An Intimate Portrait of the Last Residents of the Aylesbury Estate
The Aylesbury Estate in South East London, is in an irreversible state of decline on a course to its inevitable demolition. The images created (since the lifting of the 1st lockdown 2020) are an intimate collaboration with the last residents and offer an alternative narrative to the stereotype and mythologies of urban decay that have come to overshadow the amazing lives of generations who have made this place their home, against the odds. It is a time capsule and alternative obituary of an estate otherwise forever labelled as a brutalist icon, “hell’s waiting room” and the most notorious in the UK.
A culmination of a collaboration with local charity Creation Trust and residents this project was created first and foremost as a gift for the residents both in working with them as collaborators in their own images and in bringing them to life in the projection onto the estate. The project examines an area which is undergoing enormous social change and is an attempt at an honest depiction of life that conveys a sense of humanity, diversity, truth and power free of many of the visual stereotypes that pigeon hole deprived communities.
It is a celebration of the lives that exist here inspite of these challenges not only in the Aylesbury Estate but also many similar housing estates across the UK. It is a celebration of the residents’ lives and a unique insight into the reality of living in one of the most ethnically diverse neighbourhoods in Europe.
Photography can be more than mere documentation and can be transformative in recognising people as valued. Most importantly, this project serves as a symbolic reminder that the lives and legacies of those who lived on the estate will not be forgotten. It is a triumphant protest in the face of the austerity and gentrification that is up-rooting many communities across the UK. After all that we have endured in 2020 and continue to endure with COVID-19, ‘Behind the Brutal Facade’ is a timely reminder that we all matter, that immigrant based communities across the UK matter.
An Intimate Portrait of the Last Residents of the Aylesbury Estate
The Aylesbury Estate in South East London, is in an irreversible state of decline on a course to its inevitable demolition. The images created (since the lifting of the 1st lockdown 2020) are an intimate collaboration with the last residents and offer an alternative narrative to the stereotype and mythologies of urban decay that have come to overshadow the amazing lives of generations who have made this place their home, against the odds. It is a time capsule and alternative obituary of an estate otherwise forever labelled as a brutalist icon, “hell’s waiting room” and the most notorious in the UK.
A culmination of a collaboration with local charity Creation Trust and residents this project was created first and foremost as a gift for the residents both in working with them as collaborators in their own images and in bringing them to life in the projection onto the estate. The project examines an area which is undergoing enormous social change and is an attempt at an honest depiction of life that conveys a sense of humanity, diversity, truth and power free of many of the visual stereotypes that pigeon hole deprived communities.
It is a celebration of the lives that exist here inspite of these challenges not only in the Aylesbury Estate but also many similar housing estates across the UK. It is a celebration of the residents’ lives and a unique insight into the reality of living in one of the most ethnically diverse neighbourhoods in Europe.
Photography can be more than mere documentation and can be transformative in recognising people as valued. Most importantly, this project serves as a symbolic reminder that the lives and legacies of those who lived on the estate will not be forgotten. It is a triumphant protest in the face of the austerity and gentrification that is up-rooting many communities across the UK. After all that we have endured in 2020 and continue to endure with COVID-19, ‘Behind the Brutal Facade’ is a timely reminder that we all matter, that immigrant based communities across the UK matter.
An Intimate Portrait of the Last Residents of the Aylesbury Estate
The Aylesbury Estate in South East London, is in an irreversible state of decline on a course to its inevitable demolition. The images created (since the lifting of the 1st lockdown 2020) are an intimate collaboration with the last residents and offer an alternative narrative to the stereotype and mythologies of urban decay that have come to overshadow the amazing lives of generations who have made this place their home, against the odds. It is a time capsule and alternative obituary of an estate otherwise forever labelled as a brutalist icon, “hell’s waiting room” and the most notorious in the UK.
A culmination of a collaboration with local charity Creation Trust and residents this project was created first and foremost as a gift for the residents both in working with them as collaborators in their own images and in bringing them to life in the projection onto the estate. The project examines an area which is undergoing enormous social change and is an attempt at an honest depiction of life that conveys a sense of humanity, diversity, truth and power free of many of the visual stereotypes that pigeon hole deprived communities.
It is a celebration of the lives that exist here inspite of these challenges not only in the Aylesbury Estate but also many similar housing estates across the UK. It is a celebration of the residents’ lives and a unique insight into the reality of living in one of the most ethnically diverse neighbourhoods in Europe.
Photography can be more than mere documentation and can be transformative in recognising people as valued. Most importantly, this project serves as a symbolic reminder that the lives and legacies of those who lived on the estate will not be forgotten. It is a triumphant protest in the face of the austerity and gentrification that is up-rooting many communities across the UK. After all that we have endured in 2020 and continue to endure with COVID-19, ‘Behind the Brutal Facade’ is a timely reminder that we all matter, that immigrant based communities across the UK matter.
An Intimate Portrait of the Last Residents of the Aylesbury Estate
The Aylesbury Estate in South East London, is in an irreversible state of decline on a course to its inevitable demolition. The images created (since the lifting of the 1st lockdown 2020) are an intimate collaboration with the last residents and offer an alternative narrative to the stereotype and mythologies of urban decay that have come to overshadow the amazing lives of generations who have made this place their home, against the odds. It is a time capsule and alternative obituary of an estate otherwise forever labelled as a brutalist icon, “hell’s waiting room” and the most notorious in the UK.
A culmination of a collaboration with local charity Creation Trust and residents this project was created first and foremost as a gift for the residents both in working with them as collaborators in their own images and in bringing them to life in the projection onto the estate. The project examines an area which is undergoing enormous social change and is an attempt at an honest depiction of life that conveys a sense of humanity, diversity, truth and power free of many of the visual stereotypes that pigeon hole deprived communities.
It is a celebration of the lives that exist here inspite of these challenges not only in the Aylesbury Estate but also many similar housing estates across the UK. It is a celebration of the residents’ lives and a unique insight into the reality of living in one of the most ethnically diverse neighbourhoods in Europe.
Photography can be more than mere documentation and can be transformative in recognising people as valued. Most importantly, this project serves as a symbolic reminder that the lives and legacies of those who lived on the estate will not be forgotten. It is a triumphant protest in the face of the austerity and gentrification that is up-rooting many communities across the UK. After all that we have endured in 2020 and continue to endure with COVID-19, ‘Behind the Brutal Facade’ is a timely reminder that we all matter, that immigrant based communities across the UK matter.
An Intimate Portrait of the Last Residents of the Aylesbury Estate
The Aylesbury Estate in South East London, is in an irreversible state of decline on a course to its inevitable demolition. The images created (since the lifting of the 1st lockdown 2020) are an intimate collaboration with the last residents and offer an alternative narrative to the stereotype and mythologies of urban decay that have come to overshadow the amazing lives of generations who have made this place their home, against the odds. It is a time capsule and alternative obituary of an estate otherwise forever labelled as a brutalist icon, “hell’s waiting room” and the most notorious in the UK.
