On Thursday night, Brixton photographer and activist Wayne Campbell became the first black man to exhibit at P21 Gallery in Euston, a space traditionally dedicated to Middle Eastern art.
Speaking at an intimate launch, Campbell stood before a screen of rotating images and thanked those who helped bring 0710 JOURNEYS to life. He paid tribute to family, friends, and collaborators, including P21 Gallery, art curator Yahya Zaloom, and Photofusion, Brixton for printing and their long-standing creative support.
As emotive images from the exhibition moved across the screen, Campbell spoke about how his journey into visual activism began in 2020, following the murder of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter uprising. He said he felt compelled to “run out onto the streets with my [creative] weapons.”
That moment marked a turning point, not just in his creative practice, but in his political consciousness. From there, his work evolved through the Covid-19 pandemic, the anti-vaccine protests, and into 2023, where he found himself at the heart of the Palestinian solidarity movement. His journey accelerated in 2024 following an invitation to Palestine from Sabeel-Kairos to be part of their first creative delegation and what he described as some of his “most powerful experiences”.
A defining moment in the evening came when Campbell stood beside I Witness, a key image in the exhibition taken in Silwan, a predominantly Palestinian district of East Jerusalem where Israeli authorities continue the forced removal of Palestinians.
The photograph shows houses bearing enormous painted eyes, symbolising that “the world is watching.” Campbell then introduced John Halaka, a proffesor of visual arts at the University of San Diego and one of the eye artists. Halaka spoke briefly to the crowd, offering a powerful reminder of the painful reality behind the images on display.
Among those in attendance was fellow photographer and Brixtonite, Campbell’s friend Christopher iCha, who spoke to the Buzz on the rising criminalisation of protest in the UK:
How long will it be before displays like this are also labelled terrorist?
The least we can do is to visit exhibitions like Wayne’s and show support for the Palestinians who are truly in peril.
Well done Wayne.
In the face of the greatest war crime of our times, we are all responsible to speak truth to complicity. Wayne Campbell’s lens reminds us: we are all witnesses, we are all activists, we are all George Floyd.
We are all Palestinians.
A few images from 0710 JOURNEYS
0710 JOURNEYS
by Wayne Campbell runs at:
P21 Gallery,
21 Chalton St,
London
NW1 1JD
Admission: £5
Visitor Information:
Whether drawn to art activism, the Palestinian struggle, or the universal language of protest, 0710 JOURNEYS promises an unforgettable encounter with beauty, resistance, and the enduring hope for peace.
Events: Workshops & talks schedule
You can visit Wayne Campbell’s online shop or his gallery space at unit 22a Market Row, Brixton Village, Brixton SW9 8LF.
For photo or framing services visit Photofusion Brixton and Limbus Studio Picture Framing