Week Seven

Hello friends.  I have to disappoint you with some grievous news - I won't be DJing at my next house party.  Not, because I'm crap but because the DJ Academy is crap and messed up our booking.  So unfortunately, no review of my DJ lesson for week 7.

Never fear though as I am hoping to prove, London has so much to offer that it didn't matter.  Instead, this week I went to the Museum of London.  A museum I didn't even know existed before finding out about the launch of their new exhibit, London Street Photography.

Occasionally I have this insane notion in my brain that I'm not bad at taking photographs and almost think of myself as an amateur photographer.  However, when I go to exhibits like this I realise how much utter baloney I'm actually spouting.  I have nothing more than an eye for capturing a decent picture but there is no real skill there.  I did do a photography course a couple of years ago, hence why it is not going to be one of my 52 weeks, however I cannot recommend them highly enough if you like to take the odd snap.  I'm definitely going to do another one.

Anyway - back to the exhibit, which I was really excited by because not only do I love photography and street photography but of course, it is London-centric.   There are over 200 photographs in the exhibit spanning a period of about 150 years and all the photos in some way have an element of spontaneity or movement in them.

There are 3 sections which help to show how street photography has evolved over the years, as well as demonstrating the continual growth and energy that London has.

1860-1929 is the first section and really shows the origins of street photography in London.  What I noticed from so many of these photos is that they almost looked like paintings rather than photos, obviously because of the poor quality at that time.  With no technology, photos could rarely capture movement.  For me, looking at these rather grainy pictures in their sepia quality makes it so difficult to imagine that there were real people going about their day in the London streets back then.  Everything looks so foreign - the brickwork, the eerie smoke, the horse and carts, even the way people looked back then.  But there they are in Piccadilly or Sloane Square and its just so incredible to see even then, the potency of life on every corner.

City workers at Bank, c.1900, John Galt

© Ian Galt, Museum of London                  

The second section is 1930-1979. Business, social movement and change.  This was perhaps my favourite section because you can see just how much London and its people evolved over this 50 year stretch.  Post-war, Americanism, Beat culture, anarchy and everything else in between is represented in these stunning photographs.  What I really caught from the photos in this section was such an essence of emotion that seemed to be missing before and you can really see it from the advancement of camera technology.  What I also loved was seeing how this period provoked such massive changes in people's image and proclivities, with so many different movements.

On the steps of Eros, Piccadilly Circus, 1969, Terry Spencer 

© Cara Spencer, courtesy Museum of London

        Trafalgar Square, c.1955, Henry Grant 

© Henry Grant Collection, Museum of London   

The final section is 1980-2010 - my generation and one of colour, communities and craziness.  Basically anything goes and more so than ever people can be whoever they want to be and this section shows no restraints and that nothing is unobtainable.  Plus, the photos are simply stunning and show the pure skill and dexterity of some of the fantastic photographers working in London today.

Oxford Street, 1998, Richard Bram 

© Richard Bram/ Courtesy Museum of

Trafalgar Square, 2006, Matt Stuart ,

© Matt Stuart /Courtesy Museum of London

This exhibit provides a truly fascinating exploration into the evolvement of London life and its inhabitants - I loved it.  Its just started so you have plenty of time to go and see it and its free.  Its on until September and all the details are here.  Next week I'm going to be enjoying the Mad Hatter's Tea Party.  Ravens?  Writing desks? Confused?  Me too.