London (Heygate) 2008 2009

Curator: John Riddy’s "London (Heygate) 2008" captures the Heygate Estate, a large housing complex in Elephant and Castle. There is an immediate formality to the composition, a stark geometric presentation. Editor: It’s bleakly beautiful, in a way. The facade is so symmetrical, so unwavering. The materiality of that brutal concrete is so imposing. Curator: The image implicates the social history of housing, particularly the failures of post-war social housing projects and their relationship to urban redevelopment. Editor: Note how Riddy uses natural and artificial light. The warm glow escaping from a few windows contrasts sharply with the flat, gray concrete. The verticality of the lamppost emphasizes the horizontality of the structure. Curator: It highlights how these buildings became symbols of social isolation and urban decay. The presence of the Portuguese flag brings a sense of human scale and national identity to the architecture. Editor: Absolutely. This image speaks to the tension between individual identity and the homogenizing effects of urban planning. Thank you.