Fantastic New Community

A Work In Progress.... Since 2010 I have been exploring the peripheral landscape of the Olympic site at Stratford, London. This new body of works has been developed from a previous project GAMES [2012] and continues the investigation into changes in land use/value and its effect upon the existing community in local authority housing areas in London. The title, ‘A Fantastic New Community’ is taken from the hoardings enclosing the Olympic Site at Stratford in 2011. To date the work consists of 24 combined landscape/portrait photographs, depicting the interiors and exteriors of housing in Stratford, Hendon, Barnet and Lambeth, all of which are areas undergoing significant re-development or demolition. The images are presented as a trompe l’oeil, using a hand printing method of overlaying a second image over the first, using a clear ink to screen print over the first. The effect of which is to render the person partially visible/merging into the landscape. I am interested in exploring the effect aggressive development and gentrification has on the existing community and how their voices and experiences become marginalised within the mainstream media. The work is being developed further, into a zine publication, outdoor installation and gallery soundscape. Presented here are some of the interior/exterior photographs from various residential areas in London.