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Acclaimed photographer stages exhibition to 'show what knives do'
Rob Singh, Crime Reporter10 Jul 2008
A critically acclaimed photographer whose teenage brother was stabbed to death in London is to stage an exhibition honouring the 27 young people who were killed in the capital in 2007.
Sal Idriss wants to raise awareness about youth violence following the death of his brother Nassirudeen Isa-Osawe.
The 16-year-old A-level student, known as Nass, was killed in Islington in December. He died of a single stab wound to the chest days before he was due to celebrate his birthday.
Today Mr Idriss launched plans for the exhibition, which will be called Famous For The Wrong Reasons. He hopes to take the portraits of all the families of last year's teenage murder victims.
The 38-year-old said: "This devastating personal experience has heightened my awareness of the countless other families throughout London who, like my own, have witnessed the unfortunate loss of a loved one to senseless violence and criminality.
"I want this exhibition to expose the true impact of street crime on our communities by putting real faces to generalised victims."
Mr Idriss's portraits of 20 famous black Britons, including actress Sophie Okonedo, fashion designer Ozwald Boateng and Archbishop of York John Sentamu, are currently on show in the National Portrait Gallery.
Backing the Evening Standard's Beat Knife Crime campaign, Mr Idriss said he feared the public were becoming immune to youth crime because it happens so often. Nineteen teenagers have been killed in the capital this year.
He said: "We all need to do something in the current climate. This problem needs to be highlighted as much as we can and in any way possible."
Born in Ghana, his mother and late father moved to London in 1985 with their four children. Mr Idriss studied journalism and photography and is now based in Islington.
Speaking about the proposed show, he said: "My aim is to educate young people and use the emotional power of photography to deter those vulnerable to or already engaged in criminality. My intention is to present devastated families honestly. Not as names and numbers in the system, but as the families who are famous for the wrong reasons."
The exhibition would provide "a chance to grieve and honour the lives of those lost, including my brother", he said. "This will... explore the raw emotion and unique way in which different families mourn the loss of a loved one."
Nassirudeen, of Highbury, was attacked in front of shoppers in Upper Street on 27 December. One of his friends was also stabbed.
Mr Idriss said his brother had hoped to become an artist: "He was a very quiet person and always had a joke to crack. He was always drawing everything he saw. He was loved by his family and friends. He was just lovely and his Islamic faith kept him grounded. This is what is extremely hard. Some days are worse than others."
• A 17-year-old has been charged with Nassirudeen's murder and will stand trial at the Old Bailey in September.
Reader views (2)
i am holding a anti knife and gun crime showcase
called youth can shine so y do crime!copyright
febuary 09 and i love for Sal Idriss to attend to talk about knife crime and how it effect people
please get back to me if possible
ellis
- Ellis Foreshaw Ceo Of Clown Ice Productions, kent uk, 28/10/2008 22:42
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I commend wholeheartedly what you are doing and know that an exhibition of this kind can do nothing but benefit and educate the public to a growing and concerning trend in our youth.
- Stephen Kayongo, London, 28/10/2008 21:42
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