Free photography exhibition ‘Part of the Community’ comes to Dalston
Keeping the streets clean, tending the borough’s parks and helping children with their reading are just some of the jobs Hackney Council staff do everyday to support their communities.
A free photography exhibition opening this month puts 16 staff members in the spotlight, highlighting their role as public servants and asking them what they like about working in Hackney.
Gary Ephriam, who works in Waste Disposal and whose portrait is on display at the exhibition, said “If we stopped working, Hackney would be in trouble. Doing this job, I have come to realise how important street cleaners are - it goes under the radar.”
The display will be unveiled at 10am Monday 23 July at Dalston CLR James Library. The photographer behind the project, Andy Donohoe, has lived in Hackney for 5 years. The idea for the exhibition came when he was cycling around Hackney for a photography project and wanted to learn more about the people who looked after the parks and streets everyday.
Andy Donohoe, photographer, said: "These photographs show the people who work tirelessly to keep Hackney running smoothly. Taken over a period of about a year, they document the unsung heroes of the borough whose efforts might go by unnoticed. Street cleaners, librarians, service centre staff, the whole spectrum of Hackney Council is represented here.”
These photographs offer a fascinating insight into the lives of Hackney's public servants and show the essential contribution made by the working class to the functioning of London. The people who clean our streets, work in our libraries and museum, keep our parks green and clean, and provide a whole range of front line services are Hackney's everyday heroes. It's a great source of pride that their contribution is recognised in this exhibition.
The exhibition closes on 1 October. To find out more about Andy Donohoe visit: andydonohoe.com. For library opening times visit: hackney.gov.uk/dalston-library.