Jack Arts

Vaccine Bristol: Tom Skipp

It’s easy to feel disconnected from the decisions, processes and expertise that have gone into the management of the coronavirus pandemic. We’re inclined to see scientists as being different and disconnected from us, which, when coupled with historical institutional prejudices, can cause community scepticism towards things like vaccines. Documentary photographer Tom Skipp spotted this problem and has sought to address it. In conjunction with the University of Bristol, he created a campaign to humanise the behind-the-scenes efforts to mitigate the pandemic, spotlighting scientists’ personal motivations and stories.

Unsurprisingly, given his background in art direction, every aspect of Skipp’s project is carefully considered, with the workspace photos finished in his trademark dreamy colour grading that bring a softness to the science. The vibrant backdrop for each text message was inspired by the coronavirus protein spike, the part of the virus essential for vaccination. We partnered up with Skipp to bring his campaign to the streets of Bristol “in the hope of connecting science to the community”, to hopefully encourage vaccine uptake by speaking to people at street level.