Making Views from Kensal House: Perspectives on community, place and policy
Located in North Kensington, London is the Grade 2* listed building Kensal House. Built in 1937, Kensal House was the first purpose-built ‘urban village’ that was designed to house the workers and families of the Gas, Light and Coke Company. Two important documentaries were made about Kensal House that focussed on the residents and their experiences of the building; ‘Welcome to Kensal House’ (dir: Frank Sainsbury, 1938) and ‘12 Views of Kensal House’ (dir: Peter Wyeth, 1984). In collaboration with SPID Theatre company I contributed to the making of an updated 2023 film, working with young people and a range of contributors.
In the talk ‘Our Views From Kensal House’ (2023) will be explored as a case study for examining policies, pressures, challenges and expectations when delivering a creative project focussed around place and community. I will address the timeline of the project, exploring contextual and historical drivers, early funding proposals, perceived challenges, methodologies and the film’s reception and feedback.
Adam Knight is an artist and Tutor at the Royal College of Art. He was awarded Practitioner-in-Residence at the Institute of Historical Research in 2023. Recent screenings and exhibitions include About Place, Jill Craigie Cinema; Two Estates, Brunswick Centre, Radiophrenia, CCA Glasgow; Begehungen, Entwürfnisse: Ring 8, Chemnitz; Inter-regnum-um-um, CheLA, Buenos Aires and Transmissions / The Watch, Cashmere Radio, Berlin.
This event is co-hosted by the IHR’s Centre for the History of People, Place, and Community and its online community history project Layers of London.
All welcome- this seminar is free to attend, but advance registration is required.
This page was last updated on 29 June 2024
