Gallery MyLondon | Café Art

What We Do
2022 Calendar Campaign
Gallery
- Gallery
News
Shop
Art Rental
Get Involved
- Get Involved
- Events and Exhibitions
About
More

Use tab to navigate through the menu items.

Empowering people affected by homelessness through art, photography and entrepreneurship

Sign up to email list

MyLondon Top 20 2018-2013

Lens Flare by David Fussell

Grand Union Canal by Keith Norris

Heart-shaped crisp by Stephanie Griffiths

Canal Silhouette Michelle Goldberg

Opening the new squat by Husna Cohiya

Summer Style by Goska Calik

Busker by Warren Heyes

Notting Hill by Saffron Saidi

Brick Lane by McGinley

Through the looking glass by Michael Crosswaite

St Paul’s Cathedral by Wes

Hottest day by David Bastin

Thames Beach by Paul McGrail

Monster bubbles by Denise Allison

World Cup flags by Allisa Christie

Tate Britain by Jane Donovan

People’s Vote march by Goska Calik

Home Made Pies by Jose Bell

Large stick by Allisa Christie

Streetart strut by James Robson

Out of gallery

Top 20 2017

Still Here by Lou Danby

untitled image

French Couture by Ella Sullivan.

MARCH 2018: Punk Rockers, Camden Town: Jackie said it was a hot day so a good day to visit Camden Lock Market. “They” were happy to pose for the camera. While not as common as they used to be, you can still see punks around Camden Town most weekends” says Jackie, “especially when it’s hot”. Jackie goes to the Haringey Recovery Service, which is run in partnership with St Mungo’s, where she does voluntary meditation teaching. “It’s important to share what people have given to you and never forget where you come from,” Jackie says. “Never ever look down on anybody unless you’re picking them up.” “I love London. It’ a cosmopolitan city with a lot of culture. I like taking pictures, especially in my favourite haunts, Alexandra Palace and Hampstead Heath.”

APRIL 2018: Keep Moving, Canary Wharf: “I wanted to capture the stillness on the escalator before they enter the fast pace outside”, says Karina who took this shot in Canary Wharf Station. “Bankers, tourists and the homeless on their daily routine.” “In school I was bullied which interfered with a lot of my education. Things where disrupting at home. I got removed from home at 14 and by 15 I was homeless. I ended up in shelters and never got permanent accommodations. Then I got help and was able to stay in a shelter. “Sometimes we can get knocked off our path” says Karina who heard about the contest in the art class run by One Housing in Camden. “We cannot stay down. We need to keep moving forward. If you feel your physical wellbeing is down then keep up your mental wellbeing. The battle will not be lost unless you accept defeat. I am grateful for the things around me. I keep everything moving.”

MAY 2018: London Icons, Westminster: Tim Paul took this shot in Bell Lane, near the Strand. He says the post boxes and telephone boxes are symbolic to London. “There’s something about red: red boxes, red buses. I kept thinking about London being red… I saw a guy called Jon with a bike standing behind the phone box and I asked him if he wouldn’t mind standing in it for this shot”. Tim is an artist at 240 Project in West London. “They have helped me with my self esteem. When I came I was in a bad place mentally – very depressed, low self esteem. People here don’t ask too many questions so I can be myself. Everyone just accepts each other here.” Talking about the MyLondon contest, Tim says he had never used film before and found the project a challenge because of the limited number of shots. The 240 Project recently had an exhibition of photos and he said one of the “biggest buzzes ever” was to sell one of his photos.

JUNE 2018: Summer Dip: Husna was cycling along with a friend when they discovered this swimming area.

JULY 2018: Shadow Play, Islington: “This photo was taken in Hemingford Road Islington whilst I was out for a walk with my daughter on a sunny Sunday afternoon. I happened to have a red balloon in my bag so I blew it up whilst I found an amazing shadow of my girl on the wall with it. I loved the optical illusion that it created of her holding the balloon.” Born in London , Ella grew up on the south west coast of Ireland . She returned to London over 20 years ago and now lives in Islington. She is a trained hairdresser. She has just finished a pre-foundation course in Art and Design at Mary Ward Centre in London where she hopes to continue with her studies in September. She goes to art sessions run by SHP near Essex Road, Islington. “I was having some problems with my housing so that was why I got referred to SHP. I’ve had good support from them.”

SEPTEMBER 2018: Commuters, City of London: Michelle Goldberg directed her friend to take this shot of herself walking in front of Julian Opie’s CitizenM mural at Tower Hill Station. Last year Michelle got a photo in the exhibition and she’s very happy to get into the calendar this year. “I’m a Londoner. I was born here. My family have been here four generations, possibly five. My grandparents were in the markets.” Michelle has a long term medical condition and lives in temporary accommodation. “I’ve had four heart attacks, three strokes, a lung collapse.” “My background is in the Arts. I did my bachelors’ at Kingston School of Art and then I worked for a year in the West End and then I went to the Royal College of Art in Kensington – Fashion Department… I grew up in the industry. There were factories all over London which are now very expensive flats and everything is made outside of the country so we have lost a really important creative industry. London’s a really wonderful, colourful, inspiring, creative place for people. This project is kind of bringing back some of that spirit of London, albeit in an ironic situation.”

