London through the eyes of (formerly) homeless photographers
Over 100 single-use cameras were handed out to current and former homeless people in London by a project called Café Art. Of the 5,000 photos submitted, 13 were selected for a 2017 calendar called MyLondon.
Banksy's dalmatian
"I couldn't believe that I'd found another Banksy!" says Saffron Saidi. She asked the man working in a bar near the mural to hold her dog Dotdot's leash. "The barkeeper said apparently Banksy likes dogs." Saidi has spent most of her life in care and says art and mental health activities are her lifeline. Her photo from Hoxton, East London, is on the cover of the upcoming MyLondon 2017 calendar.
Out from under there
Jackie Cook's friend Mia Lyons is pictured leaving the Mansion House Underground station in London. Lyons and Cook go to the same drama class and to Haringey Recovery Centre, which is run in partnership with St Mungo's homeless refuge. There, Lyons is a pottery teacher and Cook teaches meditation on a voluntary basis. The calendar project is organized by Café Art and financed via crowdfunding.
'Love heart bike stand'
"I was down in the West End and I just saw this bike stand as I was walking by. I thought it might be a good picture, so I quickly snapped it." Photographer Ella Sullivan says she sometimes takes photos on her phone, but doesn't have a real camera. She goes to art sessions and is taking a hairdressing course at London's Hairdressing Apprenticeship Academy in Camden.
Rays of color
"This is Ray of Light, a friend of mine, who is an artist just off Brick Lane. I asked him to pose for me next to some graffiti because I thought it would make a really good photo." A substance abuse problem cost Geraldine Crimmins her house and business before she finally got clean a few years ago. She is currently working for Café Art and acquiring new art vendors to gain sales skills.
Can you drive?
"That was about the one decent one I took, of the 26," says photographer Richard Fletcher. "I'm sleeping rough. During the summer it's alright. I had a night shelter during the winter months, which was fine, which I may revert back to if I'm still here come October/November." Fletcher is a member of Arts Fritzovia, a London-based arts group for homeless people.
'London calling'
"This is Mayfield Lavender, just west of Croydon. I was just out on a bike ride, and I thought that looks pretty good." Hugh Gary was an ex-serviceman in the British Army and was helped into housing by the Big House, a homeless hostel for former military. He says many of the homeless people in the city used to serve in the armed forces, but that there is little support for them.
Icons of London
"I just really liked the shape of that sculpture, the light, the bending of the shapes. I liked getting the bus because it's an icon of London. And a little bit of St Paul's." As a child, Alana Del Valle squatted with her mom who fled domestic violence. She's been homeless on and off her whole life, but is now renting a flat: "Photography helped me look at my local environment differently."
'Out of the Blue'
A similar photo contest among homeless residents took place last year and Beatrice (who didn't give her last name) took first prize. She says of her entry this year: "It was a really hot day. I liked the blue of the sky and the white of the wall. I looked around and saw the red watering can. Perfect! It was still not quite right though, so I raised my hand and it cast a strong shadow on the wall."
Who's the work of art?
Photographer Keith Norris took this picture of his friend Louise Danby in Hatton Garden, which he says was "kind of an arcadia of gems and arts." Norris was homeless from 1984 to 1992 and slept outdoors under an unused railway bridge. "In those days it had no rails and was almost impossible to get to. To get up there you had to be fighting fit," he recalls.
The Thames after the rain
"There was a huge rainstorm and the rain stopped. After the rain, the cloud was still around. It was late in the day and the sun made the color more orange. It looked very beautiful. It represented my day." Siliana squats in a church in south London with 30-40 other people, though they were recently delivered eviction papers. She attends Café Art's photography mentoring program.
'Now what?'
Laz Ozerden took this shot close to the Highbury and Islington station. "For me this picture is like, 'I am nothing and I am everything.'" Ozerden came to London from Hungary in 2004. Due to alcoholism, he was hospitalized for six months in 2012 and is now getting back on track thanks to the Haringey Recovery Service and St. Mungo's homeless refuge. Ozerden is studying to become a social worker.
The best beans
Photographer Leo Shaul says he'd been meaning to visit this independent coffee roaster in Camden Town for a long time and the photo contest gave him an excuse to finally do it. There he met coffee roaster George. Shaul is currently being treated for alcoholism, which he says "is a selfish illness and recovery has to be selfish as well."
Mirroring a giant
In 1971, Christopher McTavish came to London from a small town east of Toronto, Canada. He'd been kicked out of his house due to drug use. In 1998 and 1999, he was homeless in London. He's now living in a housing association flat. McTavish, who sings in the Choir With No Name for people who have experienced homelessness, snapped this reflection of London's famous St. Paul's Cathedral.