Built in the 1960s and ’70s, the Aylesbury Estate in South East London once housed 11,000 people. But in 2005, local authorities began demolition, aiming for a phased rebuild rather than rehabilitation. It was during a 2018 summer program that Harriet Mena Hill first engaged deeply with the area, creating large wool portraits that blend dyed roving to depict windows, electrical wires, and graffiti, forming the series ‘Soft Concrete’.

The textile pieces, like a repositioning of the estate’s perception, contrast with the media’s portrayal of violence and intimidation. Instead, they highlight the estate as a place of life and community. Hill’s work, intimate in scale, captures hallways and windows, sliced from their larger contexts, and are part of the ongoing series ‘The Aylesbury Fragments’.

As demolition continues, Hill collects concrete fragments, painting more than 150 pieces to date. Despite the council’s efforts to provide new homes, long-time resident Aysen Dennis laments the loss of her home. Hill’s work, though, offers a tangible connection to the community and its history, as long as there are buildings left standing, she’ll continue her work.

Hill has upcoming exhibitions in London and across the UK in 2027. Follow her on Instagram for the latest updates.