Cecilia
Cecilia was born in Sofia, Bulgaria and grew up in both Cuba and in London where she currently lives on the Lancaster West Estate.
‘I’m very proud of being from an estate because I don’t think it should define you even though it’s hard growing up with all the evidence that the council doesn’t care about you. When the Grenfell Tower fire happened, everyone knew here immediately why it happened because no-one wanted that cladding, it was pointless. No one gave a shit about what the cladding looked like, what the building looked like, it was just a building. It’s functional. It’s a home for people. Knowing that was the reason that all those neighbours died, it was disgusting. For me and for most people on the estate, it’s really depressing because it's evident that they don’t really care. It was demoralising, dehumanising. This is how the government views, or Kensington especially, views us and people in social housing.’
Grenfell Tower had been Cecilia’s northern star when returning home at night with the windows lit up showing signs of life and community. Today she continues to have a strong attachment to the W11 neighbourhood, its residents and the green spaces around the estate.
Cecilia works as a 2D animator and illustrator who uses traditional mediums to embellish stories with vibrant & nonsensical characters.