Lee Jeffries is a self-taught artist who has surprised the insular photography world with his striking series of black-and-white portraits of homeless men and women. artnet and our partners use cookies to provide features on our sites and applications to improve your online experience, including for analysis of site usage, traffic measurement, and for advertising and content management. All of that culminated in their exhibition, symbolically titled Synergy, which took place at the Mathgoth Gallery. Instead, look at it as art, and the kind that awakens the viewers in a moral sense. That moment was going to talk to the girl after she saw him take the photo; it has informed all of his work since then, as Jeffries makes a point of getting to know his subjects before asking their permission to take photographs of them. I’ve talked about intimacy, and that just may be the most important feature of Lee’s work. Also, the gallery representing Lee, the Mathgoth Gallery, in agreement with Jeffries and Aérosol, have donated 10% of each sale made during their exhibition to non-profit association AURORE. It is amazing that all of this has been done by a self-taught artist and the one who works a full-time job as an accountant. His portraits may be uncompromising, but they are also beautiful His work is described as "spiritual iconography" because he works to honor homeless people by giving the individuals an identity and telling their stories in a powerful way. Learn about the artist and find an in-depth biography, exhibitions, original artworks, the latest news, and sold auction prices. Homeless people become the subject of his art. Lee Jeffries is a British photographer who tells the stories of unsheltered homeless people through the art of photography. Lee Jeffries has found a way to capture some of the most emotional and spiritual iconographic images I have ever seen. In an artistic sense, of course, but also in a noble, humane way. He is a self-taught artist who started an extraordinary love affair with the homeless about fifteen years ago. If you think about the pieces, they seem almost timeless as the people portrayed could have lived centuries ago. It started with him going to London to run the half-marathon, and the day before, as he was walking the streets, he noticed a girl sleeping in her bag. Prints & Wall Art Photo Books Get Pro Save Cancel. 26 talking about this. Don’t make a mistake of labeling Jeffries’ work as a reportage photography, which’s often documented in texts, or photojournalism, whose aim is to cover the news. From sorrow and despair to warmth and dignity, Manchester, England-based photographer Lee Jeffries documents the expressive faces of homeless people in powerfully humanizing portraits. LJ. View Lee Jeffries’s artworks on artnet. Formerly an accountant, it was during a marathon he undertook in London that he crossed paths with a young woman snuggled in her sleeping bag near Leicester Square. With his powerful series Homeless, Manchester-based photographer Lee Jeffries compels us to remember the faces of those we too often ignore. Lee Jeffries United Kingdom 1971 How often do you take a moment of your time and give them some change your pockets hold? You could categorize Lee’s work as taking portraits, but it is so much more. Artworks Auctions Galleries Fairs Magazine More. Lee Jeffries is an accountant and as a side job he is a self-taught photographer with no form of qualifications whatsoever. We aim at providing better value for money than most. The most of his work in black and white, and shot from the point blank, because the artist doesn’t want anything to get in the way of what he’s trying to say. Get the latest news on the events, trends, and people that shape the global art market with our daily newsletter. If … 135335 Followers, 24748072 Photo Views. An incredible harmony is the result of their collaboration as Aérosol reinterprets Jeffries’ powerful yet delicate portraits. Through a life-changing event that included taking a photograph of a young girl huddled in her sleeping bag, she noticing him, and he apologizing to her, talking and getting to know her, we now have an opportunity to finally break the misconceptions we’ve had about the people living in the streets and see them for who they truly are – the human beings, and not some boogeyman we’ve grown to be afraid of. Since then, he first approached every single person he’s photographed and talked to them. So he started working with YellowKorner, and that allowed them to hold charity auctions, the last of which gathered more than 25 000 euros for a Paris-based homeless charity. Log in Sign up Lee Jeffries. On the day before the race, Jeffries thought he would wander the city to take pictures. He has been taking photos for about 5 years. His subjects come from London, Los Angeles, Paris, Rome, Las Vegas, New York City and other urban areas. © 2013-2021 Widewalls | It was never about photography, but rather about forming the relationships with the people. See more ideas about lee jeffries, photo, black and white portraits. He shares his photography with … by LJ. In that talk, he always manages to capture their essence, even before taking their picture. 221 9 Paris by LJ. So why is Jeffries our Artist of the Week? The artist doesn’t like to talk about it since he considers that shifts the attention from what truly matters, and that is people in the photographs. Buy art at exclusive members only pricing at the leading online contemporary art marketplace. Then a chance meeting with a homeless woman living in the streets of London changed his life forever. We provide art lovers and art collectors with one of the best places on the planet to discover modern and contemporary art. Lee‘s images were published in many prestigious magazines and newspapers like Time Magazine, The Independent, The Guardian, and were broadcasted on BBC, CNN news. He is represented by Galerie Mathgoth in Paris. Lee sees that moment of recognition in the stranger’s eyes and believes he’s accepted by them because they see the identical emotion in him. By looking in their eyes, he simply feels he’s found the person he wants to make a connection with. He collaborated with Jef Aerosol one of the most famous French street artists in 2015. All images courtesy of the Galerie Mathgoth. As a beginning street photographer in 2008, the artist captured a homeless woman of eighteen years as she lay in a sleeping bag. This tale of his started as self-funded quest to raise awareness and the level of donations to the homeless people, but also to show the general population that there is absolutely no reason to be afraid of the people living in the streets, and that they all have their own stories to tell, but only if you are brave enough to look into their eyes and talk to them. When she called him out on the violation, he approached her and apologized. Shop for Vinyl, CDs and more from Lee Jeffries at the Discogs Marketplace. From that day on, his artistic approach was radically changed. 