Gemma Kerr

PROJECT TWO Deptford 2022

This page shows the documentation of my practice in Deptford in South East London. Deptford has been a site of change over the past decade, with social housing and community spaces being eroded, and new housing developments incoming.

In this project I explored how the values of diversity and multiculturalism have been co-opted in a way that excludes existing residents, as recent changes have raised questions of how new communities are invested in the local area, as communal and green spaces have been eroded.

This gallery of photos were taken around Deptford from my own visits

I met with participants weekly over six weeks, using performance, mapping and walking exercises to explore the spatial practice and politics of the area, investigating Deptford as a site of change and ‘regeneration’.

One of the final outputs of the project were ‘performance walks’, personal routes around Deptford created by participants. These developed from initial sensory walks, where participants guided each other on short walks and then documented their emotional and sensory responses. The final walks reflect each participant’s relationship with Deptford and their response to the question ‘what makes Deptford home for you?

There are five walks to experience. The details of each can be accessed below – all have a ‘literal’ route map as well as a more abstract depiction of the walks. Four of the participants recorded audio which accompanies the walks, that can be accessed by scanning the relevant QR code.