A culmination of a collaboration with local charity Creation Trust and residents this project was created first and foremost as a gift for the residents both in working with them as collaborators in their own images and in bringing them to life in the projection onto the estate. The project examines an area which is undergoing enormous social change and is an attempt at an honest depiction of life that conveys a sense of humanity, diversity, truth and power free of many of the visual stereotypes that pigeon hole deprived communities.
It is a celebration of the lives that exist here inspite of these challenges not only in the Aylesbury Estate but also many similar housing estates across the UK. It is a celebration of the residents’ lives and a unique insight into the reality of living in one of the most ethnically diverse neighbourhoods in Europe.
Photography can be more than mere documentation and can be transformative in recognising people as valued. Most importantly, this project serves as a symbolic reminder that the lives and legacies of those who lived on the estate will not be forgotten. It is a triumphant protest in the face of the austerity and gentrification that is up-rooting many communities across the UK. After all that we have endured in 2020 and continue to endure with COVID-19, ‘Behind the Brutal Facade’ is a timely reminder that we all matter, that immigrant based communities across the UK matter.
An Intimate Portrait of the Last Residents of the Aylesbury Estate
The Aylesbury Estate in South East London, is in an irreversible state of decline on a course to its inevitable demolition. The images created (since the lifting of the 1st lockdown 2020) are an intimate collaboration with the last residents and offer an alternative narrative to the stereotype and mythologies of urban decay that have come to overshadow the amazing lives of generations who have made this place their home, against the odds. It is a time capsule and alternative obituary of an estate otherwise forever labelled as a brutalist icon, “hell’s waiting room” and the most notorious in the UK.
A culmination of a collaboration with local charity Creation Trust and residents this project was created first and foremost as a gift for the residents both in working with them as collaborators in their own images and in bringing them to life in the projection onto the estate. The project examines an area which is undergoing enormous social change and is an attempt at an honest depiction of life that conveys a sense of humanity, diversity, truth and power free of many of the visual stereotypes that pigeon hole deprived communities.
It is a celebration of the lives that exist here inspite of these challenges not only in the Aylesbury Estate but also many similar housing estates across the UK. It is a celebration of the residents’ lives and a unique insight into the reality of living in one of the most ethnically diverse neighbourhoods in Europe.
Photography can be more than mere documentation and can be transformative in recognising people as valued. Most importantly, this project serves as a symbolic reminder that the lives and legacies of those who lived on the estate will not be forgotten. It is a triumphant protest in the face of the austerity and gentrification that is up-rooting many communities across the UK. After all that we have endured in 2020 and continue to endure with COVID-19, ‘Behind the Brutal Facade’ is a timely reminder that we all matter, that immigrant based communities across the UK matter.
An Intimate Portrait of the Last Residents of the Aylesbury Estate
The Aylesbury Estate in South East London, is in an irreversible state of decline on a course to its inevitable demolition. The images created (since the lifting of the 1st lockdown 2020) are an intimate collaboration with the last residents and offer an alternative narrative to the stereotype and mythologies of urban decay that have come to overshadow the amazing lives of generations who have made this place their home, against the odds. It is a time capsule and alternative obituary of an estate otherwise forever labelled as a brutalist icon, “hell’s waiting room” and the most notorious in the UK.
A culmination of a collaboration with local charity Creation Trust and residents this project was created first and foremost as a gift for the residents both in working with them as collaborators in their own images and in bringing them to life in the projection onto the estate. The project examines an area which is undergoing enormous social change and is an attempt at an honest depiction of life that conveys a sense of humanity, diversity, truth and power free of many of the visual stereotypes that pigeon hole deprived communities.
It is a celebration of the lives that exist here inspite of these challenges not only in the Aylesbury Estate but also many similar housing estates across the UK. It is a celebration of the residents’ lives and a unique insight into the reality of living in one of the most ethnically diverse neighbourhoods in Europe.
Photography can be more than mere documentation and can be transformative in recognising people as valued. Most importantly, this project serves as a symbolic reminder that the lives and legacies of those who lived on the estate will not be forgotten. It is a triumphant protest in the face of the austerity and gentrification that is up-rooting many communities across the UK. After all that we have endured in 2020 and continue to endure with COVID-19, ‘Behind the Brutal Facade’ is a timely reminder that we all matter, that immigrant based communities across the UK matter.
An Intimate Portrait of the Last Residents of the Aylesbury Estate
The Aylesbury Estate in South East London, is in an irreversible state of decline on a course to its inevitable demolition. The images created (since the lifting of the 1st lockdown 2020) are an intimate collaboration with the last residents and offer an alternative narrative to the stereotype and mythologies of urban decay that have come to overshadow the amazing lives of generations who have made this place their home, against the odds. It is a time capsule and alternative obituary of an estate otherwise forever labelled as a brutalist icon, “hell’s waiting room” and the most notorious in the UK.
A culmination of a collaboration with local charity Creation Trust and residents this project was created first and foremost as a gift for the residents both in working with them as collaborators in their own images and in bringing them to life in the projection onto the estate. The project examines an area which is undergoing enormous social change and is an attempt at an honest depiction of life that conveys a sense of humanity, diversity, truth and power free of many of the visual stereotypes that pigeon hole deprived communities.
It is a celebration of the lives that exist here inspite of these challenges not only in the Aylesbury Estate but also many similar housing estates across the UK. It is a celebration of the residents’ lives and a unique insight into the reality of living in one of the most ethnically diverse neighbourhoods in Europe.
Photography can be more than mere documentation and can be transformative in recognising people as valued. Most importantly, this project serves as a symbolic reminder that the lives and legacies of those who lived on the estate will not be forgotten. It is a triumphant protest in the face of the austerity and gentrification that is up-rooting many communities across the UK. After all that we have endured in 2020 and continue to endure with COVID-19, ‘Behind the Brutal Facade’ is a timely reminder that we all matter, that immigrant based communities across the UK matter.
An Intimate Portrait of the Last Residents of the Aylesbury Estate
The Aylesbury Estate in South East London, is in an irreversible state of decline on a course to its inevitable demolition. The images created (since the lifting of the 1st lockdown 2020) are an intimate collaboration with the last residents and offer an alternative narrative to the stereotype and mythologies of urban decay that have come to overshadow the amazing lives of generations who have made this place their home, against the odds. It is a time capsule and alternative obituary of an estate otherwise forever labelled as a brutalist icon, “hell’s waiting room” and the most notorious in the UK.
A culmination of a collaboration with local charity Creation Trust and residents this project was created first and foremost as a gift for the residents both in working with them as collaborators in their own images and in bringing them to life in the projection onto the estate. The project examines an area which is undergoing enormous social change and is an attempt at an honest depiction of life that conveys a sense of humanity, diversity, truth and power free of many of the visual stereotypes that pigeon hole deprived communities.
