Outsiders in London, a new photography exhibition from Milan Svanderlik, the portrait photographer who presented 100 Faces of London, has opened in the crypt of St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square. The exhibition features outsiders from all over London, and includes the portraits and stories of three Brixton locals: Mr Dennis Rose, Mr Gary Areef Barnes and Julie Louise Fawcett MBE.
Outsiders in London aims to illustrate how many of us will experience the feeling of being an outsider at some stage in our lives; how some of us are labelled as, or feel ourselves to be, outsiders from the very outset but manage to turn this into an advantage, or just make the best of it. The three stories of Dennis Rose, Gary Areef Barnes and Julie Louise Fawcett give an insight into the specific challenges of being an outsider resident on Stockwell Park Estate over the last few decades.
Dennis Rose, despite being only 34, has been a prison three times, but has now turned his life around against the odds. His story is an inspiring glimpse inside the mind of a determined man, but also asks difficult questions about a prison system which boots young offenders out with just £46 to survive on for six weeks and little chance of a proper job.
Gary Areef Barnes is an outsider, not because he’s an ex convict but a war veteran who returned from the horrors of twenty first century conflict to an uncaring community, disconnected from his family. Both men benefitted enormously from the Stockwell Park Community Centre and specifically the work of Julie Louise Fawcett.
As a white Mother of four housed on the Stockwell Park Estate amid huge racial tension and soaring crime rates, Julie faced a ‘sink of swim’ decision with her involvement in her local community. As the MBE may give away, she chose to swim, going on to become an inspiration to many members of the community, and renowned for her work with gangs. All three stories and portraits are just a small part of a great exhibition, but stand as a great testament to the determination and achievements of outsiders in Brixton.
