One of the world's biggest ethnic minorities is the Gipsies. Only their vulnerability is bigger than their population: they have no motherland, often they do not speak a common language, and their cultures could differ significantly from each other. There is only one aspect of their life they all share: that is being persecuted. Recent legislation in England would effectively prohibit Gypsy and Traveller (GRT) lifestyles and force people to abandon their mobile lifestyle or face financial penalties or even imprisonment. The British media played a significant role in promoting this legislation by portraying GRT people as a threat to the settled majority lifestyle.
I wanted to create emotionally powerful stories representing the realities of everyday gypsy and traveller life and counteract the false presentation of the community. One of my main incentives with this project was to create a photo series where I could tell stories and show lives free from the old storytelling schemas, and I wanted to show the values and hopes of people without being overly romanticising or stereotypical. I also tried to showcase various GRT experiences by taking photos in religious communities, LGBT+ organisations, and traditional and new age traveller communities.
