Homeless portraits bring viewers to tears
In the two days John Crawford’s 25 portraits of the homeless hung in the Gow Langsford Gallery, 2000 people came through the doors, raising close to $80,000.
The money from the On the Street exhibition, one of Crawford’s biggest to date, will all go towards the Auckland City Mission’s work.
Crawford, 67, did not quite reach his goal of $100,000, but was nevertheless ecstatic at the thousands he raised. He said the “biggest bonus” was being able to raise awareness of homelessness.
“The biggest impact on me after the event was the emotions shown by those who viewed the stories and images together. It was very real.
“Everyone that came in stopped and read the stories . . . emotions were running real high. People were crying.”
Among the visitors were some of those whose images were hanging on the walls.
One, Hori — known as George to his friends — came specially from where he was living in Puhoi, north of Auckland.
Crawford said the subjects weren’t given anything directly, but a special dinner was being organised for the homeless.
“It will be at the City Mission, just in recognition, basically saying thanks. Any of the streeties will be welcome.”
Crawford, who spent three years photographing people on the streets, and more than three months organising the exhibition, said it had been a long, but successful journey.
The professional photographer, whose work has taken him around the world, is probably best known for his Aerial Nudes project.
The photos show a naked woman, his wife at the time, splayed in outdoor settings: a commercial caryard, on a black sand beach, on a train track and in a pigsty.