This is Rob Clayton on the final day of the #MultistoryTakeover.⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ People were really keen to help, support and participate in my project ‘Estate Return’.⁣ ⁣ My representations are intended to be subtle and balanced and despite the hope and resilience I encountered, the overriding imagery is undoubtedly one of melancholy.⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ Join us on 23 November for a screening of my short film ‘Estate’ (2015) featuring Jonathan Meades followed by a conversation with myself, residents of Lion Farm Estate and a representative from Accord Housing.⁣ @clayton.rob .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ ⁣ #Socialhousing #community #EstateReturn #photography #film #Multistoryartist #photographyexhibition #housing #AccordSandwell #socialhousingarchitecture #sandwell #lionfarmestate #housing #JonathanMeades

It felt that little had changed in many ways. It’s a solid working-class community, the sort I grew up in. It’s perhaps to the credit of the estate and its design that despite years of neglect and austerity it is quite a cohesive community. Sure, there are problems there and some people are certainly struggling to get by, but I felt there was the same sense of strong community and kinship that prevailed a generation ago. There needs to be of course; people have to depend on each other, the debilitating effects of factors such as loneliness, poverty, isolation, addiction, lack of opportunity etc. are never far away. ⁣@clayton.rob .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ #Socialhousing #community #EstateReturn #photography #film #Multistoryartist #photographyexhibition #housing #AccordSandwell #socialhousingarchitecture #sandwell #lionfarmestate #housing #JonathanMeades

I wanted to concentrate on an area and I always felt I needed to communicate something about my life. Returning to my own council estate to do this might have worked but it was too familiar to me and less sublime in nature, so I drove around bits of West Midlands hinterland and spotted an assembly of towers in the distance one day and investigated further. I recall seeing the estate for the first time – it had various elements but the most striking were the six sixteen-story blocks that stood alone surrounded by empty field and concrete aprons. There was a solemnity and power to the aesthetic of this specific location that was both typical and extraordinary at the same time. I knew immediately that this location offered what I was looking for.⁣ @clayton.rob ⁣ .⁣ ⁣ .⁣ ⁣ .⁣ ⁣ .⁣ ⁣ .⁣ ⁣ .⁣ ⁣ .⁣ ⁣ .⁣ ⁣ #Socialhousing #community #EstateReturn #photography #film #Multistoryartist #photographyexhibition #housing #AccordSandwell #socialhousingarchitecture #sandwell #lionfarmestate #housing #JonathanMeades

This is Rob Clayton for day 1 of the #MultistoryTakeover.⁣ ⁣ ⁣ I recall I wanted to shoot a serious social documentary piece of work whilst in my final degree year and I was based in the West Midlands. I had always had an interest in urban landscape photography and this was to be my most serious effort that brought together my skills and abilities at that moment in time. Looking back, I think my inexperience was also a positive as the pictures have a rawness and immediacy about them.⁣ ⁣ .⁣ ⁣ .⁣ ⁣ .⁣ ⁣ .⁣ ⁣ .⁣ ⁣ .⁣ ⁣ .⁣ ⁣ .⁣ ⁣ #Socialhousing #community #EstateReturn #photography #film #Multistoryartist #photographyexhibition #housing #AccordSandwell #socialhousingarchitecture #sandwell #lionfarmestate #housing #JonathanMeades

This week Robert Clayton will be taking over Multistory’s Instagram. Join us on 23 November for a screening of Robert’s short film ‘Estate’ (2015), followed by a conversation between Robert, residents of Lion Farm Estate and a representative from Accord Housing to discuss the work and its’ social implications, the need for social housing and community; and what makes a successful neighbourhood. Book your free place via link in bio) ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣ ⁣In 1991, Robert documented life on the Lion Farm Estate in Oldbury for his seminal project ‘Estate’. In 2018 Robert was commissioned by Multistory to return to Lion Farm, and take photographs of its residents – a project which evolved into an exhibition that is currently touring Sandwell libraries. Over the next few days, Robert will share images from both projects, drawing links between what he saw in 1991 and what has changed since then.⁣⁣⁣ .⁣⁣⁣ .⁣⁣⁣ .⁣⁣⁣ .⁣⁣⁣ .⁣⁣⁣ .⁣⁣⁣ .⁣⁣⁣ .⁣⁣⁣ #Socialhousing #community #EstateReturn #photography #film #Multistoryartist #photographyexhibition #housing #AccordSandwell #socialhousingarchitecture #sandwell #lionfarmestate #housing⁣⁣⁣

‪Great to see some exciting work @CovBiennial – highlights include Šejla Kamerićs moving image artwork ‘1395 Days Without Red’ at Coventry Cathedral and our visit to @the_herbert_cov for exhibitions AND tour of the Medieval Undercroft. Pics feat work by the above & @andrewjacksonphotography (image 1) and Parmar & Piper‬ (image 2). We didn’t get to see everything so recommend checking out the website for more details/event/opening times. You have until 24 November 2019. . . #TheTwin #CoventryBiennial #thisiscoventry

This week artist Annabel Duggleby @annabel92 led a zine-making workshop for a local home education group in Oldbury, as part of the ‘Estate Return’ exhibition programme. The kids explored what home and community mean to them, and what they would change about where they live! . . . . . . #annabelduggleby #estatereturn #robertclayton #estate #zines #collage #oldbury #langley #library #community #homeeducation #zineworkshop

This is my final post for the #MultistoryTakeover.⁣ ⁣ This photograph uses repetition and lines to give the idea of an artificial and rigid landscape. The trodden path shows that people have kept this as a teenage haunt, that this dark, almost underground maze is treasured, is used and visited regularly.⁣ ⁣ The fact that it is by Martin Parr, who’s work is usually vibrant and filled with people, also helps to show that there is something special about the place. That this wide landscape and monotone mixed with brown is, for generations, a second home, a playground when you’re too old to play. This is a hidden space, somewhere you’d never find if you weren’t told about it. It has been built on, but that hasn’t stopped young people using it. This is a place that hasn’t conceded. ⁣ ⁣ Olivia #MultistoryTakeover⁣