Memorial Lines

Memorial Lines records traces of the lost South Kilburn Estate during an extensive period of regeneration.

In exploring the stripped-out blocks throughout the project, I have tried to capture the lost community by looking for fragments of past lives. In these empty interiors I focused on details that hinted at the former glory of the rooms, imagining them once full of life. The pictures depict the stillness felt in these deserted spaces and emphasizes the departure of life.

While there is a sense of ‘an end of an era’ in these images, and a critical examination of the failure of an older model of social housing (e.g. ‘streets in the sky’), my practice also looks forward to replacement of these buildings. By collaborating with former residents and through workshops to understand their feelings and attitudes, and through portraiture, I have sought to stress the human dimension to the project.