EXHIBITION ONLY: Regent's Canal by Jo: Jo enjoys going to the Crisis art group. ‘I say to people I’m not an artist but I appreciate good art! I come here and the teachers are good. I like the people.’ She also does yoga and computing classes in the Skylight building on Commercial Street. ‘I first came here when this Crisis building first opened. I was in a hostel at the time because of domestic violence in a relationship,’ she says, adding that her housing situation and health have improved because of the support given to her by Crisis.

COVER OF 2018 CALENDAR: Angel Kid, Shoreditch: This shot was taken in Shoreditch, one of Maya’s favourite parts of the city, “I'm always there. My model is Jonathan, the son of two of my best friends. He's five years old. It's such a sweet age: full of curiosity and still so innocent.” “You hear that old adage never work with kids, but because he's my little buddy, making him smile and laugh for the photo wasn't an issue. I had a vision for capturing this spot, but when we arrived I realised he wasn't tall enough to fit the wings, so had to find something to add a bit of height. I asked around eventually managed to borrow this mini step ladder which was perfect.” Maya is a born and bred Londoner who loves her home city and enjoys photographing it. She has previously taken part in this contest three times, with her photos being selected for the calendar four times: 3 in 2013 and 1 in 2015.

EXHIBITION ONLY: Pearly Queens, East London: A substance abuse problem cost Geraldine her house and business before she finally got clean a few years ago. “I’m from Dublin but I arrived here a long time ago and I live in a housing association now. I’ve been homeless twice. And I’ve nearly lost my home a few times because of my addiction. I went to Crisis as a volunteer. I wanted something to do with my life.” She currently helps Café Art’s calendar project in Spitalfields Market, mainly helping with mentoring new vendors to gain sales skills, which was her background. “I think the calendar has empowered a lot of people. For three years now I have seen a lot of people really change their lives.”

EXHIBITION ONLY: Vertigo, Kensington: This shot is from high up inside the Natural History Museum. Photographer Stephen James Stephen grew up in Twickenham and South Kensington. Homeless a few years ago, ‘I ended up getting my own housing association flat a year ago in the Notting Hill area. So life has begun again.’

MAY 2018: Infinity, Westminster: David Fussell says he was waiting to get a shot of a bird or a plane when this view presented itself. “Right in front of me was a frame within a frame within a frame.” David, who sleeps rough, used to be a film maker. “After my home flooded, I lost the property. I came back to London from Essex. To me London is home.” “A part time job has allowed me to get a 2nd hand MacBook Pro and audio interface to progress with my music and film making, finishing a film called Mystic Demon Killer. The bench I sometime sleep on is near R.A.D.A and I have even recorded some Foley sound effects for my film on that bench. I’m hoping to progress in both my own projects and get some freelance work with a media company or some creative individuals, as this is what I used to do previously.”

NOVEMBER 2018: Trackside, Southwark: Hugh Gary took this shot of the Shard from London Bridge Station: “I visited London Bridge to take a photo of the platform, turned around and seen the full length of the shard and thought the line of the platform canopy merges perfectly with the building.” Hugh is an ex-serviceman, having been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan during his ten years with the British Army. He became homeless two years later: “a lot of the homeless people in London are ex-service”. Hugh found shelter with West London mission’s Big House, a hostel for veterans and is currently waiting for his own place through Stoll, who seek to rehouse veterans across London. He has now in his final year of a Photography degree, at the University of West London. Where he founded a photographic society, to support his fellow students. He has also started offering his photography skills to mentor young adults, some of which are homeless through the Pillion Trust and, Café Art and their partners.

DECEMBER 2018: Tower Bridge reflection, Southwark: Christopher McTavish took this shot of Tower Bridge reflected from a City Hall was a follow-up to his winning shot of St Paul’s cathedral last year. “My photography is full of reflections and shadows. It was nice to see the view that the mayor of London has.” Christopher belongs to the Choir With No Name, a choir set up for people who have experienced homelessness. From a small town east of Toronto, Canada, he came to London in 1971, originally intending to stay “for summer”. In 1998 and 1999 he was homeless in London but he is now living in a housing association flat in Chelsea. Christopher says he was adopted and this background has motivated him to volunteer for a Chinese adoption charity, helping people from overseas to adjust to the UK. He speaks Mandarin, German, Spanish and French.

EXHIBITION ONLY: Bat out of Hell, Fitzrovia: Suban goes to the art group run by One Support in Camden Town. She became homeless years ago when bringing up a child, and now lives in Haringey.

EXHIBITION ONLY: Dragon bridge, Holborn: On my daily walk over the Holborn viaduct I noticed the dragons tongue and the black knight helmet had a perfect triangular frame. I then waited for a London bus to pass to make it complete the shot.

