YOUNG MEN; WORST FEARS
by Jillian Edelstein
Young Men, Worst Fears was developed while mentoring underprivileged youth at North London's Arsenal Football Club. I noticed regular and alarming reports about the deaths of local young men in knife related stabbings and high levels of male suicide in national and local newspapers. When talking with the young men, I discovered that absent fathers, gangs, drugs, childhood poverty, a dearth of male role models, mental health issues, existential issues related to the 'growing pains' of young men emerging into adulthood in challenging inner city London, was a common theme running through all of their lives. It seemed that the question 'What is your worst fear?' ignited their imagination and caused them to keenly vocalise their frustrations.
The portrait of Gabriel Harvey whose fear is Isolation was a finalist in the LensCulture Portrait Awards 2017. Gabriel knew that he was gay from a very early age – homophobia, bullying, peer group pressure are some of the other challenges facing these young men as they navigate their uneasy way into adulthood.
"Not living up to my own expectations which have come from my grandmothers influence. She was a beautiful woman" - Shawdon Smith
"Losing my Mother" - Eucane Bezzera
"Death" - Alex Fraser
"My worst fear is the future generation being defined by our apathy in the present and also that my TMJ jaw ache never goes away" - Gabriel Speechly
''Failure and I have a failed a few times already , that's how I feel, but that's what’s taught me, that’s what gave me the feeling that I didn’t ever want to experience failure again. And I still do. Thomas A. Edison says "I haven’t failed I have just found 10,000 ways that won’t work." - Stazzy Stasopoullos
"My worst fear is that my daughter won't have to go through the same trial and tribulations as I did, which means I need to make something of my life and build her a strong foundation" - Josh Campbell
"That I won't realise my dreams" - Quincy Dyer
"Isolation" - Gabriel Harvey