Student's illustrations better than ‘nice’

by Petter Lundgren

Design magazine It’s Nice That has named UAL illustrator Daniel Clarke as their Student of the Month for his project about the run-down Heygate Estate in Elephant and Castle.

The work combines illustrations with the stories of seven residents still living in the doomed apartment complex, which is scheduled for demolition as part of the local regeneration plan.

Clarke, 22, a third-year BA Illustration student at Camberwell, welcomed the award and the recognition it brings: “The day it came out I had about 1,000 or more hits on my website, compared to usually about 10 or 12 a day!”

Initially a book, the project is now two series of prints: Debris of the Heygate and Heygate Memories.

Favourite

After publishing the work on his website (daniel-clarke.com), he sent it to a particular favourite:

“I check It’s Nice That everyday and to see my own work there is a great opportunity. It means it can be seen by the whole global creative community.”

The project was unique to Clarke as it changed his approach to illustration.

“I realised I needed to get out there and explore the world rather than just sit in my room. I will definitely work more like this in the future.”

By starting to spend time on the estate, drawing, he eventually got to know the few remaining residents. His perception of the place quickly changed.

“At first I was a bit intimidated. But I got to know a guy called Adrian, one of the remaining residents. He is trying to make the place look nice again and I started helping him out and he introduced me to others.”                         

Squatters

The council’s plans have resulted in almost all residents moving out.

The apartment blocks have become derelict, with many flats taken over by squatters.

“There was a lot of drug problems on the estate. It wasn’t actually the original community that was part of this,” says Clarke.

The project became a way to record residents' memories.

“I was trying to show what it was like before. That it wasn’t such a bad place after all, like it’s represented in the media and films like Harry Brown.”

“Some of what the council has done is awful. One guy named Jim, whose son is disabled, told me their heating and water was cut off, while they were living there. They were being forced out of their home under those conditions until the council eventually offered him a replacement with access for his son.”

Observational

Because of the human and social angle, Clarke sees the project as representing more than “just a series of drawings”.

Though he is very positive about his course and tutors – “some of my favourite practitioners” – he thinks this should be encouraged more on design courses.

It seems the industry agrees. It’s Nice That praises the work's “reductive, observational drawing” and “careful, textured documentations”, as well as the approach:

“We were drawn to Clarke’s simplistic yet thorough detailing and the overall aesthetic effect of such a personal and dedicated approach. Lovely stuff.”