Neptune Estate is an in-depth, detailed case study of a suburban housing estate, its neighbouring spaces, and residents, that unveils the cultural and communal habits deeply embedded in a distinctive yet traditional environment. The narrative takes shape through the lens of detached observation, and goes beyond documenting external facades. By presenting a holistic portrayal of the symbiotic relationship between lifestyle and environmental setting, Neptune Estate offers an intimate observation of the cultural microcosm thriving within the its confines, whilst exhibiting the relational dynamics of the subject matter at the centre of its narrative.
Through a collaborative, off the cuff approach, extempore occurrences acted as guiding principle for the photographic process. Neptune Estate documents the interaction between the environment and its people, exhibiting the dynamic life within the community. The moving image piece reflects a dialogue between still photography and film, with each medium shaping and inspiring the other throughout the project’s development.
A Love Letter To Portobello explored the shifting dynamics of Portobello plaza amid plans to demolish this vital public space and replace it with a 178-bed hotel. The hotel’s scale threatened to overdevelop the site, transforming a once-communal plaza into a private courtyard, restricting access and limiting local activities. Portobello had been central to the Irish skateboarding scene, fostering community interaction since 2004. Despite a ban, the plaza remained Dublin’s most popular skate spot, with locals advocating for its legitimisation. However, no progress was made in revisiting the ban.
Set against the backdrop of the pandemic, the project reflected broader public space issues. Calls for amenities went ignored and replaced by fences that sterilised the area. The loss of this space signaled a disregard for subcultures that enriched urban life and foreshadowed similar neglect in other areas. The series captured a community’s struggle against change and highlighted the consequences of sidelining public spaces and misunderstood subcultures.