Steve McQueen, the Oscar-winning director of 12 Years a Slave, is filming a "lasting memorial" to the Grenfell Tower tragedy.
A total of 71 people lost their lives when the west London block went up in flames on the 14th of June. Hundreds more were made homeless, and around four in five of these people have yet to be found a new permanent home. Prime Minister Theresa May has since admitted that people affected by the tragedy did not receive enough support during its aftermath.
The Sunday Times reports that McQueen, who has also won the Turner Prize for his video artwork, will use a helicopter to film the building's ravaged shell to create a "life-in-a-day" montage. He's due to start shooting on Monday, before the building is covered by a white plastic screen designed to ensure survivors of the tragedy suffer no more psychological trauma.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
A website announcing the project says: "This is to record this moment in the community’s history and make a lasting memorial to the tragedy. This would be done with respect to those who lost their lives and the wider community. The aim is that it lives on in the mind of the nation and the world long after the covering has gone up."
The Sunday Times also reports that McQueen's memorial artwork won't be shown for at least two years, until the police investigation and independent public enquiry into the tragedy have both been completed. The artwork is expected to be screened for survivors before going on display in a London museum, and it will never be sold for money.
On Thursday, a national memorial service was held at London's St Paul's Cathedral to mark the six-month anniversary of the Grenfell Tower fire. Around 1500 people attended, including hundreds of survivors and bereaved families. Theresa May, Jeremy Corbyn, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and Prince Harry were also present paying their respects.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT