Intersections
A Portrait of London Through The People
by Barry Lewis
”London’s population is 9.32 million and, like an enormous ant’s nest, is constantly on the move, working, playing, socialising, criss-crossing on complex journeys by foot, bike, road and train.
As Londoners we both share our city and live our different lives. We come together in shared spaces and retreat to private spaces. We co-exist and connect at many different levels but how much do we know and understand about each other?
‘Intersections’ is about documenting London through portraits and conversations of the people. I spent 50 years as a photojournalist, documenting the world for magazines and wanted to change my working practice, to slow down and look at my own city with fresh eyes.
The last couple of years I have been traveling around the city with a large camera and tripod, approaching strangers and asking about their lives. We end up with a sort of negotiated settlement; the subject can pause, reflect on my request, and together we create an image and I ask them about their lives.
This is a slow ritual in a public space and becomes a special experience for us all.
My eventual goal is a book that echoes the richness and diversity of London lives.” - Barry Lewis.
Jennie Muskett walking Gracie, on Hampstead Heath “When this photo was taken, I think I was still in Covid-mode, trying to reconcile the recent death of my father, and the trauma of loneliness during those terrible times. I love the photo, but it feels a bit like looking at a Lucien Freud portrait - logic says that it's me, but my heart doesn't recognise that woman at all. She and her stoicism existed in a different and strangely distant time. Two things kept me going during Covid - my lock-down puppy, Gracie who joyously forced me onto the Heath every single day, and music. I am a music composer and, during Covid, not only was it impossible for musicians to perform, but they couldn't even make music together. Throughout that dark period countless professional musicians came to my studio in Highgate week after week to give chamber music concerts, which we live streamed free to care homes and music lovers all over the country.”
Marilyn Virginia, Alexander Palace Park “I’m a ‘look upwards and outwards’ kinda gal! I am also a grandmother who ran the Virginia Creepers Rockabilly club in Kings Cross for 15 years, where I was the ‘High Priestess of Mayhem’. You saw something in me, in the spur of the moment, with unbrushed hair and non-existent makeup, shot across the road from Ally Pally in the woods. A hard-strong authentic woman, you say! That’s maybe who I am!”
Robbie attending the annual Tamil chariot festival at the Murugan Temple in Highgate, London. “I’m a student living with my parents in Wembley, which is a super gritty and grimy where slang is said more than proper English and has that type of culture. Gang and knife fights happen… Two years ago someone stabbed another to death with a football shoe cleats... like 6 doors in front of me! You get very desensitised to stuff like that. Not going to make it out like it’s hell or a super ghetto area, but heavy stuff happens. I don’t mind it much, but yeah when I finish university and get a job I would LOVE to move… maybe to the countryside?" “Hmm, but there would be no chicken takeaways!” “Temple and daily life… Feels a lot like a double life.” “At home we have a cultural tradition that always gave me this holy feel... where you want to be living a pure as possible life... and an honest one." "Having to do both at the start was weird, but slowly but surely you kinda realise it’s not really two different lives, more one life doing two different things." "Temple was definitely more a chore when I first start going super young, but now I’m pretty damn proud and it’s kinda given me flavour you know?”
Ahmed, London Central Mosque, Regent’s Park Ahmed, 19, is from Chad and wearing traditional Chadian Arab new white robes called jalabiyas with white turban-like headgear known as a tagiya, set off by a Louis Vuitton scarf. “This is the first day of Eid al-Adha; it is a time to dress in our best clothes, go to the mosque, visit family and friends and thank Allah for all the blessings we have received. I live in Uxbridge where I work as a student nurse. I still miss my family and childhood friends in Chad but I love the changing atmosphere in London and a quiet life at night.”
Lydia Prifti, aged 8, Peckham leisure centre after a karate lesson “I love doing karate, look how high I can kick!” Her parents Marjeta and Thamus come from Albania and Greece. Thamus: “We found London very expensive at first but it’s getting better for us, I work in computing as an IT engineer for terrorist protection/cover. Marjeta was originally a nurse but now works in finance” Marjeta: “We speak in Albanian and Greek at home and Lydia, who speaks English at school is already tri -lingual! Our hopes for the children are for them to be happy, respected, respectful.”
Jackson, security guard at Fashion Scout, Shoreditch "Weekdays I work as an administrator for the NHS but at weekends I do red carpet security guard work. It's another world... looking after film stars like Keanu Reaves...when you regularly work with them you realize that they are all just people, despite their fame. I am an ex-boxer, but I wasn’t very good, hence the nose and teeth! I French and first came to England when I was 18 to accompany a friend who was having an audition for Benetton. I was just waiting for him outside when a casting director saw me and next thing I knew I was one of the faces in the Colours campaign!" I didn't really fit in with modelling, though I had lots of offers... I would have had to do lots of dentistry and cosmetic surgery... not for me! I loved London though, and returned a few years later for the Notting Hill Carnival... I never left and have now been living here for over 20 years!"