The Summer of 2008 with Photography and Film

“This is going to be the summer of 2008”, was the passing remark of a stranger yesterday morning. He was right. The sun shone all day. In the evening, it was warm. In the heat island of London, I roamed from place to place. My heart smiled and my face smiled back. Today, I awoke to the sound of thunder.

Yes, I spent the summer of 2008 in The Old Smoke. Seemingly, it welcomed my presence.

Start with Beetroot

A walk from London Victoria took me past Buckingham Palace, where people sat outside on the grass, bustled about in groups, took photographs and enjoyed the morning sun. In the bustling heart of Soho, a woman gave inviting looks. She was in the foyer of an erotic shop. Independent shops were all about. A man with a great beard stood behind the counter at a comic exchange. Sister Ray beckoned me to buy music.

The city was at peace. This was the first truly sunny day in an age. From a large cardboard box, I ate a vegan shepherd’s pie, with sautéed root vegetables, broccoli and three fabulous mini sausage rolls that perched on top. So much food at midday was enough to beat me. My stomach sang. I was at a cafe called Beetroot on Berwick Street.

As well as having no plates, the small cafe, which sits beside an age-old fruit market, also had no toilet. The pub next door announced ‘Toilets for Customers Only’. I decided to be German. A German once told me that in their nation such establishments have to allow the public access to toilets. “Are you okay?” a staff member asked, in the almost empty drinking establishment. “I’m fine” I answered. I was. I was feeling much better. I made for a swift exit and decided against the fake German accent. My lunch was on a table next door. I wasn't followed or shouted at. It was all good.


London Through a Lens

I can thoroughly recommend a visit to ‘London Through a Lens’. This is a free exhibition of Getty Images on Eastcastle Street, with photographs dating back as far as 1828. The exhibition includes some famous faces, but the photographs of ordinary folk, that define a moment, say much more to me. Here is a taster, but do see the photographs in person. They are on display until 27th September, 2008.

Coal Scrounging (May 1926). I love the children in this image. Their dirty cheerful faces bring me joy. This photograph was taken during the General Strike, when children scrounged in the coal yard for odd pieces of coal that had fallen from the vans at King's Cross. These were bad times, and yet, for the camera, the children held their sacks up high over their shoulders and armed themselves with cheeky grins.

Squatters In Britain (August 1971). No Fuzz, Free Pot Acid, People Before Profit, Love Your Fellow Man and Give Him a Home. The squat in Clerkenwell speaks of idealism and a better world. This image makes me want to be a part of it.

Crowded Market (December 1962). This photograph shows a crowd of shoppers at Petticoat Lane street market in London's East End. What I love about it the most, is the placard held high. It says ‘The End is at Hand’. Part of me imagined such placards to be mythical or perhaps part of American history. I love it.

Sweets Galore (February 1953). This images shows a crowd of children as they rush to get into the sweet shop. This was on the day that sweet rationing finally ended. Hooray.

Piccadilly New Year (January 1955). This image shows us that nothing really changes. The mass of people at Piccadilly reminds me of seeing the New Year in at Trafalgar Square, and on the north bank of the Thames for the Millennium. It also makes me wonder what happened to Bovril’s corporate status.

A Falling Fireman (July 1922). This photograph shows a fireman jumping from a window into a safety blanket at Southwark Bridge Road in London. The fireman holds his body perfectly straight and has his arms to his side. He appears to be thinking more about looking smart for the camera than about his fall.

Blackout (December 1939). This is an image of Oxford Street, London, during the blackout of World War II. One might think that the series of bright wiggly lines are vehicles, but they are pedestrians holding torches. Apparently, torches were permitted after people died when falling into ponds and walking into traffic, but they had to be held downwards. White lines were drawn on pavements to guide Londoners across town.

British Restaurant? (May 1940). This depicts an Italian restaurateur removing the sign Italian sign from his restaurant. When Mussolini sided with Hitler in World War II, Winston Churchill declared "Collar the lot!" and Italian men were interned until Italy's capitulation. In London there were anti-Italian riots.