EXHIBITION ONLY: Hands In, Liverpool Street: A former business owner producing clothing, he lost his house, became homeless after his marriage broke up ‘I struggled, Lucky for me I came into contact with various social agencies including SHP, The Hanbury Project (Acorn House). Amadeus had a winning photo in last year’s calendar and since then he has become more confident using the camera. ‘I can frame a shot better now in my mind’s eye. I can just know which is a good shot to take. The tips I got from The Royal Photographic Society [training day] stood me in good stead because now I’m more disciplined. I think my confidence has increased. I am in a happy place now. I realise that man is not an island. I needed to reach out: people need people.’

EXHIBITION ONLY: Big Ben by Leon Lawson: An unusual view from the sculpture outside St Thomas's Hospital, across the river from the Elizabeth Tower, more commonly known as Big Ben.

Out of gallery

Top 20 2016

Banksy's Dalmatian by Saffron Saidi: Cover of 2017 MyLondon calendar and in 2016 exhibition. “I was ecstatic, I couldn’t believe that I’d found another Banksy!” says Saffron Saidi. She asked the man who was working in the Hoxton bar near the Banksy mural of a policeman with a Poodle to hold the lead of her Dalmatian Dotdot: “Another Banksy in Southwark also has a dog with a lead. The barman said that apparently Banksy likes dogs.” Saffron moved to London from Falmouth in 1996 and lives in Brixton. “I’ve spent most of my life in care. I had a documentary made about me in the ‘90s called Who Cares Wins.” Saffron got accepted into University of Westminster photography course but had to pull out: “I was diagnosed with learning disabilities which made the academic writing on the course extremely difficult… but my talent as a photographer was never questioned as I had an unconditional offer.” She goes to Cooltan Arts, describing it as “a lifeline”. “It keeps me alive.”

Out of the blue by Beatrice: June 2017 in MyLondon calendar and in 2016 exhibition. “It was a really hot day,” says Beatrice. “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. I raised my hand and it cast a strong shadow on the wall, as if I was reaching for the watering can. I was finally pleased with this composition.” Beatrice has been involved with Café Art for a couple of years, as participant and volunteer, and had a winning photograph in the 2015 calendar. “Being part of the Royal Photographic Society mentoring group through this project has given me guidance and has provided me with the opportunity to meet professionals in the photographic industry.” “Working with Café Art over the last couple of years has propelled me into different unrelated exciting new projects.” As well as Café Art, Beatrice also works with SHP, Helping Hackney Health, Mary Ward Centre and the recent theatre production of You Me Bum Bum Train. “My pessimism of the past has been replaced with optimism and my ‘can't’ has been replaced with ‘can’!”

Love heart bike stand by Ella Sullivan: February 2017 in MyLondon calendar and in 2016 exhibition. "I was in New Bond Street when I happened to notice this love heart bike stand and thought it would make a great picture as it was giving out a message of love and providing a safe place to lock up your bike ." Born in London, Ella Sullivan grew up in County Kerry, Ireland. She returned to London over 20 years ago and now lives in Islington. Ella says she sometimes takes photos on her phone, but doesn’t have a real camera. She goes to art sessions run by SHP near Essex Road, Islington. “I’ve been going to SHP art group for over a year now. I was having some problems with my housing so that was why I got referred to SHP. I’ve had good support from them.” She is also doing a course with the London Hairdressing Apprenticeship Academy in Camden. "I finished doing the hairdressing course last year so now I'm working on the barbering side of it doing men's haircuts."

London calling by Hugh Gary: May 2017 in MyLondon calendar and in 2016 exhibition. “This is Mayfield Lavender. I was just out on a bike ride, and I thought ‘that looks pretty good, especially the phone box in the middle of a field’. There is no phone in the box – it’s just there to look pretty.” Hugh Gary is an ex-British Army serviceman and was helped into housing by the West London Mission’s Big House, a homeless hostel for ex-servicemen. “I went overseas to a few places: all over the Middle East, Australia, Canada.” In the army for 10 years, he left in 2013. “A lot of the homeless people in London are ex-service.” Hugh lives in a self-contained flat after progressing on from the Big House hostel seven months ago. “And then it’s into the big world after that. The flat is only temporary – it’s still part of the Big House. It’s so residents can get used to paying bills.” Hugh hopes to be in his current flat until he finishes a photography course with West London University.

untitled image

London icons by Alana Del Valle: June 2017 in MyLondon calendar and in 2016 exhibition. "I liked the way the sculpture framed the bus,” says Alana Del Valle. “The artist who created it reminds us that metal is at times liquid or as soft as butter." Alana has been homeless off and on all her life, but is currently renting privately in what she describes as “run-down housing” and suffers from depression as a result. “This competition is invaluable in raising issues of homelessness and 'hidden' homelessness, it’s one of the crises our city is currently facing, with little or no governmental solutions.” A client at the Haringey Recovery Service run by St Mungo’s, she says she is “in the very early stages of recovery”. She finds art helps as a way of expressing emotion. “It’s a useful tool for recovery. It can be quite therapeutic. We can use the camera to show our point of view, or homeless people’s points of view of London or how they see the world, the negative or the beauty.”