It is a celebration of the lives that exist here inspite of these challenges not only in the Aylesbury Estate but also many similar housing estates across the UK. It is a celebration of the residents’ lives and a unique insight into the reality of living in one of the most ethnically diverse neighbourhoods in Europe.
Photography can be more than mere documentation and can be transformative in recognising people as valued. Most importantly, this project serves as a symbolic reminder that the lives and legacies of those who lived on the estate will not be forgotten. It is a triumphant protest in the face of the austerity and gentrification that is up-rooting many communities across the UK. After all that we have endured in 2020 and continue to endure with COVID-19, ‘Behind the Brutal Facade’ is a timely reminder that we all matter, that immigrant based communities across the UK matter.
An Intimate Portrait of the Last Residents of the Aylesbury Estate
The Aylesbury Estate in South East London, is in an irreversible state of decline on a course to its inevitable demolition. The images created (since the lifting of the 1st lockdown 2020) are an intimate collaboration with the last residents and offer an alternative narrative to the stereotype and mythologies of urban decay that have come to overshadow the amazing lives of generations who have made this place their home, against the odds. It is a time capsule and alternative obituary of an estate otherwise forever labelled as a brutalist icon, “hell’s waiting room” and the most notorious in the UK.
A culmination of a collaboration with local charity Creation Trust and residents this project was created first and foremost as a gift for the residents both in working with them as collaborators in their own images and in bringing them to life in the projection onto the estate. The project examines an area which is undergoing enormous social change and is an attempt at an honest depiction of life that conveys a sense of humanity, diversity, truth and power free of many of the visual stereotypes that pigeon hole deprived communities.
It is a celebration of the lives that exist here inspite of these challenges not only in the Aylesbury Estate but also many similar housing estates across the UK. It is a celebration of the residents’ lives and a unique insight into the reality of living in one of the most ethnically diverse neighbourhoods in Europe.
Photography can be more than mere documentation and can be transformative in recognising people as valued. Most importantly, this project serves as a symbolic reminder that the lives and legacies of those who lived on the estate will not be forgotten. It is a triumphant protest in the face of the austerity and gentrification that is up-rooting many communities across the UK. After all that we have endured in 2020 and continue to endure with COVID-19, ‘Behind the Brutal Facade’ is a timely reminder that we all matter, that immigrant based communities across the UK matter.
An Intimate Portrait of the Last Residents of the Aylesbury Estate
The Aylesbury Estate in South East London, is in an irreversible state of decline on a course to its inevitable demolition. The images created (since the lifting of the 1st lockdown 2020) are an intimate collaboration with the last residents and offer an alternative narrative to the stereotype and mythologies of urban decay that have come to overshadow the amazing lives of generations who have made this place their home, against the odds. It is a time capsule and alternative obituary of an estate otherwise forever labelled as a brutalist icon, “hell’s waiting room” and the most notorious in the UK.
A culmination of a collaboration with local charity Creation Trust and residents this project was created first and foremost as a gift for the residents both in working with them as collaborators in their own images and in bringing them to life in the projection onto the estate. The project examines an area which is undergoing enormous social change and is an attempt at an honest depiction of life that conveys a sense of humanity, diversity, truth and power free of many of the visual stereotypes that pigeon hole deprived communities.
It is a celebration of the lives that exist here inspite of these challenges not only in the Aylesbury Estate but also many similar housing estates across the UK. It is a celebration of the residents’ lives and a unique insight into the reality of living in one of the most ethnically diverse neighbourhoods in Europe.
Photography can be more than mere documentation and can be transformative in recognising people as valued. Most importantly, this project serves as a symbolic reminder that the lives and legacies of those who lived on the estate will not be forgotten. It is a triumphant protest in the face of the austerity and gentrification that is up-rooting many communities across the UK. After all that we have endured in 2020 and continue to endure with COVID-19, ‘Behind the Brutal Facade’ is a timely reminder that we all matter, that immigrant based communities across the UK matter.
An Intimate Portrait of the Last Residents of the Aylesbury Estate
The Aylesbury Estate in South East London, is in an irreversible state of decline on a course to its inevitable demolition. The images created (since the lifting of the 1st lockdown 2020) are an intimate collaboration with the last residents and offer an alternative narrative to the stereotype and mythologies of urban decay that have come to overshadow the amazing lives of generations who have made this place their home, against the odds. It is a time capsule and alternative obituary of an estate otherwise forever labelled as a brutalist icon, “hell’s waiting room” and the most notorious in the UK.
A culmination of a collaboration with local charity Creation Trust and residents this project was created first and foremost as a gift for the residents both in working with them as collaborators in their own images and in bringing them to life in the projection onto the estate. The project examines an area which is undergoing enormous social change and is an attempt at an honest depiction of life that conveys a sense of humanity, diversity, truth and power free of many of the visual stereotypes that pigeon hole deprived communities.
It is a celebration of the lives that exist here inspite of these challenges not only in the Aylesbury Estate but also many similar housing estates across the UK. It is a celebration of the residents’ lives and a unique insight into the reality of living in one of the most ethnically diverse neighbourhoods in Europe.
Photography can be more than mere documentation and can be transformative in recognising people as valued. Most importantly, this project serves as a symbolic reminder that the lives and legacies of those who lived on the estate will not be forgotten. It is a triumphant protest in the face of the austerity and gentrification that is up-rooting many communities across the UK. After all that we have endured in 2020 and continue to endure with COVID-19, ‘Behind the Brutal Facade’ is a timely reminder that we all matter, that immigrant based communities across the UK matter.
An Intimate Portrait of the Last Residents of the Aylesbury Estate
The Aylesbury Estate in South East London, is in an irreversible state of decline on a course to its inevitable demolition. The images created (since the lifting of the 1st lockdown 2020) are an intimate collaboration with the last residents and offer an alternative narrative to the stereotype and mythologies of urban decay that have come to overshadow the amazing lives of generations who have made this place their home, against the odds. It is a time capsule and alternative obituary of an estate otherwise forever labelled as a brutalist icon, “hell’s waiting room” and the most notorious in the UK.
A culmination of a collaboration with local charity Creation Trust and residents this project was created first and foremost as a gift for the residents both in working with them as collaborators in their own images and in bringing them to life in the projection onto the estate. The project examines an area which is undergoing enormous social change and is an attempt at an honest depiction of life that conveys a sense of humanity, diversity, truth and power free of many of the visual stereotypes that pigeon hole deprived communities.
It is a celebration of the lives that exist here inspite of these challenges not only in the Aylesbury Estate but also many similar housing estates across the UK. It is a celebration of the residents’ lives and a unique insight into the reality of living in one of the most ethnically diverse neighbourhoods in Europe.
