We got a deeper look in to the recent project by Oliver London. Working with People of Print, Oliver aims to crowdfund the costs needed to create this beautiful photo-documentary book. Take a closer look and find out more below.
People of Print’s independent publishing model, In Perpetuum, is working with artist and photographer Oliver London to produce a beautiful photo-documentary book on the first legal red-light district of the UK.
Crowdfunding now, Welcome to Holbeck aims to shine light and raise awareness on an area of Leeds, UK; in support of Sex workers. The book will also raise money for the leading charities Swarm and Basis Yorkshire.
These charities work with Sex workers to help and support them by campaigning for the rights and safety of everyone who sells sexual services. Organising skill-shares and support meet-ups just for sex workers, as well as public events.
From 2017 - 2019 Photographer Oliver London, took to the streets to document and capture a critical and social condition that has been causing controversy in the media and with local residents.
Holbeck, picked up attention when the BBC decided to create a 13 part series in 2016. Oliver a local to the area was grasped by the way the series was presented and decided to delve in deeper to uncover the truth about the scheme.
What was supposed to be controlled, and create safe spaces for women to work was actually the complete opposite. Only months after the 'Managed Approach' was implemented a woman lost her life at the hands of a brutal attack from a monster of a human paying for her services. Unfortunately, this is not the first of this kind of crime in Holbeck.
The women who work in the area have often admitted that the regulating authorities turn a blind eye to reports of abuse or harassment received by the people who visit them.
Oliver visited the popular streets to capture and document the conditions these women have to endure, in a raw and unfiltered light; curating the images into a 135-page photo-documentary book.
The findings are disturbing, uncomfortable, and eye-opening.
The key aims from this project are to use media and social platforms to raise awareness, Oliver aims to shine a light on something that can and needs to be changed. These women deserve to feel safe, protected and sheltered when at work whilst also raising money for supportive charities. Proceeds from every sale will go towards SWARM and Basis Yorkshire to help continue to provide support and services to indoor and street sex workers.
We believe this level of documentation is important because it gives the Sex workers of Holbeck a platform to display the conditions and the truth they have to live in. It is important to acknowledge that Sex work is real work and that we must work together in order to protect, educate and provide safe spaces for this industry.
It's raw, It's uncomfortable, It's real.
SPECIFICATIONS -
— 135 pages + 4pp Cover / 16cm x 22.2cm / Quarter bound
— Litho printed CYMK
— Printed in English
— First Edition to be published in March 2022
— RRP £20.00
Available for pre order HERE
