A radio project documenting the demolition of hundreds of Leytonstone homes to make way for the M11 Link Road is celebrating its twentieth year, writes Rana Rastegari
A sound installation emitting the voices of former residents who lived in 400 homes that were demolished in the 1990s to build the M11 Link Road has celebrated its twentieth year of existence.
Linked by the artist Graeme Miller, is a chain of radio transmitters which have been continuously broadcasting the residents’ voices for over 20 years.
On Saturday 14th September at Wanstead Library, visitors will be able to listen to the excerpts and the events surrounding the forced evictions, and demolitions affecting former Leytonstoners.
One excerpt from the radio transmission says “our cat is actually buried under the motorway. That’s how I always remember
that bit of the motorway”.
Gary Lewis, a local who also contributed to the project, told the Echo that the M11 Link Road was a “disaster” for communities in
the area. “People evicted from council homes were moved to other parts of the borough but homeowners just left for Essex, France,
Spain, Portugal.”
Gary recalled seeing police officers forcibly evict squatters who had occupied empty homes in 1995. “The squatters didn’t go without a fight. One woman got hold of a washing machine, filled it with concrete and put her hand in it. It took seven months to remove all of the squatters,” he said.
The audio project was launched in 2003 and was originally commissioned by Museum of London and produced by Artsadmin. Now in its 20th year, it is one of the largest sonic installations and sculptural entities in London.
This year, the entire network will be restored as throughout the years, some of the transmitters have been lost. Linked is available for audiences to visit in Wanstead Library from 11am to 5pm on Saturday, 14th September. Participants will receive radio receivers, headphones and a map.
To discuss any access requirements, please contact Nikki Tomlinson, [email protected]
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