“Farewell from the Garden Paradise” (2007) captures the moment of eviction for the Manor Garden Allotments plot holders. The allotments were closed in September 2007 and demolished to construct a footpath for the 2012 Olympic Games. The images present the small personal spaces of sheds that have no place in the ongoing Olympic development.
This raises questions about the most appropriate approach to regeneration and problematises the notion of the 2012 Olympics as ‘green’ (as often cited in promotional literature), by documenting the destruction of allotments that were a rare example of sustainably-managed green spaces in East London.
Furthermore, the photos reveal the complex and nuanced relationships between the plot holders and nature. A series of these photos has recently been published in the magazine of London Independent Photography (Summer 2008).
All images: digital C-type
prints. 20x20 inches, edition of 5 (+2 AP). 10x10 inches, edition of 8 (+2 AP).
