HOME | DD
meriwani —
London Homless 061427
Published: 2014-06-15 10:33:37 +0000 UTC; Views: 9410; Favourites: 316; Downloads: 0
Redirect to original
Description
London Homeless, Central London, UKPhotograph of a homeless young man in central London. He reads an article in the paper, entitled “Call for jihad”. Next to him, there is a poster, commercial for a holiday which costs thousands of pounds. The photograph captures contrast in today’s life. It is a political statement, highlighting inequality in the society. The photograph claims that it is unclear whether the ‘Call for jihad’ is against social inequality or whether it is a call by radical religious groups.
Please like my Facebook: www.facebook.com/meriwaniart?r…meriwani - art all around us
Related content
Comments: 87
A photograph is only reflecting the reality. I don't call for anything, only an observer. My camera is only a mirror, not to see myself in it, but to reflect the reality back to the society.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
This is just one of the many results of the evil in the world 
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Congrats on the DD, it's such a beautiful shot!
Have a nice day!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Thank you very much for your kind words.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Beautiful photo, but London has very well kept homeless people, apparently. Nice jeans, nice shirt, nice haircut with highlights. Those Rolo and Caramello drinks are around $3 a pop too.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
One comment I often hear about homeless people is that if they "bought a suit and got a job" they'd be able to pull themselves out of the gutter. If they can also be condemned for looking well kept, I'm not sure what they're supposed to do.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
I'm not condemning him. He generally looks better than my cities homeless, which is saying that maybe the missions in London that help homeless people REALLY help them. Don't make snap judgments, hmm?
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
When someone says something along the lines of "beautiful photo, but..." it's usually assumed that the thing that follows is negative. The photo is beautiful, but you take issue with something pictured. Naturally I'm glad to hear that's not the case, but I don't believe my misunderstanding was down to a "snap judgement."
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Oh men, very realistic, I would say enough realistic. It´s a very sad pic, but at the same time is beautiful.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
"Call of Jihad", and the Poster. Great Great shot.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Thank you for your kind words.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
It's a powerful image, it makes me wonder about this man, who could be me or any of my friends. I myself don't take photographs of homeless people because I think that these people have their own dignity, you know. I mean now artistic photography, street photography for it's own sake. I guess it's all about context, it's not the same if you are a jounalist working on a piece for a newspaper or whatever. I'm not comdening this shot or his author, it's just that I feel that these homeless people are already too exposed, too unprotected. It's too easy to get their picture, they are the lowest and weakest in our society.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
My family and I have talked to a couple homeless people and given them food and money sometimes. A woman once wanted a newspaper so she could look for a job. My mom and I gave her and the other person with her some beef jerky and peanuts. We got dog treats too because they had a dog. They had been traveling around for a while. Another time my mom gave some money to a couple men and they got some food at a fast food place.
An older man in Osaka, Japan approached me and told me that he was hungry so I gave him some yen. In Tokyo there are also homeless people. They were living under a bridge in or on cardboard boxes. I had to go under the bridge one day to get somewhere and I felt bad for walking through their living space. They didn't say anything to me but I wonder what they were thinking. I couldn't tell.
In Japan, the people under the bridge didn't ask for money or anything else. Most of the time in Japan it's not socially acceptable to ask for help and they're not pushy. The man who told me he was hungry may have been desperate. I guess it was good I gave him some money but I wish I had given him more.
It's important to be careful though. No matter what, some people could be dangerous, homeless or not. My grandpa got attacked once when he tried to give a homeless person some money, so I try to be as careful as I can. It's important to be good to people but it's also important to be wary.
👍: 0 ⏩: 2
Thank you for taking time to tell this.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
I thought it was important. I take Japanese and in one of my classes, everyone was supposed to read an article about homeless people in Tokyo. It's a problem that people can know about but don't want to talk about, kinda of like how it is most places. We had to write what we thought about the article and I wrote a bit about the homeless man I'd met in Osaka.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
^ This. You guys are wonderful. ;u; I too have also given a man some food before, and I hope to help many more in the future.
I figure if I felt it might not be safe to approach someone.. I could leave food/water/money/clothes somewhere nearby with a note where they can see it.
That lady who wanted to look for a job.. she's a great example that not all homeless people are "druggies" and "no-lives" as many people like to label them as.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
That's a good idea--leaving things for people, I mean. Sometimes they go off to get something and that's a good time.
I wanted to talk about all that, because I'm not sure what I should do, and sometimes I'm worried I'll think someone is homeless but they're not.
Hopefully it didn't sound like I was trying to just sound nice. I think about what I should do to help and I want to talk about it so I can see if I did something good or not.
I actually saw the lady who wanted a paper a couple weeks after my mom and I gave her some stuff. It'd be good if she found a place where there were better jobs. I live in kind of a small town.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Oh nono, I understood what you meant and I believed you. 
In the future I plan to keep plenty of water bottles in my car so when I go out, especially with the drought California is having and the constant 90+ degree weather, I can pass water along to those who might need it.
Imagine if more people could do something like that for someone else though? A water bottle which can cost just $0.59 , or those huge gallons of water that can be found cheap. ;u; I know I'd die without water if I was in their shoes. So it's nice to know people out there who have helped out others.
