Between January and March 2004 Helena Ben-Zenou researched and photographed aspects of Tilbury.

Concentrating on Tilbury Docks, the Cruise Terminal, Tilbury Town, and East Tilbury / Bata Estate, sites were photographed using a standard Polaroid camera. The resulting set of images capture small features and perspectives, which when placed together form an overview of the area.

Research into the history of the district, and study of archive images give a context to the resulting photographs and a background to this small, but key area of the South East.

Helena works across painting, photography, video and also exhibition curation and addresses the physicality and social history of urban spaces. Referring to the city – architecture, city streets, and aerial views - Helena Ben-Zenou’s work investigates transitory and contradictory nature of cities. During the past 7 years Helena’s work has concentrated on exploring areas of East London, particularly areas along and around the A13. Helena has exhibited widely in the UK - recent group exhibitions “A13" at The Wapping Project ,“East International” at Norwich Gallery, “We’ re not in Kansas anymore”, (co-curator and exhibitor) at the former Poplar Baths, in East London, and Natwest Art Prize exhibition, Lothbury Gallery, London. Recent solo shows include the Mappin Gallery, Heffield, and “Other People's Palaces" at Bancroft Library, East London (Year of the Artist). Helena also has forthcoming exhibitions in London, Frankfurt, and Berlin.