This is a selection of photographs documenting the homeless in London, which I started in 2018 and I returned to it in 2020 during lockdown. In central London, in almost total closure, I explored the streets to look at the situation of the homeless and how that had changed during the pandemic. While many people on the streets had been supported and housed in hotels, not everyone had this help, and some became homeless during this period having lost their job.
This documentation started with the desire to look at homelessness, understand the issue and try to connect with those affected by it. Why, in such a wealthy city like London, have so many people ended up on the streets without a home? People shared their stories with me, sometimes they chose not to talk about their personal experience but still agreed to have the meeting documented.
Born in Sardinia, photographer Mauro Cocilio studied photography at both the European Institute of Design in Rome and Westminster College in London. He has covered subjects as diverse as backstage fashion during London Fashion Week, the everyday experience of people from Eastern Europe and London, orthodox religious communities, underground clubs and the transgender scene. His work has been published in Dazed & Confused, The Independent Magazine, I-D, Modern Painters, Creative Review, The Wire, Fashion Now 2, Modern Menswear and online at SHOWstudio.