Children’s Party (circa 1918). At the end of the first world war, some East End children celebrated with a street party. They sat at a long table in the middle of a street decorated with bunting and British flags. Apparently, taking over the streets for a party used to be more common. Bring it back, I say.


I C*nt Spel

At Trafalgar Square, with stalls and stages galore, Liberty called for Disability Rights. It was a free festival of music, arts and dance, at which many of the performers were disabled or deaf. Everyone was welcome to attend. I thoroughly enjoyed its inclusive nature. We stopped to watch comedian Liz Carr, who entertained us with her smutty humour. They had subtitles, sign language and wheelchairs on offer. Fantastic stuff.


The Southbank

Over the river, a relaxed summer vibe was in full flow. Children paddled on the sandy banks of the Thames, couples smiled and held hands, and the buskers made a mint. A raggle taggle band welcomed us with the music used for "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini", silver statues blinked and a full on con act was in progress. Under which cup is the penny? Hang on; doesn’t the person who just won £20 look just like your brother? Really.


Susan Pui San Lok

In the Southbank Gallery of the British Film Institute, the air was cooler and calmer. We sat at the edge of a room on a cushioned bench and watched five films run concurrently in harmony. 'Faster, Higher' is film art to delight. I have seen film art in galleries before, and yet this was far superior. Set to the backdrop of the Olympic Games, it highlights the similarities of our, oh so, different nations. We all cheer with patriotism for the physical endeavour of our fellow citizen. Interspersed with clips of an expedition on Mount Everest, and a group of young athletes performing repetitive martial art exercises (faster, higher), the mere 16 minutes of running time gives so much more. My thought processes may catch up one day soon. Rehearsal and construction, the event and post-analysis. We are all the same, despite the cultural differences that define our eras and nations.


Spray Can Alley

In a tunnel in Waterloo anarchy reigns. During May Bank Holiday, 2008, Banksy and hundreds of graffiti artists made Leake Street their own. Now, unmonitored, living art is changing the tunnel’s appearance every day. The original pieces have mutated and, in some cases, they no longer exist. Cars lie heavy with paint in the gloom. To visit this tunnel every day and watch its mutation would have been perfect, but we had just one day and one small moment. We were Art Fags. Someone kindly directed us into the tunnel with a sign that said as much. I hope that in the evenings, the tunnel fills with people, a sound system and a party. That would complete it for me. Do see the tunnel before The Department for Transport decides to end anarchy forever. There are many photographs of the tunnel scattered across the world wide web, but what you see online probably won’t be what’s in the tunnel right now. What I saw in the tunnel, just yesterday, may have gone too.


The Dark Knight

Everyone should watch great films on an IMAX screen. I’m not going to review the film, because at the time of writing it’s received 258,393 votes on the Internet Movie Database site, and is ranked as the third best movie of all time. For me the film was 20-metre-high by 26-metre-wide, no one’s head bobbed up and down in front of me, and the sound was superb. I like the new Batman films. Watching The Machinist led me to reappraise Christian Bale, who I hated in American Psycho and Shaft. It’s a shame that the Joker is dead, as this may have been Heath Ledger at his best. Who knows what he could have done next.


The Press Photographer’s Year

The day started with photographs from the past and ended with a much more current set, including images fresh from the Olympic Games. We caught the very last day of this outstanding exhibition. You can view a slide show of it, but seeing the photographs printed, and with a description, made for a very moving presentation. Highlights include Rui Vieira’s image of a British Muslim woman sticking up two fingers to the world, Darren Staples image of a man running through fire, Sean Smith’s image of an injured Iraqi soldier in the throes of pain, and Daniel Berehulak’s image of flooded Tewkesbury.


End with Pineapple

The summer of 2008 ended with a walk along the south bank of the Thames, and watching The Fifth Element on a laptop on the train. It was all very lovely. We ate fresh pineapple.

Fabpants Recommends: Fresh Legs. I need fresh legs, you need fresh legs, we all need fresh legs. Indie punk for all. Unsigned and unfettered. Check out their MySpace. How rude of me not to provide a link. Seek, seek, seek, and you shall find.