That's so nice. ;u; Same here, my town is small and has very few jobs. =<
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Congratulations on your well-deserved DD!!!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Reminds me of Norman Rockwell, painting about 100 years ago . True realism combined with humour and social comment. Look him up.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Thank you for your comment.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
To me though, as the DD suggester says, this photo DOES speak volumes about what is happening around us. There seems to be more and more homeless people and animals (at least in America) , there is so much violence going on, and the title of the poster makes me wonder the same thing: "You have to be kidding me. How can we allow people to live on the streets? We should be helping them. How can people just walk past and not help? "
That's why I think it's a great photograph.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Thank you for your comment. I appreciate the time and trouble you are taken. I have not looked at the numbers, but I think the number of homeless people in London has increased in the last couple of years. I hope my photographs highlight the issue and create a fresh debate.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Lovely piece of work... (what effect was used to get this "painterly effect" I ask out of curiosity... my own art is in a totally different sphere...)
btw: copy of my response to Kevin Jaoudi (below).....
The two pics I've taken of "Homeless", I've asked permission first! AND stated: "How much will you charge me?", Both times they were happy to help... for not very much at all...
This is my solution.... as I agree, wholeheartedly, with your comment!... it needed to be said...and if you hadn't I would have... but! we don't know if this photographer gave a donation or not... so it's good to ask the question first...
In any event: It's a breath of fresh air to hear your sentiments!...
Cheers!, and best wishes!, Peter.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
I thank you all for the productive and stimulating debate. The other chap believes that I should not make money out of my art. Well, I have every right to make a living out of my art, but I do not and have never done. I am just interested in highlighting sociopolitical issues via art. I also write. I have a job and do not take photographs for living. However, it is easy to miss the objective of the art and also media. The aim of an artist is not to fix the issues of one individual in the society; it is rather highlighting the issues and creating a fresh debate about them, which I believe this photograph has achieved. Once we, as a social group, aware of an issue in our society, we can do something about it. Without awareness, we cannot do much. And this is what I have done.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
I don't think you listen to people much... "I thank you all ..." is a bit insulting when you are replying to an individual, especially when you give no response, (ignore), to the question you have been asked by the person you are supposedly replying to...?
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
I consider taking pictures of homeless like stealing money.
You can't make "art" by selling this at the same time this guy is trying to get 1$ just for eat.
Most of people call this kind of photography "art" but i can't even qualify what kind of stupidity you are making.
All of you deserve to be at his place instead of behind your camera thinking "oh yeah that will be a great shot, i can do something with it".
I don't care if you ignore my comment or if you will delete it, i will show to all the people i can this stupid kind of "modern" people trying to do art.
Goodbye "artist".
👍: 0 ⏩: 4
I agree with your comment as well, but I think you should have asked them first before jumping to conclusions.
"All of you deserve to be at his place instead of behind your camera thinking 'oh yeah that will be a great shot, i can do something with it'."
Regarding a general photo, not this one in particular.. what if someone did pay? and/or what if someone took a photo like this and used it to spread awareness and even make money for the person in the photo, or other homeless people? That's doing something great.
I think if anything, if someone didn't pay the person, they could help raise money for a foundation or something with their photography.
(Which would be amazing for someone to do! A bit off topic but.. I hope to someday carry plenty of water bottles in my car to give to people on the streets. I would die without water if I was in their place. Imagine if more people could do something for them, even a small gift of water could be so helpful. It makes me wonder how/why people don't help them with food/water? )
To me though, as the DD suggestor says, this photo DOES speak volumes about what is happening around us. There seems to be more and more homeless people and animals (at least in America) , there is so much violence going on, and the title of the poster makes me wonder the same thing: "You have to be kidding me. How can we allow people to live on the streets? We should be helping them. How can people just walk past and not help? "
That's why I think it's a great photograph.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
The two pics I've taken of "Homeless", I've asked permission first! AND stated: "How much will you charge me?", Both times they were happy to help... for not very much at all...
This is my solution.... as I agree, wholeheartedly, with your comment!... it needed to be said...and if you hadn't I would have... but! we don't know if this photographer gave a donation or not... so it's good to ask the question first...
In any event: It's a breath of fresh air to hear your sentiments!...
Cheers!, and best wishes!, Peter.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
i dont think he intended to make money from this shot, but to draw awareness to such a serious problem that most people overlook.
i think the shot was also supposed to draw attention to the poster, a wealthy woman living the highlife in a diamond studded corset with her exotic animal companions, while some of us struggle to get by.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Do you know for a fact that the photographer didn't pay the guy some money? Or that it wasn't taken to draw attention to the plight of those living on the streets? Have you not come across photo-journalism?
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
If he didn't pay the guy your argument confirms my comment -_-
And i don't care about photo journalism. I see what i see. And will not win money with taking picture of homeless. If you disagree with me you're strange. Or a "modern artist" ?
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
This is just amazing I thought it was a painting until I read the comments <3
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Of course Deviant Art would deem this art. : ]
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
| Next =>