The subjects in this exhibition and book are homeless people on the streets of Cardiff, the capital city of Wales. They are men and women aged between 18 and 70 years. Many have mental health and/or substance abuse problems; some have physical disabilities; some are from immigrant and minority ethnic backgrounds. Disenfranchised, marginalised and stereotyped, they are shunned by ‘respectable society’.
I want to convey the humanity of homeless people, capturing their emotional expressions and vulnerability while creating portraits that are compelling, moving and aesthetically beautiful.
I seek empathy, not pathos.
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This is photography that matters. Bearing in mind how hostile the current political climate is to those on the edge of society, these images become even more potent and politically charged.”
“The need for people to sleep rough is one of society’s great failures. I, like many others, have sought to raise the profile of this issue through research. This incredible collection of artwork takes us beyond words and I hope it will move those with the power to bring about change.”
“Homelessness isn’t supposed to exist in our twentieth century cities – but Andrew McNeill’s dark, grainy portraits, aided by Glenn Jordan’s pin-sharp contextualisation, show that sadly it still does.”