After the rain by Siliana: September 2017 in MyLondon calendar and in 2016 exhibition. “It was a huge rainstorm. After the rain, the cloud was still around. It was late in the day and the sun made the colour more orange. It looked very beautiful. It represented my day,” says Siliana. Siliana squats in a church in south London, but it’s “under threat” and she’s unsure of the future. She says the squat had 30 to 40 people living in it but when they had the court papers given to them many people left. “Some people have brought family and friends. With more people it is more arguments, more conflict.” She says she’s lucky to have her own room. “When I was in the shelter, two years ago, it was worse – they put me down.” Siliana was in the calendar last year and is now active in the Café Art photography mentoring group run by volunteers from The Royal Photographic Society which meets up every two weeks to learn photography skills with digital cameras.

Arcadia by Keith Norris: August 2017 in MyLondon calendar and in 2016 exhibition. This photo is of a male mannequin in a shop window with Louise Danby, a fellow member from Crisis. It was taken in Hatton Garden, “which was kind of an Arcadia of gems and arts,” says Keith who says he has done quite a lot of photography over the years. Louise has had several winning photos in previous MyLondon contests, and she was the one who encouraged him to come and pick up a contest camera at St Paul’s Cathedral. He grew up in Canonbury, Islington in the 1960s when it was quieter than today, with a lot less traffic on the roads. After several years travelling in Europe he returned to London and was homeless for several years. “I was homeless from 1984 to 1992, sleeping rough on the unused railway bridge in Shoreditch. Now it’s the Overground, but in those days it had no rails and was almost impossible to get to. To get up there you had to be fighting fit.”

Rays of Colour by Geraldine Crimmins: August 2017 in MyLondon calendar and in 2016 exhibition. “This is Ray of Light, a friend of mine, who is an artist just off Brick Lane.” Ray took the photo of a Dalmatian called Mr Bond which featured on last year’s MyLondon calendar cover. A substance abuse problem cost Geraldine her house and business before she finally got clean a few years ago. “I’m from Dublin but I arrived here a long time ago and I live in a housing association now. I’ve been homeless twice. And I’ve nearly lost my home a few times because of my addiction. I went to Crisis as a volunteer. I wanted something to do with my life.” She currently helps Café Art’s calendar project in Spitalfields Market, mainly helping with mentoring new vendors to gain sales skills, which was her background. “I think the calendar has empowered a lot of people. For three years now I have seen a lot of people really change their lives.”

Group stretch by Siliana: In 2016 MyLondon exhibition. “It was the first day I collected the camera. I saw people starting to gather around in Trafalgar Square. The security guard said it was going to happen ‘any minute now’ but in the end I waited four hours just for the dance. A friend of mine was with me, she told me it’s something that happens every year. A dance where people enjoy, where people of all ages dance all together. This was their warm up when they were stretching.” Siliana squats in a church in south London, but it’s “under threat” and she’s unsure of the future. She says the squat had 30 to 40 people living in it but when they had the court papers given to them many people left. Siliana was in the calendar last year and is now active in the Café Art photography mentoring group run by volunteers from The Royal Photographic Society which meets up every two weeks to learn photography skills with digital cameras.

The Market by Goska Calik: In 2016 MyLondon exhibition. “It’s at the market in the morning, and that’s the place where I do shopping. It’s at the market next to Commercial Road”, says Goska Calik. “I was on the way to work and they just stopped in the middle and took out my camera. Last year Goska had the winning photo as chosen by the judges and joined the RPS photography mentoring group. She says she gains a lot from it, “especially for meeting people and taking photos.” She also enjoyed meeting people that share the same passion for photography. “Yesterday I went along with Frances to take photos. That is the most important thing to not just go home and be alone there.”

Nelson's Column by Richard Riley: In 2016 MyLondon exhibition. Richard Riley took this view at sunset through an arch near Nelson’s Column, Trafalgar Square. Richard has been going to Pritchard’s Road, a day centre in Tower Hamlets, for four years and says he had not done any photography before. He enjoys running a tea bar in the day centre but he has not worked in a real café. He used to be a welder of stainless steel. He has lived in London five years, and originally comes from Leeds.

