At Home in Whitechapel, photographic exhibition
Posted by Survey of London on Sept. 4, 2017
Date and Time: Thursday 1st June, 2017
During the summer of 2016 Rehan Jamil was commissioned by the Survey of London to produce a set of photographic portraits of people at home in Whitechapel. The resulting portraits feature people from a variety of backgrounds in their private spaces and were exhibited at the Aldgate Coffee House, 68 Whitechapel High Street, E1 7PL from June to September 2017.
Rehan found people for the project via friends, family and work colleagues mostly using Whatsapp and occasionally asking people in the street. Rehan would like to thank all those who have participated in the project for allowing him into their homes and sharing their personal spaces. Rehan lives in the East End of London and describes himself as a documentary photographer who is primarily concerned with communities in transition.
Anjali Chakrabarty, Whitechapel Road - 'I love living here, I use to work in a school close by. I went on a Silver Surfer course and now I use the computer to talk to my mother in Bangladesh'
Keith Harrington, Booth House, Whitechapel Road - 'We have a roof garden, it's nice up there'
Farid Khan, Cephas Street - 'The school and hospital are close by. There are local people I know and traditional shops for special ingredients here.'
Tobaris Ali, Cannon Street Road - 'I arrived in 1965 and became a volunteer at the mosque in 1976. It is a good area, good for education - I have grandchildren now and education is important.'
The Rahman family, Vallance Road - 'It is very nice to live within the community, everything is literally in walking distance but also very expensive and overcrowded.'
Alex Rhys-Taylor, Brune Street - 'It is a priviledge to live in Whitechapel, a part of London where local history and everyday life hold answers to some of the most pressing issues of our age.'
Tigs, Myrdle Court - ' I have lived in Myrdle Court for nine years and it's a special place. There is a sense of community in the building that is rare in London.'
Umer Farooq, Cable Street - 'It is a ground floor flat, so I have a garden which is really nice.'
Alan Green, Victoria Park Sq - 'I have lived here for almost twenty years now. My Dad grew up in the area before the Second World War, so it has been rather like coming home although it has changed a lot since then. I love the diversity and the real sense of pride in our history of welcoming and supporting immigrants from across the world.'
Suparna Roy Barman, Mansell Street - 'I feel at home in Whitechapel, I feel I have everything here so I can stay at home and experience everything. The city is on my door step and it is a creative area - art and culture are important to me.'
