Platinum Jubilee Portraits is an outdoor portrait and oral history exhibition highlighting the wide array of community members, voices and journeys that HM The Queen’s reign represents, and how we celebrate with the Platinum Jubilee.
The photos were taken in Green Street’s Queen’s market and at Royal Docks Activity and Learning Centre by Sylvia Belbouab. The project has been delivered by Rosetta Arts and supported by the Royal Docks Team, as part of the project Our People and Stories
Take a dive into Newham’s heritage by clicking on one of the portraits below in the gallery to hear their story.
The Photographer – Sylvie Belbouab
Sylvie is a local Newham resident and photographer who was taking part in Rosetta Arts’Artist Accelerator scheme.
Newham is one of the most diverse areas of Great Britain, more than 300 languages are spoken, and you can find food from all over the world! It is also one of the poorest and most deprived boroughs of London. Since arriving in London 22 years ago, it has always been my home, I have experienced and witnessed the ups and downs faced by our community. By inviting residents to take part in this project my aim was to show how beautiful my community is. Resilient is the word I would use to describe it, but also a community who stands together during times of hardship. Many of the participants are active members of their local community, food bank volunteers, community Gardeners, community workers, retired nurses or local activists.
The choice of a neutral background was designed to make the subject stand out, and put community members and their stories at the focus. This series is about the beauty of the people who make Newham great and how we are all coming together at this time of celebration.
Instagram: @gbs10_portrait