What now? by Laz Ozerden: October 2017 in MyLondon calendar and 2016 exhibition. Laz Ozerden took the shot close to Highbury & Islington Station. “For me this picture is like ‘I am nothing and I am everything.’” Begging in London is controversial and is officially illegal, with some charities encouraging people not to give money and instead give to a local homelessness organisation. Laz says, “How can I judge someone if I don’t know the story of the person?”, adding that it’s better even if you just talk to them. “Maybe they have been at war. Or maybe they were abused as a child.” Laz lives in Muswell Hill, north London, and came to London from Hungary in 2004. Due to alcoholism he was hospitalised for six months in 2012, but is now getting his life together again thanks to Haringey Recovery Service and St Mungo’s. “I lost everything. I had my own business as a painter decorator carpenter. I lost my wife, my car, my business, everything. Now I’m studying NVQ Level 3 as a social worker.”

Drivers Wanted by Richard Fletcher: March 2017 in MyLondon calendar and in 2016 exhibition. Richard Fletcher was walking past a taxi company on Old Street: “First I just saw the bus and I thought ‘oh, right, interesting’ and then I saw the sign and I thought ‘Oh my goodness.’” Richard was doing landscaping in return for food and accommodation in East Grinstead. The job fell through and he came down to London last year. He sleeps rough in various places including King’s Cross St Pancras and Victoria. “During the summer it’s alright. I had a night shelter during the winter months, which I may revert back to if I’m still here come October/November.” “I met a fellow rough sleeper who knew about ART fitzrovia. I heard about the photography contest by chance. I was in a McDonald’s late one night in Holborn and this guy walks in and he saw me sketching and he was the one who told me about Café Art.”

Tyre pile by Mia Lyons: In 2016 MyLondon exhibition. Mia Lyons took this photo in a car repair garage just off Truro Road, Palmers Green, London. “Maybe it’s a bit too deep but I thought about our consumerism and how much we throw away and use and that we have to become more kind as a society and kinder to the earth that we live from. But now we know and we can change our behaviour, it’s nothing negative it’s just making people more aware.” Mia is originally from Hamburg, Germany and has lived in London for six years. She says the last time she took photos was when she was 14. She teaches pottery at Haringey Recovery Centre, which she describes as a supportive environment. “I see it as my oasis. I was a client I started a dual diagnosis and I went there for counselling. My best friend was homeless and now she lives in a hostel. We have so much in common we stick together and we help each other out.”

Michelle Goldberg says she “snuck up to the roof” of a building to get this shot while attending a function on Queen Victoria Street. “It’s a lovely view - a rooftop shot of St Paul’s Cathedral towers. I’ve watched fireworks on New Year’s Eve from there. I’m a Londoner and was born here. My family has been here for four generations. My grandparents worked in the East End markets and parents were in the rag trade, so I grew up in the industry” Michelle has a long-term medical condition and lives in temporary accommodation. “I’ve had four heart attacks and three strokes. My background is in the arts. I did my bachelors’ degree in fashion at Kingston School of Art and then I worked for a year at a fashion house in the West End before doing my Master’s at the Royal College of Art in Kensington.”

Michelle Goldberg says she “snuck up to the roof” of a building to get this shot while attending a function on Queen Victoria Street. “It’s a lovely view - a rooftop shot of St Paul’s Cathedral towers. I’ve watched fireworks on New Year’s Eve from there. I’m a Londoner and was born here. My family has been here for four generations. My grandparents worked in the East End markets and parents were in the rag trade, so I grew up in the industry” Michelle has a long-term medical condition and lives in temporary accommodation. “I’ve had four heart attacks and three strokes. My background is in the arts. I did my bachelors’ degree in fashion at Kingston School of Art and then I worked for a year at a fashion house in the West End before doing my Master’s at the Royal College of Art in Kensington.”

The coffee roaster by Leo Shaul: November 2017 in MyLondon calendar and 2016 exhibition. “This is George Constantinou in the Camden Coffee Shop, an independent coffee roaster in Delancy Street, Camden Town”, says Leo Shaul, who decided to approach George when he got the contest camera. Leo goes to the Haringey Recovery Services run in partnership with St Mungo’s, in North London. “I’m now an alcoholic who is trying to do something about it. Currently dry, getting involved in groups and seeing therapists and what have you. I seem to be getting on top of it which is important.” “I’ve really liked the project. It’s just nice that we’re all equal. We all had the same cameras and no one had the upper hand… I’m enormously proud to be a Londoner. There’s so much going on in London that you don’t have to pay any money for. Get a bus. If you have legs you can walk. There’s a lot to be seen out there. I love this city. I wouldn’t want to be from anywhere else.”

Out of gallery

Top 20 2015

Photo by ROL. Cover of 2016 Cafe Art My London calendar. Second Place, Judge's Choice. Second Choice People's Choice. This Dalmatian, Mr Bond, is a friend of ROL and is pictured in front of the historic Cutty Sark in the Royal Borough of Greenwich. ‘He likes to go around London checking out all the touristic places,’ says ROL, who has had a photo in every My London calendar since the project began in 2013. The Cutty Sark’s name comes from a Robert Burns poem Tam O’Shanter. The ship was built in 1869 and was one of the fastest clipper sailing ships to be built at the time. Formerly a chef, ROL has been sleeping rough for several years, mostly sofa surfing. He is an active volunteer with many charities, including Café Art, and several of his paintings are featured in cafes around London.

