Degeneration. 2009-2010

"The photographs in this project Degeneration were made specifically in collaboration with the photographic collective Human Endeavour. Degeneration is an ongoing investigation of various housing estates across Britain. Each photographer chose a different area to photograph, these included Glasgow, Edinburgh, Salford, Liverpool, Birmingham, Sheffield, London, Cardiff and Portsmouth. For my part in the project my investigations concentrated on the areas of Gosport near Portsmouth, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Bristol and Sheffield.

With 'Degeneration' being a research led project, the objective is to take a critical look at the state of housing and regeneration in the 21st century, and the implications and complex nuances this may have on some of the poorest in society, reliant upon social housing. After several decades of neglect, consecutive governments have overseen the gradual demise and disappearance of social housing, due to 'Right To Buy' and a lack of new housing stock built, arguably fuelling the necessity to own rather than let that has instigated the artificial inflation of the housing market. This opens up many questions as to why this was allowed to happen, has fuelled the rise in homelessness and poverty and left the majority of people living in social housing trapped in so called 'sink estates'..

To view the complete project including the work of the other photographers Alex Currie, Simon Carruthers and Oliver Perrott see the links below.

SEE WEBSITES http://www.humanendeavour.co.uk/ http://www.humanendeavourphoto.wordpress.com/

[READ ESSAY BY RICHARD HEALY...]