Peckham portraits

Peckham Portraits are a photography series shot by Franklyn Rodgers for Fraser James’ Underexposed Arts organisation. The series of large-scale portraits depict black British, dual-heritage African and Caribbean actors and originally debuted at the National Portrait Gallery in 2008 before being installed in Peckham Hill Street, London. However, because of the current lockdown in the UK, I could not physically visit the exhibition.

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Conceived by James to address the perceived lack of positive black role models – a factor often cited as a contributory cause of crime and violence amongst the young black community – Underexposed Arts originally put together the Peckham Portraits to increase the visibility of talent among the British black community. After being in situ on Peckham Hill Street for ten years, they were due to be removed, but after a public outcry, Southwark Council relocated them to PeckhamPlex cinema. Rodgers then carried out research into the significance of the works with the local community, and found that the portraits “made them feel represented in ways rarely seen in mainstream media”, says a statement from Underexposed Arts.

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The portraits depict the actors including Idris Elba, Ashley Walters, David Harewood, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Kwame Kwei-Armah, Delroy Lindo, Angela Wynter, David Oyelowo, Diane Parish, Hugh Quarshie and Rudolph Walker.