Photo by Goska Calik. December in 2016 My London calendar. First Place, Judges' Choice. Goska Calik took this photo at the base of the Isis statue in Hyde Park which represents the Egyptian Goddess of motherhood. She feels that her shadow symbolizes her homelessness, adding that for some people she because almost invisible, like a shadow of her former self. ‘I lost the ability to convince people and lost control of my life. Being homeless is a result of that state of mind.’ Arriving in London four years ago she became homeless when she lost her job due to illness. After sofa-surfing for several months she was finally directed to Crisis where she was helped to find a place to live. Goska was taught photography by her father in Poland. She goes to Cardboard Citizens, a homelessness support organisation where she participates in photography as well as dance, forum theatre and creative writing. She is also studying counselling and works part time as a support worker with people with mental health problems.

Photo by Goska Calik, 2015 My London Exhibition. This shot was taken on one of the hottest days of the year when Hyde Park was ‘full’ says Goska Calik. Arriving in London four years ago she became homeless when she lost her job due to illness. After sofa-surfing for several months she was finally directed to Crisis where she was helped to find a place to live. Goska was taught photography by her father in Poland. She goes to Cardboard Citizens, a homelessness support organisation where she participates in photography as well as dance, forum theatre and creative writing. She is also studying counselling and works part time as a support worker with people with mental health problems.

Photo by XO, chosen by public vote for April in 2016 My London calendar. ‘It was raining lightly. As I was looking through the camera lens, wondering which angle to take the photo from, this guy walked past with his umbrella and I seized the opportunity to snap it,’ says XO who photographed these listed telephone boxes near Lincoln’s Inn. ‘I Googled the location and discovered they’re Grade II listed and that the shorter ones are unique to London, which I thought was cool and also in keeping with the My London theme. Although very rarely used these days, I love the fact they’re still around. They’re synonymous with our capital and this city wouldn’t be the same without them, so I’m happy they’re protected.’ XO goes to the Crisis Skylight building in Whitechapel. ‘I’ve had a passion for, and interest in, photography since my teens, but consider myself a novice and would like to go on a course to learn the ropes.’

Photo by Goska Calik, chosen by public vote for December in 2016 My London calendar. Goska Calik took this shot during the Greenwich and Docklands International Festival in early July. The Colour of Time was a Holi-inspired event by Artonik and East London Dance who invited the Public to participate by throwing coloured powder. ‘I started taking photos when I was five years old. The first photography I did was with my father. It was with a Zorky 12, a Russian camera. He taught me about light and the zoom and everything. I loved it. So then I bought my first camera and I started to take photos. It was a Beirette, a German camera.’ Arriving in London four years ago, Goska found herself homeless when she lost her job due to illness. After sofa-surfing for several months she was finally directed to Crisis where she was helped to find a place to live. Goska is now studying counselling and working part time as a support worker with people with mental health problems. She goes to Cardboard Citizens, a homelessness support organisation where she participated in photography and a dance workshop.

Photo by Goska Calik, 2015 My London Exhibition. Goska Cailk describes this shot: ‘That’s near Hyde Park Corner. That’s my bike. I spent almost a whole day in Hyde Park. That was the only place where there was nobody at all. So I just sat there. It was very very hot that day but there are quite a lot of trees and I ate my lunch there.’ Arriving in London four years ago she became homeless when she lost her job due to illness. After sofa-surfing for several months she was finally directed to Crisis where she was helped to find a place to live. Goska was taught photography by her father in Poland. She goes to Cardboard Citizens, a homelessness support organisation where she participates in photography as well as dance, forum theatre and creative writing. She is also studying counselling and works part time as a support worker with people with mental health problems.

Photo by Amadeus Quadeer, 2015 My London Exhibition. Amadeus Xavier Quadeer says: ‘I was walking down Tottenham Court Road looking to finish the camera and I saw these homeless people outside of Heal’s department store. I wanted to take it so I got the window display as well as the person sleeping outside. I couldn’t get their permission to take the photo because I didn’t want to disturb their slumber, but you can’t see who they are anyway.’ A former business owner producing clothing, he lost his house, became homeless after his marriage broke up ‘I struggled, Lucky for me I came into contact with various social agencies including SHP, The Hanbury Project (Acorn House). Amadeus had a winning photo in last year’s calendar and since then he has become more confident using the camera. ‘I can frame a shot better now in my mind’s eye. I can just know which is a good shot to take. The tips I got from The Royal Photographic Society [training day] stood me in good stead because now I’m more disciplined. I think my confidence has increased. I am in a happy place now. I realise that man is not an island. I needed to reach out: people need people.’