Photography can be more than mere documentation and can be transformative in recognising people as valued. Most importantly, this project serves as a symbolic reminder that the lives and legacies of those who lived on the estate will not be forgotten. It is a triumphant protest in the face of the austerity and gentrification that is up-rooting many communities across the UK. After all that we have endured in 2020 and continue to endure with COVID-19, ‘Behind the Brutal Facade’ is a timely reminder that we all matter, that immigrant based communities across the UK matter.
An Intimate Portrait of the Last Residents of the Aylesbury Estate
The Aylesbury Estate in South East London, is in an irreversible state of decline on a course to its inevitable demolition. The images created (since the lifting of the 1st lockdown 2020) are an intimate collaboration with the last residents and offer an alternative narrative to the stereotype and mythologies of urban decay that have come to overshadow the amazing lives of generations who have made this place their home, against the odds. It is a time capsule and alternative obituary of an estate otherwise forever labelled as a brutalist icon, “hell’s waiting room” and the most notorious in the UK.
A culmination of a collaboration with local charity Creation Trust and residents this project was created first and foremost as a gift for the residents both in working with them as collaborators in their own images and in bringing them to life in the projection onto the estate. The project examines an area which is undergoing enormous social change and is an attempt at an honest depiction of life that conveys a sense of humanity, diversity, truth and power free of many of the visual stereotypes that pigeon hole deprived communities.
It is a celebration of the lives that exist here inspite of these challenges not only in the Aylesbury Estate but also many similar housing estates across the UK. It is a celebration of the residents’ lives and a unique insight into the reality of living in one of the most ethnically diverse neighbourhoods in Europe.
Photography can be more than mere documentation and can be transformative in recognising people as valued. Most importantly, this project serves as a symbolic reminder that the lives and legacies of those who lived on the estate will not be forgotten. It is a triumphant protest in the face of the austerity and gentrification that is up-rooting many communities across the UK. After all that we have endured in 2020 and continue to endure with COVID-19, ‘Behind the Brutal Facade’ is a timely reminder that we all matter, that immigrant based communities across the UK matter.
An Intimate Portrait of the Last Residents of the Aylesbury Estate
The Aylesbury Estate in South East London, is in an irreversible state of decline on a course to its inevitable demolition. The images created (since the lifting of the 1st lockdown 2020) are an intimate collaboration with the last residents and offer an alternative narrative to the stereotype and mythologies of urban decay that have come to overshadow the amazing lives of generations who have made this place their home, against the odds. It is a time capsule and alternative obituary of an estate otherwise forever labelled as a brutalist icon, “hell’s waiting room” and the most notorious in the UK.
A culmination of a collaboration with local charity Creation Trust and residents this project was created first and foremost as a gift for the residents both in working with them as collaborators in their own images and in bringing them to life in the projection onto the estate. The project examines an area which is undergoing enormous social change and is an attempt at an honest depiction of life that conveys a sense of humanity, diversity, truth and power free of many of the visual stereotypes that pigeon hole deprived communities.
It is a celebration of the lives that exist here inspite of these challenges not only in the Aylesbury Estate but also many similar housing estates across the UK. It is a celebration of the residents’ lives and a unique insight into the reality of living in one of the most ethnically diverse neighbourhoods in Europe.
Photography can be more than mere documentation and can be transformative in recognising people as valued. Most importantly, this project serves as a symbolic reminder that the lives and legacies of those who lived on the estate will not be forgotten. It is a triumphant protest in the face of the austerity and gentrification that is up-rooting many communities across the UK. After all that we have endured in 2020 and continue to endure with COVID-19, ‘Behind the Brutal Facade’ is a timely reminder that we all matter, that immigrant based communities across the UK matter.
An Intimate Portrait of the Last Residents of the Aylesbury Estate
The Aylesbury Estate in South East London, is in an irreversible state of decline on a course to its inevitable demolition. The images created (since the lifting of the 1st lockdown 2020) are an intimate collaboration with the last residents and offer an alternative narrative to the stereotype and mythologies of urban decay that have come to overshadow the amazing lives of generations who have made this place their home, against the odds. It is a time capsule and alternative obituary of an estate otherwise forever labelled as a brutalist icon, “hell’s waiting room” and the most notorious in the UK.
A culmination of a collaboration with local charity Creation Trust and residents this project was created first and foremost as a gift for the residents both in working with them as collaborators in their own images and in bringing them to life in the projection onto the estate. The project examines an area which is undergoing enormous social change and is an attempt at an honest depiction of life that conveys a sense of humanity, diversity, truth and power free of many of the visual stereotypes that pigeon hole deprived communities.
It is a celebration of the lives that exist here inspite of these challenges not only in the Aylesbury Estate but also many similar housing estates across the UK. It is a celebration of the residents’ lives and a unique insight into the reality of living in one of the most ethnically diverse neighbourhoods in Europe.
Photography can be more than mere documentation and can be transformative in recognising people as valued. Most importantly, this project serves as a symbolic reminder that the lives and legacies of those who lived on the estate will not be forgotten. It is a triumphant protest in the face of the austerity and gentrification that is up-rooting many communities across the UK. After all that we have endured in 2020 and continue to endure with COVID-19, ‘Behind the Brutal Facade’ is a timely reminder that we all matter, that immigrant based communities across the UK matter.
An Intimate Portrait of the Last Residents of the Aylesbury Estate
The Aylesbury Estate in South East London, is in an irreversible state of decline on a course to its inevitable demolition. The images created (since the lifting of the 1st lockdown 2020) are an intimate collaboration with the last residents and offer an alternative narrative to the stereotype and mythologies of urban decay that have come to overshadow the amazing lives of generations who have made this place their home, against the odds. It is a time capsule and alternative obituary of an estate otherwise forever labelled as a brutalist icon, “hell’s waiting room” and the most notorious in the UK.
A culmination of a collaboration with local charity Creation Trust and residents this project was created first and foremost as a gift for the residents both in working with them as collaborators in their own images and in bringing them to life in the projection onto the estate. The project examines an area which is undergoing enormous social change and is an attempt at an honest depiction of life that conveys a sense of humanity, diversity, truth and power free of many of the visual stereotypes that pigeon hole deprived communities.
It is a celebration of the lives that exist here inspite of these challenges not only in the Aylesbury Estate but also many similar housing estates across the UK. It is a celebration of the residents’ lives and a unique insight into the reality of living in one of the most ethnically diverse neighbourhoods in Europe.
Photography can be more than mere documentation and can be transformative in recognising people as valued. Most importantly, this project serves as a symbolic reminder that the lives and legacies of those who lived on the estate will not be forgotten. It is a triumphant protest in the face of the austerity and gentrification that is up-rooting many communities across the UK. After all that we have endured in 2020 and continue to endure with COVID-19, ‘Behind the Brutal Facade’ is a timely reminder that we all matter, that immigrant based communities across the UK matter.
