career to write something about and I chose photography. From there on, I took it as an elective in year 11 and in year 12 I transferred to a school that focused on photography, Brighton Bay secondary college. I spent year 12 and 13 at this school before being accepted to study photography at RMIT. I graduated in 1996 and became a photographic assistant before deciding to open up a stall selling my images of Melbourne, Australia and abroad at Queen Victoria Market in 2001.”

From 2001 till 2020 Tony’s life revolved around his wonderful space, a repurposed shipping container in an lane called String Bean Alley, meeting customers from all over, locals, regional, interstate and of course overseas visitors.

“I have made many lifetime friends and customers return year after year,” he says. “21 years and counting.”

“When lockdown was forced on us, I did my first click and collect, got a brand new lens… I spent 18 months walking the streets and capturing images from a remarkable time. It was a way of connecting with my Instagram followers during the lockdowns.”

Photo: Tony Pierrakos/STILL Melbourne

At the end of the sixth and final Melbourne lockdown, the market finally reopened. On Tony’s stall, a whole series of new photographs. His photo booth had become an exhibition, instead of the usual portraiture and street captures full of life and action, these new photographs perfectly conveyed his personal upheaval as one of the many artists and creators who had to put their livelihoods and dreams on hold, but also the city’s poignance and beauty.

His neighbouring stall-holder demanded this project stayed still in time, as a reminder and cautionary tale. As a beacon of hope. And so it has.

“This book contains documentary pieces, images you might not want to hang on your walls.”

The book, also narrates the story of a collaboration between two Intone Photography and Mary Martin Bookshop owned by his friend, Jaye Chin-Dusting who conceptualised the images into book form.

Photo: Tony Pierrakos/STILL Melbourne

“Jaye would come over and see the images I had been capturing during the lockdowns and suggested to collaborate with her to produce a book.” Pierrakos admits that producing a book was always a dream of his but” life is what happens when you are busy making other plans.”

“I was reluctant at first but after six lockdowns, I said yes in December 2021. In January 2022 Jo Lauritz from Juice Graphics joined us and the three of us collaborated for six months to produce a book we are all proud of. The project would not have happened without Jaye and without the support of the several contributors to the book, the true champions of STILL Melbourne. QVM CEO Stan Liacos was on board with the project from the get go, Spiro Foscolos (General Manager) and Natasa Filosoglou (Head of Programming) in the latter stages during the book launch.

With a foreword by Lord Mayor Sally Capp, STILL Melbourne is a project of love, supported by small businesses and diverse Melbournians .

STILL Melbourne is a time capsule, an art exhibition…a deeply personal (dare I say) legacy. It comes with the reminder that we should not forget what we were willing to endure for each other,” Lord Mayor Sally Capp alludes.

“It’s also a celebration of the extraordinary advances in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) that take place globally every day, including the advent of the vaccines that have helped us emerge from the rolling lockdowns.”

Photo: Tony Pierrakos/STILL Melbourne

Queen Victoria Market is recovering nicely, tourist are back, locals are back as well, the weekends are solid, and night markets are producing huge numbers, Pierrakos confirms.

“Thankfully, my practise is the same now as it was before,” he says.

“I am just going to do; what I love… walk the streets of Melbourne with my camera at hand and capture what comes my way.”

“Grateful to be enjoying life as we knew it again, but never taking it for granted.”


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