Photo by Zilvinas Vaiteikunas, chosen by public vote for October in 2016 My London calendar. Zin Vaiteikunas decided to take this shot at ground level while exploring streets near Mayfair where he worked on a project with Kids Company. Called ‘The Book of Life’, it covered the struggles in his life, including a troubled childhood and addictions. ‘The challenge I had to overcome was to discover a direction in my life that would keep me happy and fulfill me as a human being. And so for I discovered that it is creativity.’ Originally from Lithuania, he lives in a Camden town ‘garden community centre’. ‘There we expose creativity, grow vegetables, run different workshops including art classes, yoga, crystal healing bike workshops and so on. I live there as a part of the community. I am focusing there in decorating the place and producing my art there as well as helping the community with different garden jobs and recycling skipped material. Most of the people who live there had experienced homelessness. We live there very harmonically. In the future he wants to keep creative no matter how hard the conditions get to keep happy and fulfilled.

Photo by Ellen Rostant, chosen by public vote for May in 2016 My London calendar. Ellen Rostant took this shot in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. ‘It’s like you are in a tunnel when you are homeless: It’s a journey and there’s always going to be light at the end of the tunnel. [Like this photo], there is some dark and light patches in between on the journey.’ Aged sixteen, Ellen lives with her parents and siblings in temporary housing where they have been for three years. Her father Andre sells The Big Issue in Soho and her mother works at a supermarket. She recently finished Eastleigh Community School in Stratford and is now going to Leyton Sixth Form College doing geography, 3-D graphic design and photography. ‘Hopefully I am able to go into something like landscape photography or maybe portraits or art stuff. I don’t have a camera, I use my phone.’

Photo by Ellen Rostant, 2015 My London Exhibition. Ellen Rostant took this photo of her younger sister. She says that homeless people are often ignored on the street so she wanted to make it impossible for the people trying to see this person’s face to do so, ‘to make them think’. Aged sixteen, Ellen lives with her parents and siblings in temporary housing where they have been for three years. She recently finished Eastleigh Community School in Stratford and is now going to Leyton Sixth Form College doing geography, 3-D graphic design and photography.

Photo by Ellen Rostant. September in 2016 My London calendar. Third Place, Judges' Choice. Ellen Rostant saw the boot on the road and thought it would make a nice picture because ‘how can someone lose a boot? Someone’s out there and they’ve got one boot left.’ Ellen’s father sells The Big Issue in Soho. Her family has been in temporary housing for nearly three years now. ‘It’s quite a small house for our family and the uncertainty is hard for my siblings as we are all in school, and relocating would mean we would have to start again. Before that we were living in Maida Vale and we were renting there.’ Ellen, who is 16 years old, finished Eastleigh Community School in Stratford in 2015 and is now going to Sixth Form College.

Photo by James Robson, 2015 My London Exhibition. James Robson took this shot of his girlfriend Debbie and her friend Kat at Crystal Palace on a hot summer afternoon. ‘We went over there for a couple of hours and chilled out.’ Born in New Cross, James lives in Lewisham and often visits Crystal Palace as it’s near where Debbie lives in Sydenham. ‘James went to Crisis when he had a breakdown: ‘I was at a low ebb’. He is now a student at City Lit in Covent Garden studying photography, he’s still connected with Crisis doing photography, which is how he heard about the contest.

Photo by Stephen James, 2015 My London Exhibition. Stephen James says: ‘My favourite place in the whole world is the Serpentine, Hyde Park. I just love being in there.’ At The Royal Photographic Society training he was told to ‘do what you love’ and ‘embrace that’ but also be aware that ‘you’ve got something that you haven’t got to be too precious with.’ (the single-use camera). ‘It can get scratched, it can get marked, you can jump in the water almost and splash about. That’s what popped into my mind.’ Stephen was adopted and grew up in Twickenham and South Kensington. ‘My adoptive family moved to America, so I was all alone and just sort of tearful and fell apart and ended up on the streets. Crisis rescued me about four years ago and through them I ended up getting my own housing association flat a year ago in the Notting Hill area. So life has begun again.’

Photo by David Tovey. February in 2016 My London calendar. First Place, People's Choice. David Tovey met Tony sitting behind St Mary Le Strand, near the Royal Courts of Justice. ‘It was the first photo I took. He was sitting there in complete contrast to the building across the road.’ He says he ended up taking to him for a while as he read the morning paper. Tony told him that since becoming homeless, listening to music was the only thing he missed. David, who did a foundation art course at London Metropolitan University in 2013, had two photos in last year’s calendar, including the cover shot. ‘I’ve gained a lot from this project. A year ago I almost didn’t make the camera handout: this year I gave a presentation to the people picking up cameras!’ After six years in the army David opened his own restaurant in London. In 2011, following health issues he lost his business and became homeless. He is now housed and is a practising artist. He volunteers with Clothing the Homeless and Café Art.