1.4K 59 Gin Wigmore by LJ. About Lee. Born in the United Kingdom, Lee Jeffries lives in Manchester and constantly travels to major Western cities to meet people living in the streets, striving to capture their nobility. 130 6 by LJ. You may have noticed we haven’t talked about Lee’s process, about what he does after the image has been taken, and that’s for a reason. Lee Jeffries, born in 1971, lives and works in Manchester (United Kingdom). Aug 24, 2017 - Explore Marcos Dominguez's board "Art/Photo-Lee Jeffries" on Pinterest. Performance artist, Choreographer, and Fire/LED dancer specializing in a variety of props. An encounter with a homeless girl changed his outlook on street photography forever. With his powerful series Homeless, Manchester-based photographer Lee Jeffries compels us to remember the faces of those we too often ignore. The subsequent talk they had and the photographs he took after that changed his life and pointed his career towards the homeless people. Modern & Contemporary Art Resource. He focuses on homeless people in England and all around the world. His finely shadowed figures often feature extreme expressions and showcase the different personalities of his subjects. Lee Jeffries is a photographer who captures more than just pictures. Lee Jeffries was born in 1971 in Manchester where he still lives and works.. Lee Jeffries, a self-taught British photographer, has taken upon himself to tell the rest of us who the homeless really are. Photographer Lee Jeffries uncovers human face of drug addiction Their expressions have been captured by UK-based artist and photographer Lee Jeffries, who strives to reveal the human face of addiction, the reality of homelessness and the real face of poverty through his work. See our Privacy Policy for more information about cookies. Jef saw some of Lee’s work, contacted him, and they almost immediately decided to combine their work, as they felt the need to explore and share with the public their own vision of the universal issue. And even when you do that, do you look them in the eyes, do you wonder who they are, how did they end up living in the streets? Performance artist, Choreographer, and Fire/LED dancer specializing in a variety of props. 's photos on Flickr. Walking the streets and getting to know all the homeless people before taking their pictures has truly opened Jeffries’ eyes. artists website. About. Lee Jeffries, based in Manchester, UK, started off photographing sporting events before a moment taking a photograph of a homeless girl in London changed his life. In the last couple of years, since early 2014 to be precise, Lee has been working with Jef Aérosol, a famous stencil artist. Drag to set position! Lee Jeffries biography and art for sale. Artworks Auctions Galleries Fairs Magazine Artists Shows Museums. 75.3K Followers•663 ... @Lee_Jeffries by LJ. There is an amount of intimacy that is only matched by his respect for the people he’s photographing and the level of the emotions captured in the artworks. He lives in the United Kingdom, and photographs life, particularly of the homeless. Lee Jeffries career began as a sports photographer, capturing the beautiful game of football in Manchester, UK. Tracing Faces – An Interview with Photographer Lee Jeffries 5 21 Share Tweet. Lee Jeffries is a British street photographer, who resides near Manchester, England. Home. English, born 1971. Mostly in black and white, he focuses on homeless; people with skin so textured, with fingernails permanently stained, with scars and wild eyes… His first street photograph was a young homeless girl in London. See Lee Jeffries's (LeeJeffries) photos on 500px. By continuing to use our sites and applications, you agree to our use of cookies. 19 talking about this. But, as with all the great stories, the big moment happened. Yes, he does it well. Explore releases from Lee Jeffries at Discogs. Artsy for Galleries. In 2008, accountant and amateur photographer Lee Jeffries was in London to run a marathon. Dec 13, 2011 - Explore LJ. He’s realized, as his pieces started to sell, that he could actually do something for the homeless. But his first … Jeffries takes close-up head shots of his various volunteers, capturing the emotional expressions of those who are often invisible to a majority … In 2008 Lee Jeffries, an amateur photographer and accountant by profession, began photographing homeless people. Home Museums Artists Articles Show Guide Art Fairs Galleries Auctions. On the day before the race, Jeffries thought he would wander the city to take pictures. Lee Jeffries is a British artist who photographs the homeless people and tells their individual life stories through his images. ©2021 Artnet Worldwide Corporation. He decided to turn back and apologize to the girl. 427.2k Followers, 299 Following, 2,189 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Lee Jeffries (@lee_jeffries) The depth, stillness and gravity of Jeffries’ work are complemented by the movement sparkling from Jef’s stencil pieces. He ‘stole’ a picture before she noticed him and made a big fuss about it, at which point, he walked away. Lee Jeffries’s birth flower is Lily of the valley. Near Leicester Square, he trained his 5D camera with a long, 70-200 lens on a young, homeless woman who was huddled in a sleeping bag among Chinese food containers. Lilies expresses purity of heart, majesty and honor. What is their story? 1.2K 52 Instagram by LJ. An internationally renowned photographer, Lee Jeffries met a homeless girl in the streets of London. 1.1K 39 Manchester by LJ. I n 2008, accountant and amateur photographer Lee Jeffries was in London to run a marathon. 1.8K 56 Burn. As a beginning street photographer in 2008, the artist captured a homeless woman of eighteen years as she lay in a sleeping bag. He has since dedicated himself to … The Light, “this” Light with which Lee Jeffries portrays those without a home, without a land, without anything, is the same Light that emerged from the faces of sinners, saints, common men and women painted or sculpted in marble at the feet of the Divine, be it Christ or the Virgin Mary, by artists such as Caravaggio, Leonardo, Michelangelo, Bernini, and in the greatest art pieces of European Renaissance … has uploaded 471 photos to Flickr. LJ. All rights reserved. When you walk the streets of your city, do you notice homeless people? Using only his camera, natural light, and a small handheld reflector, he illuminates incredible details that reveal some of the wear of life on the streets. Photographer who is known for his hyper realistic photography, mainly consisting of portraits in black and white. Out on the day before the race, Jeffries thought he would wander the city to take.. 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