covid — Blog — Alison Aye

Hand stitched paper to cloth collage, 2022.

30 x 26cm, unframed.

Discarded paper (cut from newspapers during January 2022) hand-stitched to Dad’s shirt. Sewn, using Judith Cash’s old thread, to acid-free watercolour paper from a charity shop.

Face: Virginia Guiffre. Getty*. Metro 27.1.22. Article by Dominic Yeatman about Virginia Guiffre accusing Andrew Mountbatten Windsor of sexually abusing her when she was 17, and her lawyer saying, ‘We look forward to confronting Prince Andrew with his denials and attempts to blame Ms Guiffre for her own abuse’. The Windsors later paid £12m for an out-of-court settlement. In 2025 she took her own life, at the age of 41. “I am making it publicly known that in no way, shape or form am I suicidal. I have made this known to my therapist and doctor. If something happens to me – for the sake of my family do not let this go away and help me to protect them. Too many evil people want to see me quieted.” Virginia Guiffre.

Red military uniform with medals and hat: Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. Getty*. iPaper 28.1.22. Article by David Parsley and Joe Duggan about how Andrew Mountbatten Windsor’s legal team are attempting to have the above case thrown out of court on the grounds that Virginia Giuffre is a resident of Australia. In order for the case to take place in the US, at least one of the people involved must live there.

Green-sleeved arm: Novak Djokovic. AFP via Getty*. Metro 10.1.22. Article by David Gurney about the tennis player being kicked out of Australia, and the Open, for his refusal to get vaccinated against Covid-19.

Straight leg: From a photo Madonna posted on Instagram*, showing her bruised leg, amongst other things. Metro 14.1.22. Article, speculating about how the bruise was acquired and how ‘loose and limber’ Madonna looks at 63, by Tom Stichbury.

Hand with dog: Boris Johnson. PA/ Reuters*. Metro 25.1.22. Article by Joel Taylor about a birthday party held for Boris Johnson during the first lockdown, despite rules banning indoor social events. It showed a picture of BJ jogging with his dog, Dilyn.

Rest of body: Jude Hill as Buddy in ‘Belfast’, a 2021 film written and directed by Kenneth Branagh, which follows a young boy's childhood in Belfast at the beginning of ‘The Troubles’ in 1969. Cinematography by Hans Zambarloukos. Film advert. iPaper 21.1.22.

The articles are below. Some of them are hard to read. Apologies.

*The photo credits are as they appear in the articles from which the faces were cut. For the record, I don’t accept the name of a company as a photography credit. There was an actual person behind the camera. If you are that person, or know them, please give me a shout. Also, the information in the articles may be fabricated.