Photo by Michael Crosswaite. November in 2016 My London calendar. Alex Davies Award for Best Portrait. Michael Crosswaite was on his way to return the camera when he took this shot of Aaron Little in the art room of Providence Row, Whitechapel. ‘I didn’t over-think the photo and perhaps that’s why it worked. The painting is so good it makes the picture.’ Aaron explains that he found an ornate oval frame for which he decided to create the Caravaggio-inspired David and Goliath painting. ‘I found that doing art has been so beneficial to me for my well being and in all sorts of ways. The greatest discovery I’ve found is I realise that I’ve got a talent for it and I wasn’t aware of that,’ he says. Michael lives near Broadway Market, Hackney. He was sleeping rough for several years before getting into a hostel and then a flat. He goes to Providence Row and Crisis and has paintings in Café Art’s ‘Art in Cafés’ programme.

Photo by Ioanna Zakana. May in 2016 My London calendar. Third Place, People's Choice. ‘I liked the sky, it was amazing that day,’ says Ioanna Zagkana about her photo of 30 St Mary Axe, known as ‘The Gherkin’, and St Andrew Undershaft. She feels they represent the future and the past of London. The Gherkin was built in 2003 and its elderly neighbor built in 1532, survived not only the Blitz but also the Great Fire of London. Coming from an island in the Mediterranean Sea, Ioanna has been living in London for almost five years. She was a dancer until an accident ended her career. She then worked as a self-employed therapist until ongoing health problems meant that she could not continue. When she ran out of money she lived in a squat in Whitechapel before she heard about Crisis. She goes to many art groups, including Crisis Skylight and Women at the Well. She is currently staying with a friend. She believes that not enough people live in the present: ‘We are not grounded’, and it is her goal to be so.

Photo by Cecie, chosen by public vote for July in 2016 My London calendar. ‘It was a really hot day. It was the first day I collected the camera so I just walked around until I stopped somewhere near the Tower Bridge and saw people on the grass. It looked so relaxing so I just captured the Moment’, says Ceci, adding that London can be bustling but it can also be relaxing. Originally from Hong Kong, Ceci found herself alone at a railway station all night one December when she met a homeless guy who suggested she join him at Crisis for Christmas. Diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder while staying at a night shelter, she uses the Crisis art groups to help her get away from the chaos in her large Bethnal Green squat which she finds ‘chaotic’, with ‘people yelling, shouting, verbal violence and physical violence.’ Ceci says that art also helps her find her ‘inner connection’ and gives her strength to fight self-destructive behaviour. She has studied media and culture and enjoys participating in photography and art as part of her ‘daily life enlightenment’ and she is currently creating a blog about random acts of kindness.

Photo by Desmond, chosen by public vote for January in 2016 My London calendar. Desmond Henry took this image of a woman talking a coffee break in front of a mural by Brazilian street artists Cranio, Bailon and Sliks, near the Pritchard’s Road Day Centre, Hackney. ‘I was very lucky, it was as if God sent her.’ Desmond was born in Northamptonshire and grew up in the West Indies. He says: ‘Sometimes people at the centre are thrown out of their housing if they can’t look after it and they put them in a hostel. They get a place later.’ He says he has seen the number of people sleeping rough rise in recent years. He has been going to the Centre for more than 20 years now. ‘They tell you about what is going on in the world. We have meetings, we have outings. Because we are mentally unwell and need support to develop our skills and build our confidence, that’s why we are there.’ Desmond likes to play music as a DJ: ‘R&B up to the 60s.’

Photo by Frances Whitehouse, 2015 My London Exhibition. Frances Whitehouse says: ‘This is Tom, a local cleaner that I know from my area and I was in a shop looking at all these toys. I did it so they are in the foreground – they are larger than him! So it’s a bit of juxtaposition.’ Frances, who has suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in the past, left home when she was really young because she had a violent childhood. ‘I lived in a pipe for some time.’ Since volunteering with SHP she has found a new partner and is much more happy. ‘I’ve been having counselling. Now I’m finally feeling like I’ve made progress. Frances, who got an A in art at college and a diploma in shoe design, has paintings Café Art’s art in café programme. ‘I hadn’t done art for some time and they helped me realise my potential. When you are unhappy you disassociate yourself from reality and Café Art has helped me feel valued again by giving me confidence, because of my art. Now I value everything I draw or see.’

Photo by Maciek Walorski, chosen by public vote for August in 2016 My London calendar. Maciek Walorski took this photo in Kensington Gardens, saying the Geese were not afraid because they were probably expecting food: ‘but not this time!’ Maciek, who comes from Poland, has lived in London for twelve years. He became homeless about a year ago and is currently sleeping rough. He was working as a night auditor for a Soho private members’ club while studying art, media & design and computer animation at London Metropolitan University during the day. ‘You know, working in the night brings with it some sort of danger because it’s not really good for your health. After seven years working night shifts I was very depressed,’ he says, adding that he resigned because of personal and work related problems. The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields has helped him with a place to live and St Mungo’s Broadway has given him a work placement. He is a member of Artfitzrovia and St Martin-in-the-Fields art groups: ‘I would like to do art from now on as I always wanted.’

Out of gallery

Top 20 2014