An Intimate Portrait of the Last Residents of the Aylesbury Estate
The Aylesbury Estate in South East London, is in an irreversible state of decline on a course to its inevitable demolition. The images created (since the lifting of the 1st lockdown 2020) are an intimate collaboration with the last residents and offer an alternative narrative to the stereotype and mythologies of urban decay that have come to overshadow the amazing lives of generations who have made this place their home, against the odds. It is a time capsule and alternative obituary of an estate otherwise forever labelled as a brutalist icon, “hell’s waiting room” and the most notorious in the UK.
A culmination of a collaboration with local charity Creation Trust and residents this project was created first and foremost as a gift for the residents both in working with them as collaborators in their own images and in bringing them to life in the projection onto the estate. The project examines an area which is undergoing enormous social change and is an attempt at an honest depiction of life that conveys a sense of humanity, diversity, truth and power free of many of the visual stereotypes that pigeon hole deprived communities.
It is a celebration of the lives that exist here inspite of these challenges not only in the Aylesbury Estate but also many similar housing estates across the UK. It is a celebration of the residents’ lives and a unique insight into the reality of living in one of the most ethnically diverse neighbourhoods in Europe.
Photography can be more than mere documentation and can be transformative in recognising people as valued. Most importantly, this project serves as a symbolic reminder that the lives and legacies of those who lived on the estate will not be forgotten. It is a triumphant protest in the face of the austerity and gentrification that is up-rooting many communities across the UK. After all that we have endured in 2020 and continue to endure with COVID-19, ‘Behind the Brutal Facade’ is a timely reminder that we all matter, that immigrant based communities across the UK matter.
An Intimate Portrait of the Last Residents of the Aylesbury Estate
The Aylesbury Estate in South East London, is in an irreversible state of decline on a course to its inevitable demolition. The images created (since the lifting of the 1st lockdown 2020) are an intimate collaboration with the last residents and offer an alternative narrative to the stereotype and mythologies of urban decay that have come to overshadow the amazing lives of generations who have made this place their home, against the odds. It is a time capsule and alternative obituary of an estate otherwise forever labelled as a brutalist icon, “hell’s waiting room” and the most notorious in the UK.
A culmination of a collaboration with local charity Creation Trust and residents this project was created first and foremost as a gift for the residents both in working with them as collaborators in their own images and in bringing them to life in the projection onto the estate. The project examines an area which is undergoing enormous social change and is an attempt at an honest depiction of life that conveys a sense of humanity, diversity, truth and power free of many of the visual stereotypes that pigeon hole deprived communities.
It is a celebration of the lives that exist here inspite of these challenges not only in the Aylesbury Estate but also many similar housing estates across the UK. It is a celebration of the residents’ lives and a unique insight into the reality of living in one of the most ethnically diverse neighbourhoods in Europe.
Photography can be more than mere documentation and can be transformative in recognising people as valued. Most importantly, this project serves as a symbolic reminder that the lives and legacies of those who lived on the estate will not be forgotten. It is a triumphant protest in the face of the austerity and gentrification that is up-rooting many communities across the UK. After all that we have endured in 2020 and continue to endure with COVID-19, ‘Behind the Brutal Facade’ is a timely reminder that we all matter, that immigrant based communities across the UK matter.
An Intimate Portrait of the Last Residents of the Aylesbury Estate
The Aylesbury Estate in South East London, is in an irreversible state of decline on a course to its inevitable demolition. The images created (since the lifting of the 1st lockdown 2020) are an intimate collaboration with the last residents and offer an alternative narrative to the stereotype and mythologies of urban decay that have come to overshadow the amazing lives of generations who have made this place their home, against the odds. It is a time capsule and alternative obituary of an estate otherwise forever labelled as a brutalist icon, “hell’s waiting room” and the most notorious in the UK.
A culmination of a collaboration with local charity Creation Trust and residents this project was created first and foremost as a gift for the residents both in working with them as collaborators in their own images and in bringing them to life in the projection onto the estate. The project examines an area which is undergoing enormous social change and is an attempt at an honest depiction of life that conveys a sense of humanity, diversity, truth and power free of many of the visual stereotypes that pigeon hole deprived communities.
It is a celebration of the lives that exist here inspite of these challenges not only in the Aylesbury Estate but also many similar housing estates across the UK. It is a celebration of the residents’ lives and a unique insight into the reality of living in one of the most ethnically diverse neighbourhoods in Europe.
Photography can be more than mere documentation and can be transformative in recognising people as valued. Most importantly, this project serves as a symbolic reminder that the lives and legacies of those who lived on the estate will not be forgotten. It is a triumphant protest in the face of the austerity and gentrification that is up-rooting many communities across the UK. After all that we have endured in 2020 and continue to endure with COVID-19, ‘Behind the Brutal Facade’ is a timely reminder that we all matter, that immigrant based communities across the UK matter.
An Intimate Portrait of the Last Residents of the Aylesbury Estate
The Aylesbury Estate in South East London, is in an irreversible state of decline on a course to its inevitable demolition. The images created (since the lifting of the 1st lockdown 2020) are an intimate collaboration with the last residents and offer an alternative narrative to the stereotype and mythologies of urban decay that have come to overshadow the amazing lives of generations who have made this place their home, against the odds. It is a time capsule and alternative obituary of an estate otherwise forever labelled as a brutalist icon, “hell’s waiting room” and the most notorious in the UK.
A culmination of a collaboration with local charity Creation Trust and residents this project was created first and foremost as a gift for the residents both in working with them as collaborators in their own images and in bringing them to life in the projection onto the estate. The project examines an area which is undergoing enormous social change and is an attempt at an honest depiction of life that conveys a sense of humanity, diversity, truth and power free of many of the visual stereotypes that pigeon hole deprived communities.
It is a celebration of the lives that exist here inspite of these challenges not only in the Aylesbury Estate but also many similar housing estates across the UK. It is a celebration of the residents’ lives and a unique insight into the reality of living in one of the most ethnically diverse neighbourhoods in Europe.
Photography can be more than mere documentation and can be transformative in recognising people as valued. Most importantly, this project serves as a symbolic reminder that the lives and legacies of those who lived on the estate will not be forgotten. It is a triumphant protest in the face of the austerity and gentrification that is up-rooting many communities across the UK. After all that we have endured in 2020 and continue to endure with COVID-19, ‘Behind the Brutal Facade’ is a timely reminder that we all matter, that immigrant based communities across the UK matter.
An Intimate Portrait of the Last Residents of the Aylesbury Estate
The Aylesbury Estate in South East London, is in an irreversible state of decline on a course to its inevitable demolition. The images created (since the lifting of the 1st lockdown 2020) are an intimate collaboration with the last residents and offer an alternative narrative to the stereotype and mythologies of urban decay that have come to overshadow the amazing lives of generations who have made this place their home, against the odds. It is a time capsule and alternative obituary of an estate otherwise forever labelled as a brutalist icon, “hell’s waiting room” and the most notorious in the UK.
