Gateshead City Council

Taking place over two years this was a celebration of the history, people and stories of the Chandless district, an area undergoing massive urban regeneration and change.  I met residents, past and present, recording their thoughts and memories, during the same time that the last of the estate was being demolished.

I produced a series of photographic collages with words taken from conversations and audio recordings.  These recordings were made during visits to people’s homes or as part of workshops within community venues, when I also made their portraits.

Alongside this I presented large-scale images from individuals personal photo albums.  A book was published, which also featured paintings of the Chandless Estate by Robert Soden. For a subsequent project ‘Spirit of Chandless’, with writer Stevie Ronnie, I produced digital films and a project website.

The project was supported through the Gateshead Council Arts Team and The Heritage Lottery.