'We Carry It with Us' press release March 2023

Jeremy Abrahams Photographer 07570 400181 info@jeremyabrahams.co.uk www.jeremyabrahams.co.uk

We Carry It With Us A documentary portrait project

PRESS RELEASE PHOTOGRAPHER LOOKING FOR ADULTS WHO EXPERIENCED CHILDHOOD BULLYING Stemming from his experience of antisemitic bullying at school, Jeremy Abrahams is looking for other adults to participate in a project which will visualise the positive and negative impacts of childhood bullying. His project aims to show the resilience and the trauma of participants, and empower younger people who have experienced bullying.

"Bullying leaves scars on all who go through it. Some people come out of the experience stronger, and turn their trauma into activism, seeking to better themselves and their communities. Others feel the ongoing impact on their adult life. But few forget the experience. I am now looking for more people who are happy to be photographed and want to share their stories."

Jeremy works collaboratively with subjects to find a location and create a portrait that reflects their story. Their words are integrated into the image to tell the parts of their story that the image cannot.

Part of the work, featuring subjects who were born, brought up or who live in Sheffield, will be exhibited at Weston Park Museum in Sheffield from September to December 2024.

Potential subjects, who must be 18 or over, are invited to get in touch to discuss taking part.

The project website is here: www.jeremyabrahams.co.uk/wecarryitwithus

Carol Stewart, Hunters Bar Junior School playground, Sheffield I was the only black girl among my white friends. We went through a phase of playing a game where I was chosen to be the servant. When I protested about always being the servant, we took a vote, which I lost.

But it gave rise to my passion for social justice and equality.

Terezia Rostas, Secondary School, Sheffield I walked proudly to the board to complete the maths exercise. My teacher stood up, pointed at me and said ‘Don’t you ever come to school dressed like this!’

Today I am a teacher, empowering all pupils to feel proud of their heritage.

About Jeremy Abrahams Jeremy Abrahams is a freelance portrait and social documentary photographer who has lived in Sheffield since 1988. Following redundancy from Barnsley Council in 2013, he completed a Foundation degree in photography at Sheffield College in 2014.

His work has focused on immigration and related issues, including Brexit, asylum detention and modern slavery. He has had two major solo exhibitions. ‘Arrivals: Making Sheffield Home’ was exhibited at Weston Park Museum from September 2016 to February 2017 and was seen by over 43,000 people. ‘Arrivals: Making Tyneside Home’ was at the Discovery Museum in Newcastle from June to September 2019 and was seen by over 50,000 people. Both exhibitions featured on BBC ‘Look North’ programmes.

Further exhibitions include ‘Remain / Leave’ supported by the University of Sheffield at Sheffield Train Station, November 2017; 'Unhidden in Plain Sight’, ethical images of trafficking and modern slavery commissioned by the University of Sheffield and exhibited in September 2018 in Sheffield Winter Garden and ‘Seeing Asylum: Life inside UK Immigration Removal Centres’, commissioned by Leeds Beckett University, exhibited in Leeds Church Institute October 2020 and Holy Trinity Church March 2022.

His most recent work is ‘Portrait of Middleton’ for the community of Middleton by Youlgreave.

Other clients include the University of Sheffield, the Lowry Theatre, The Traverse Theatre, Welsh National Opera, Scottish Opera, Doncaster Council and South Yorkshire Housing Association.

His images have appeared in The Guardian, the New York Times, the Yorkshire Post, the BBC website and others.