A culmination of a collaboration with local charity Creation Trust and residents this project was created first and foremost as a gift for the residents both in working with them as collaborators in their own images and in bringing them to life in the projection onto the estate. The project examines an area which is undergoing enormous social change and is an attempt at an honest depiction of life that conveys a sense of humanity, diversity, truth and power free of many of the visual stereotypes that pigeon hole deprived communities.
It is a celebration of the lives that exist here inspite of these challenges not only in the Aylesbury Estate but also many similar housing estates across the UK. It is a celebration of the residents’ lives and a unique insight into the reality of living in one of the most ethnically diverse neighbourhoods in Europe.
Photography can be more than mere documentation and can be transformative in recognising people as valued. Most importantly, this project serves as a symbolic reminder that the lives and legacies of those who lived on the estate will not be forgotten. It is a triumphant protest in the face of the austerity and gentrification that is up-rooting many communities across the UK. After all that we have endured in 2020 and continue to endure with COVID-19, ‘Behind the Brutal Facade’ is a timely reminder that we all matter, that immigrant based communities across the UK matter.
An Intimate Portrait of the Last Residents of the Aylesbury Estate
The Aylesbury Estate in South East London, is in an irreversible state of decline on a course to its inevitable demolition. The images created (since the lifting of the 1st lockdown 2020) are an intimate collaboration with the last residents and offer an alternative narrative to the stereotype and mythologies of urban decay that have come to overshadow the amazing lives of generations who have made this place their home, against the odds. It is a time capsule and alternative obituary of an estate otherwise forever labelled as a brutalist icon, “hell’s waiting room” and the most notorious in the UK.
A culmination of a collaboration with local charity Creation Trust and residents this project was created first and foremost as a gift for the residents both in working with them as collaborators in their own images and in bringing them to life in the projection onto the estate. The project examines an area which is undergoing enormous social change and is an attempt at an honest depiction of life that conveys a sense of humanity, diversity, truth and power free of many of the visual stereotypes that pigeon hole deprived communities.
It is a celebration of the lives that exist here inspite of these challenges not only in the Aylesbury Estate but also many similar housing estates across the UK. It is a celebration of the residents’ lives and a unique insight into the reality of living in one of the most ethnically diverse neighbourhoods in Europe.
Photography can be more than mere documentation and can be transformative in recognising people as valued. Most importantly, this project serves as a symbolic reminder that the lives and legacies of those who lived on the estate will not be forgotten. It is a triumphant protest in the face of the austerity and gentrification that is up-rooting many communities across the UK. After all that we have endured in 2020 and continue to endure with COVID-19, ‘Behind the Brutal Facade’ is a timely reminder that we all matter, that immigrant based communities across the UK matter.
An Intimate Portrait of the Last Residents of the Aylesbury Estate
The Aylesbury Estate in South East London, is in an irreversible state of decline on a course to its inevitable demolition. The images created (since the lifting of the 1st lockdown 2020) are an intimate collaboration with the last residents and offer an alternative narrative to the stereotype and mythologies of urban decay that have come to overshadow the amazing lives of generations who have made this place their home, against the odds. It is a time capsule and alternative obituary of an estate otherwise forever labelled as a brutalist icon, “hell’s waiting room” and the most notorious in the UK.
A culmination of a collaboration with local charity Creation Trust and residents this project was created first and foremost as a gift for the residents both in working with them as collaborators in their own images and in bringing them to life in the projection onto the estate. The project examines an area which is undergoing enormous social change and is an attempt at an honest depiction of life that conveys a sense of humanity, diversity, truth and power free of many of the visual stereotypes that pigeon hole deprived communities.
It is a celebration of the lives that exist here inspite of these challenges not only in the Aylesbury Estate but also many similar housing estates across the UK. It is a celebration of the residents’ lives and a unique insight into the reality of living in one of the most ethnically diverse neighbourhoods in Europe.
Photography can be more than mere documentation and can be transformative in recognising people as valued. Most importantly, this project serves as a symbolic reminder that the lives and legacies of those who lived on the estate will not be forgotten. It is a triumphant protest in the face of the austerity and gentrification that is up-rooting many communities across the UK. After all that we have endured in 2020 and continue to endure with COVID-19, ‘Behind the Brutal Facade’ is a timely reminder that we all matter, that immigrant based communities across the UK matter.
An Intimate Portrait of the Last Residents of the Aylesbury Estate
The Aylesbury Estate in South East London, is in an irreversible state of decline on a course to its inevitable demolition. The images created (since the lifting of the 1st lockdown 2020) are an intimate collaboration with the last residents and offer an alternative narrative to the stereotype and mythologies of urban decay that have come to overshadow the amazing lives of generations who have made this place their home, against the odds. It is a time capsule and alternative obituary of an estate otherwise forever labelled as a brutalist icon, “hell’s waiting room” and the most notorious in the UK.
A culmination of a collaboration with local charity Creation Trust and residents this project was created first and foremost as a gift for the residents both in working with them as collaborators in their own images and in bringing them to life in the projection onto the estate. The project examines an area which is undergoing enormous social change and is an attempt at an honest depiction of life that conveys a sense of humanity, diversity, truth and power free of many of the visual stereotypes that pigeon hole deprived communities.
It is a celebration of the lives that exist here inspite of these challenges not only in the Aylesbury Estate but also many similar housing estates across the UK. It is a celebration of the residents’ lives and a unique insight into the reality of living in one of the most ethnically diverse neighbourhoods in Europe.
Photography can be more than mere documentation and can be transformative in recognising people as valued. Most importantly, this project serves as a symbolic reminder that the lives and legacies of those who lived on the estate will not be forgotten. It is a triumphant protest in the face of the austerity and gentrification that is up-rooting many communities across the UK. After all that we have endured in 2020 and continue to endure with COVID-19, ‘Behind the Brutal Facade’ is a timely reminder that we all matter, that immigrant based communities across the UK matter.
An Intimate Portrait of the Last Residents of the Aylesbury Estate
The Aylesbury Estate in South East London, is in an irreversible state of decline on a course to its inevitable demolition. The images created (since the lifting of the 1st lockdown 2020) are an intimate collaboration with the last residents and offer an alternative narrative to the stereotype and mythologies of urban decay that have come to overshadow the amazing lives of generations who have made this place their home, against the odds. It is a time capsule and alternative obituary of an estate otherwise forever labelled as a brutalist icon, “hell’s waiting room” and the most notorious in the UK.
A culmination of a collaboration with local charity Creation Trust and residents this project was created first and foremost as a gift for the residents both in working with them as collaborators in their own images and in bringing them to life in the projection onto the estate. The project examines an area which is undergoing enormous social change and is an attempt at an honest depiction of life that conveys a sense of humanity, diversity, truth and power free of many of the visual stereotypes that pigeon hole deprived communities.
