An Unexpected Hatter
David Finlay - artist, activist, lecturer, and puppeteer, has recently added 'hat designer' to his list of artistic endeavours. This photo series celebrates his whimsical and wonderful character.
Having been homeless in Central London for 12 years, David was unfortunate enough to lose dexterity in his fingers – a significant blow for a painter. Nevertheless, he has continued to bring smiles to the faces of a disillusioned society by finding new ways of adding colour to the world.
"I have made it a bit of a project to increase the colour and splendour of my wheelchair as a way of expressing my artistic side.”
Certainly, it seems, his experience as a lecturer of art has given him a flair for creativity.
With the help of a local seamstress, David has created a collection of hats using locally sourced discarded fabrics and shirts, adding to his 'Mobile Art Installation' (his wheelchair buggy).
"It’s been gobsmacking! People come up to me and tell me how great I look and how happy it makes them feel. People tell me it’s the first thing that’s made them smile in quite some time."
While the responses to David’s flair have been overwhelmingly positive, they are not exclusively so. He has become the victim on multiple occasions of assault, abuse, and theft. “Sometimes I can’t help but feel like a target, like I’m drawing too much unwanted attention to myself, but I don’t know how to be any other way you see.”
Following a multi-toe amputation, David is reliant on his scooter for mobility. He lives alone in state housing and wanted to use this opportunity as a way of saying thank you to his family and carers. He also struggles with an ongoing battle against PTSD as a result of his time on the streets.
I first met David at the beginning of lockdown in the UK in London by the skate park at Southbank. He expressed his disappointment that a place which offers him relief from the difficulties he faces, was now closed and empty. “One day they [skaters] came up to me and offered me to join them in the park! So, they took me and my scooter down some ramps, it was the most fun I’d had in years. I didn’t even think they noticed me, but they said they see me as their dad - watching over them. I suppose I’m not exactly inconspicuous.”
Without question, the 71-year-old's relentless desire to express himself is a prime example of unapologetic authenticity. In a world obsessed with concerns about external judgement, David and his hats are a refreshing brushstroke of artistic creativity, providing an unlikely friend and much-needed inspiration during a global pandemic.
This series was shot near David’s home in South West London, in a garden he suggested. The specific location is nondisclosed as per David’s request.
Disclosure: Not all hats shown in this series were created and designed by David