Annabella Dudziec was born in southern London as the daughter of Polish parents. Her father's father is from Rwanda, her new partner Nasir Brown has a Jamaican, Guyanese and Chinese background. Families like these, with roots in other countries, are many in London.

For the photographer Chris Steele-Perkins, it's precisely this diversity that makes the city so special. From Australia to Andorra to St. Vincent and the Grenadines: In the course of his project and the eponymous photo book "The New Londoners", he has portrayed families from all over the world who have settled in London.

The capital is one of the most culturally diverse places in the world. People of all nations live there, you can hear hundreds of different dialects and languages ​​on the street. "They all belong to London and shape it together," says Steele-Perkins.

In his opinion, the topic of migration is often presented very negatively, he wanted to find another way and celebrate the cultural wealth. "Our country is not static, it keeps evolving - and the people who move here are part of that process."

The exploration of multiculturalism is also exciting from a personal point of view for Steele-Perkins: His mother is from Myanmar, he has a Japanese wife and an Australian half-brother. But even he feels completely British.

photo gallery


10 pictures

Photo project: Faces of London

For four years Steele-Perkins worked on his project, photographing people from 188 countries. Some he met through contacts, others he met by chance. He also advertised on social media and distributed flyers in libraries.

However, some states could not cover Steele-Perkins. For example, there is no portrait of a North Korean family or people from Nauru, an island nation in the Pacific Ocean. But in the end, the photographer was not about completeness, just about showing how many different people live in the city.

Steele-Perkins shot all photos directly at the portrayed ones at home. So he wanted to create a greater intimacy and at the same time show that these families live in London - and not just for a short visit.

Each shoot lasted about two hours. Steele-Perkins first took photographs, then interviewed the men and women. He says he was very nervous every time, because he never knew if everything would work out either: he mostly did not know the physical conditions or the people.

New home - or not

Steele-Perkins' definition of family is very broad, he has relatives, friends or neighbors on the picture - sometimes more than 20 people. A big challenge for the photographer, especially because he wanted to emphasize each individual - and not let go in the group - wanted.

They sought asylum, wanted to study, were curious or had to go with their company: The reasons why people have settled in London are very different, each has its own story.

Some experiences were very shocking for Steele-Perkins: A woman from the Congo, for example, tearfully told him that because of the war she had to give up her old life and not all her children could take.

People also reported where they feel most at home. Some want to return to their country of birth, for others London has become the new home. Some still feel strongly associated with their original culture, many now more British than Londoners.

However, Steele-Perkins also noted a change that accompanied the 2016 Brexit referendum in the UK. Unlike most of the rest of the country, the people of London voted to remain part of the European Union. But some of those portrayed suddenly seemed worried about their future, becoming more suspicious or angry.

"Many do not feel welcome anymore," says Steele-Perkins. Fewer people ever wanted to participate in his project or subsequently refused to publish. The photographer, however, had an extra drive to stick to the project - it felt more relevant than ever to him.

Exhibition: "The New Londoners". British Library, London, March 22 through July 7, 2019.