In collaboration with Isis Arts, Monica Ross discusses her new project about the changing perceptions of public housing - from the utopian ideals of modernist developers, to the commodity-led concept of housing that is at the core of most contemporary urban regeneration.

Following on from 'byker morning: the view from a deserted utopia' (a film Ross made in 2003) she has returned to Newcastle to make a companion piece that also investigates the changing perceptions of public housing.

She intends to document the demolition of St. Lawrence Square - which is currently being emptied of its remaining tenants - and welcomes others from across the community to join her. She will show excerpts of her related performance & video work and explain how anyone interested might get involved.

FREE to Star and Shadow members (membership costs £1 per year)

www.isisarts.org.uk

For ten months in 2003 Monica Ross filmed the morning view from a second floor council flat in St. Lawrence Square, Byker. Built in the 1890's, St Lawrence Square is landscaped around a Victorian park and was one of the existing parts of Byker incorporated into Ralph Erskine's modernist development in the 1970's. All the flats have a view of the park - and until hoardings were put up in front of them - many had a great view of the Tyne bridges. Most images show an external view of what has come to be considered as 'failed" public housing. Ross's video documents a view from the interior which demonstrates the continuing aspects of the utopian concept of social housing which informed the design. The square is currently being emptied of its remaining tenants and is due for demolition this year to make way for a new, mixed development of public and private flats on what is now a desirable Tyneside site.

Ross intends to document the demolition of St. Lawrence. A historical moment locally and one which marks our changed values in relation to housing: from 'decent homes for all' to 'house' as a commodity and investment opportunity for those who can afford it.

Ross will show excerpts of the video <bykermorning: the view from a deserted utopia - a home movie, 2004> and excerpts from related performance and video works ( Women with Red Umbrellas / School of Paul Klee ) made in a modernist housing project in Berlin - which, like Byker, has also found itself in a different future to the one imagined on the drawing board of social planners in a previous era.

Monica Ross is a British artist whose work is time based and includes performance, installation, video, cd-rom, and text works. She was AHRB Fellow in Fine Art at Newcastle University from 2001 – 2004, where she established Connecting Principle (www.ncl.ac.uk/connectingprinciple). She is based in Brighton.

For more information about the re-development scheme and the consultation process:

Ouseburn Regeneration Team
Regeneration Directorate
Ouseburn Regeneration Centre
Spillers Quay
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE6 1BU
Tel: 0191 2755600