It is a celebration of the lives that exist here inspite of these challenges not only in the Aylesbury Estate but also many similar housing estates across the UK. It is a celebration of the residents’ lives and a unique insight into the reality of living in one of the most ethnically diverse neighbourhoods in Europe.
Photography can be more than mere documentation and can be transformative in recognising people as valued. Most importantly, this project serves as a symbolic reminder that the lives and legacies of those who lived on the estate will not be forgotten. It is a triumphant protest in the face of the austerity and gentrification that is up-rooting many communities across the UK. After all that we have endured in 2020 and continue to endure with COVID-19, ‘Behind the Brutal Facade’ is a timely reminder that we all matter, that immigrant based communities across the UK matter.
An Intimate Portrait of the Last Residents of the Aylesbury Estate
The Aylesbury Estate in South East London, is in an irreversible state of decline on a course to its inevitable demolition. The images created (since the lifting of the 1st lockdown 2020) are an intimate collaboration with the last residents and offer an alternative narrative to the stereotype and mythologies of urban decay that have come to overshadow the amazing lives of generations who have made this place their home, against the odds. It is a time capsule and alternative obituary of an estate otherwise forever labelled as a brutalist icon, “hell’s waiting room” and the most notorious in the UK.
A culmination of a collaboration with local charity Creation Trust and residents this project was created first and foremost as a gift for the residents both in working with them as collaborators in their own images and in bringing them to life in the projection onto the estate. The project examines an area which is undergoing enormous social change and is an attempt at an honest depiction of life that conveys a sense of humanity, diversity, truth and power free of many of the visual stereotypes that pigeon hole deprived communities.
It is a celebration of the lives that exist here inspite of these challenges not only in the Aylesbury Estate but also many similar housing estates across the UK. It is a celebration of the residents’ lives and a unique insight into the reality of living in one of the most ethnically diverse neighbourhoods in Europe.
Photography can be more than mere documentation and can be transformative in recognising people as valued. Most importantly, this project serves as a symbolic reminder that the lives and legacies of those who lived on the estate will not be forgotten. It is a triumphant protest in the face of the austerity and gentrification that is up-rooting many communities across the UK. After all that we have endured in 2020 and continue to endure with COVID-19, ‘Behind the Brutal Facade’ is a timely reminder that we all matter, that immigrant based communities across the UK matter.
An Intimate Portrait of the Last Residents of the Aylesbury Estate
The Aylesbury Estate in South East London, is in an irreversible state of decline on a course to its inevitable demolition. The images created (since the lifting of the 1st lockdown 2020) are an intimate collaboration with the last residents and offer an alternative narrative to the stereotype and mythologies of urban decay that have come to overshadow the amazing lives of generations who have made this place their home, against the odds. It is a time capsule and alternative obituary of an estate otherwise forever labelled as a brutalist icon, “hell’s waiting room” and the most notorious in the UK.
A culmination of a collaboration with local charity Creation Trust and residents this project was created first and foremost as a gift for the residents both in working with them as collaborators in their own images and in bringing them to life in the projection onto the estate. The project examines an area which is undergoing enormous social change and is an attempt at an honest depiction of life that conveys a sense of humanity, diversity, truth and power free of many of the visual stereotypes that pigeon hole deprived communities.
It is a celebration of the lives that exist here inspite of these challenges not only in the Aylesbury Estate but also many similar housing estates across the UK. It is a celebration of the residents’ lives and a unique insight into the reality of living in one of the most ethnically diverse neighbourhoods in Europe.
Photography can be more than mere documentation and can be transformative in recognising people as valued. Most importantly, this project serves as a symbolic reminder that the lives and legacies of those who lived on the estate will not be forgotten. It is a triumphant protest in the face of the austerity and gentrification that is up-rooting many communities across the UK. After all that we have endured in 2020 and continue to endure with COVID-19, ‘Behind the Brutal Facade’ is a timely reminder that we all matter, that immigrant based communities across the UK matter.
An Intimate Portrait of the Last Residents of the Aylesbury Estate
The Aylesbury Estate in South East London, is in an irreversible state of decline on a course to its inevitable demolition. The images created (since the lifting of the 1st lockdown 2020) are an intimate collaboration with the last residents and offer an alternative narrative to the stereotype and mythologies of urban decay that have come to overshadow the amazing lives of generations who have made this place their home, against the odds. It is a time capsule and alternative obituary of an estate otherwise forever labelled as a brutalist icon, “hell’s waiting room” and the most notorious in the UK.
A culmination of a collaboration with local charity Creation Trust and residents this project was created first and foremost as a gift for the residents both in working with them as collaborators in their own images and in bringing them to life in the projection onto the estate. The project examines an area which is undergoing enormous social change and is an attempt at an honest depiction of life that conveys a sense of humanity, diversity, truth and power free of many of the visual stereotypes that pigeon hole deprived communities.
It is a celebration of the lives that exist here inspite of these challenges not only in the Aylesbury Estate but also many similar housing estates across the UK. It is a celebration of the residents’ lives and a unique insight into the reality of living in one of the most ethnically diverse neighbourhoods in Europe.
Photography can be more than mere documentation and can be transformative in recognising people as valued. Most importantly, this project serves as a symbolic reminder that the lives and legacies of those who lived on the estate will not be forgotten. It is a triumphant protest in the face of the austerity and gentrification that is up-rooting many communities across the UK. After all that we have endured in 2020 and continue to endure with COVID-19, ‘Behind the Brutal Facade’ is a timely reminder that we all matter, that immigrant based communities across the UK matter.
An Intimate Portrait of the Last Residents of the Aylesbury Estate
The Aylesbury Estate in South East London, is in an irreversible state of decline on a course to its inevitable demolition. The images created (since the lifting of the 1st lockdown 2020) are an intimate collaboration with the last residents and offer an alternative narrative to the stereotype and mythologies of urban decay that have come to overshadow the amazing lives of generations who have made this place their home, against the odds. It is a time capsule and alternative obituary of an estate otherwise forever labelled as a brutalist icon, “hell’s waiting room” and the most notorious in the UK.
A culmination of a collaboration with local charity Creation Trust and residents this project was created first and foremost as a gift for the residents both in working with them as collaborators in their own images and in bringing them to life in the projection onto the estate. The project examines an area which is undergoing enormous social change and is an attempt at an honest depiction of life that conveys a sense of humanity, diversity, truth and power free of many of the visual stereotypes that pigeon hole deprived communities.
It is a celebration of the lives that exist here inspite of these challenges not only in the Aylesbury Estate but also many similar housing estates across the UK. It is a celebration of the residents’ lives and a unique insight into the reality of living in one of the most ethnically diverse neighbourhoods in Europe.
