|
A supermarket
shelf
stacked with sliced bread may not be an obvious image of life in
Oxford.
| ALBERT,
GHANA |
 |
| "I
had never seen hair like this before" |
| BEHAR,
KOSOVO |
 |
| "I
like this family. The pink girl looks cheeky" |
| HASSAN,
IRAQ |
 |
| "I
had never seen so many bikes before" |
| ALIYU,
NIGERIA |
 |
| "The
bars were in the way but I like the effect" |
| ANONYMOUS |
 |
| "I
asked the girls if I could take their photograph. At first
they were not sure because they thought it was for me" |
|
But
to the un-named asylum seeker who took it, the photograph had a
special significance.
"I
found this bread in Tesco and I remember that my mum used to buy
similar bread and toast it for us back home," the young photographer
wrote.
In
that one case, we are not told the photographer's name or story.
But
the other four young men who took part in Rory Carnegie's project
are disarmingly frank about what brought them to Oxford.
They
briefly relate their stories of escape from tyranny or attack...
but then go on to write of their pleasure at seeing their pictures.
Mr
Carnegie says he wanted to give these young people new skills and
boost their confidence. Some have been through traumatic experiences,
he says - including losing their families.
And
yet there is gentle humour in much of their work. Many images are
peaceful and happy.
Mr
Carnegie worked with the young photographers through the Oxford
charity, Asylum Welcome.
Their
pictures featured in an exhibition at Modern Art Oxford as part
of the Sunday Times Oxford Literary Festival in April 2003.
|