Photography can be more than mere documentation and can be transformative in recognising people as valued. Most importantly, this project serves as a symbolic reminder that the lives and legacies of those who lived on the estate will not be forgotten. It is a triumphant protest in the face of the austerity and gentrification that is up-rooting many communities across the UK. After all that we have endured in 2020 and continue to endure with COVID-19, ‘Behind the Brutal Facade’ is a timely reminder that we all matter, that immigrant based communities across the UK matter.
An Intimate Portrait of the Last Residents of the Aylesbury Estate
The Aylesbury Estate in South East London, is in an irreversible state of decline on a course to its inevitable demolition. The images created (since the lifting of the 1st lockdown 2020) are an intimate collaboration with the last residents and offer an alternative narrative to the stereotype and mythologies of urban decay that have come to overshadow the amazing lives of generations who have made this place their home, against the odds. It is a time capsule and alternative obituary of an estate otherwise forever labelled as a brutalist icon, “hell’s waiting room” and the most notorious in the UK.
A culmination of a collaboration with local charity Creation Trust and residents this project was created first and foremost as a gift for the residents both in working with them as collaborators in their own images and in bringing them to life in the projection onto the estate. The project examines an area which is undergoing enormous social change and is an attempt at an honest depiction of life that conveys a sense of humanity, diversity, truth and power free of many of the visual stereotypes that pigeon hole deprived communities.
It is a celebration of the lives that exist here inspite of these challenges not only in the Aylesbury Estate but also many similar housing estates across the UK. It is a celebration of the residents’ lives and a unique insight into the reality of living in one of the most ethnically diverse neighbourhoods in Europe.
Photography can be more than mere documentation and can be transformative in recognising people as valued. Most importantly, this project serves as a symbolic reminder that the lives and legacies of those who lived on the estate will not be forgotten. It is a triumphant protest in the face of the austerity and gentrification that is up-rooting many communities across the UK. After all that we have endured in 2020 and continue to endure with COVID-19, ‘Behind the Brutal Facade’ is a timely reminder that we all matter, that immigrant based communities across the UK matter.
An Intimate Portrait of the Last Residents of the Aylesbury Estate
The Aylesbury Estate in South East London, is in an irreversible state of decline on a course to its inevitable demolition. The images created (since the lifting of the 1st lockdown 2020) are an intimate collaboration with the last residents and offer an alternative narrative to the stereotype and mythologies of urban decay that have come to overshadow the amazing lives of generations who have made this place their home, against the odds. It is a time capsule and alternative obituary of an estate otherwise forever labelled as a brutalist icon, “hell’s waiting room” and the most notorious in the UK.
A culmination of a collaboration with local charity Creation Trust and residents this project was created first and foremost as a gift for the residents both in working with them as collaborators in their own images and in bringing them to life in the projection onto the estate. The project examines an area which is undergoing enormous social change and is an attempt at an honest depiction of life that conveys a sense of humanity, diversity, truth and power free of many of the visual stereotypes that pigeon hole deprived communities.
It is a celebration of the lives that exist here inspite of these challenges not only in the Aylesbury Estate but also many similar housing estates across the UK. It is a celebration of the residents’ lives and a unique insight into the reality of living in one of the most ethnically diverse neighbourhoods in Europe.
Photography can be more than mere documentation and can be transformative in recognising people as valued. Most importantly, this project serves as a symbolic reminder that the lives and legacies of those who lived on the estate will not be forgotten. It is a triumphant protest in the face of the austerity and gentrification that is up-rooting many communities across the UK. After all that we have endured in 2020 and continue to endure with COVID-19, ‘Behind the Brutal Facade’ is a timely reminder that we all matter, that immigrant based communities across the UK matter.
An Intimate Portrait of the Last Residents of the Aylesbury Estate
The Aylesbury Estate in South East London, is in an irreversible state of decline on a course to its inevitable demolition. The images created (since the lifting of the 1st lockdown 2020) are an intimate collaboration with the last residents and offer an alternative narrative to the stereotype and mythologies of urban decay that have come to overshadow the amazing lives of generations who have made this place their home, against the odds. It is a time capsule and alternative obituary of an estate otherwise forever labelled as a brutalist icon, “hell’s waiting room” and the most notorious in the UK.
A culmination of a collaboration with local charity Creation Trust and residents this project was created first and foremost as a gift for the residents both in working with them as collaborators in their own images and in bringing them to life in the projection onto the estate. The project examines an area which is undergoing enormous social change and is an attempt at an honest depiction of life that conveys a sense of humanity, diversity, truth and power free of many of the visual stereotypes that pigeon hole deprived communities.
It is a celebration of the lives that exist here inspite of these challenges not only in the Aylesbury Estate but also many similar housing estates across the UK. It is a celebration of the residents’ lives and a unique insight into the reality of living in one of the most ethnically diverse neighbourhoods in Europe.
Photography can be more than mere documentation and can be transformative in recognising people as valued. Most importantly, this project serves as a symbolic reminder that the lives and legacies of those who lived on the estate will not be forgotten. It is a triumphant protest in the face of the austerity and gentrification that is up-rooting many communities across the UK. After all that we have endured in 2020 and continue to endure with COVID-19, ‘Behind the Brutal Facade’ is a timely reminder that we all matter, that immigrant based communities across the UK matter.
An Intimate Portrait of the Last Residents of the Aylesbury Estate
The Aylesbury Estate in South East London, is in an irreversible state of decline on a course to its inevitable demolition. The images created (since the lifting of the 1st lockdown 2020) are an intimate collaboration with the last residents and offer an alternative narrative to the stereotype and mythologies of urban decay that have come to overshadow the amazing lives of generations who have made this place their home, against the odds. It is a time capsule and alternative obituary of an estate otherwise forever labelled as a brutalist icon, “hell’s waiting room” and the most notorious in the UK.
A culmination of a collaboration with local charity Creation Trust and residents this project was created first and foremost as a gift for the residents both in working with them as collaborators in their own images and in bringing them to life in the projection onto the estate. The project examines an area which is undergoing enormous social change and is an attempt at an honest depiction of life that conveys a sense of humanity, diversity, truth and power free of many of the visual stereotypes that pigeon hole deprived communities.
It is a celebration of the lives that exist here inspite of these challenges not only in the Aylesbury Estate but also many similar housing estates across the UK. It is a celebration of the residents’ lives and a unique insight into the reality of living in one of the most ethnically diverse neighbourhoods in Europe.
Photography can be more than mere documentation and can be transformative in recognising people as valued. Most importantly, this project serves as a symbolic reminder that the lives and legacies of those who lived on the estate will not be forgotten. It is a triumphant protest in the face of the austerity and gentrification that is up-rooting many communities across the UK. After all that we have endured in 2020 and continue to endure with COVID-19, ‘Behind the Brutal Facade’ is a timely reminder that we all matter, that immigrant based communities across the UK matter.
