PHIL MAXWELL

Hanging about on Brick Lane

May 22, 2012

Two women on Brick Lane. London 2000

Crowd on Brick Lane. London 2002

Three women on Brick Lane. London 2006

During the 1980’s and into the 1990’s I used to photograph the various mobilisations against Nazi groups who had decided the top of Brick Lane belonged to them. Sometimes there was just a handfill of protestors and on other occasions a huge counter demonstration. The BNP disappeared from the top of Brick Lane following a number of encounters with anti racists in the early 1990’s. Up until that time the police always protected the Nazis space and arrested protestors.

The occasion for these photographs was following a number of racist attacks in the area. As the National Front sold their newspapers on Sunday a few anti racists decided to stand next to paper sellers and hand out anti racist leaflets. This was not allowed by the police who said the National Front had their own pitch where exclusively they could sell their nasty racist publications. Any protestors who stood near the National Front would be moved on or, as happened on this occasion, arrrested. A few seconds after these photographs were taken myself and the woman in the photograph were arrested and taken to seperate cells in Bethnal Green Police station. The desk sargeant who took our details before we were incarcerated never took my camera from me; consequently I was able to take the following pictures. I was kept in the cell for a couple of hours and then released without charge. Fortunately I was able to kill time by photographing the various thoughts of former prisoners inscribed on the walls of the cell.

leafleting against the BNP shortly before my arrest. Brick Lane, London 1985

leafleting against the National Front shortly before my arrest. Brick Lane, London 1985 (Bishopsgate Institute collection)

Photographing the BNP shortly before my arrest. Brick Lane, London 1985

Photographing the National Front shortly before my arrest. Brick Lane, London 1985 (Bishopsgate Institute collection)

Graffiti on the cell wall, Bethnal Green Police Station. London 1985 (Bishopsgate Institute collection)

The cell window, Bethnal Green Police Station. London 1985 (Bishopsgate collection)

Cell toilet, Bethnal Green Police Station. London 1985 (Bishopsgate Institute collection)

Self portrait, Bethnal Green Police Station. London 1985 (Bishopsgate collection)

Self portrait, Bethnal Green Police Station. London 1985 (Bishopsgate Institute collection)

Police Portrait

May 20, 2012

I’ve been arrested 3 times by the police whilst working as a photographer; once during the News International dispute and twice whilst photographing fascists at the top of Brick Lane. The photograph here was taken after covering a Brick Lane demo and was taken using the mechanical camera timer. I think I look quite settled and at home. I am in the police cells at the former Bethnal Green police station. On each occasion the police let me take my camera into the cell. On the other occasion I was able to photograph a range of graffiti expressing a range of unflattering views about the police. For the time being here is ‘Bethnal Green One’!

In a police cell. Bethnal Green police station. London 1980's (Bishopsgate Collection)

Underground 2

May 19, 2012

Man on the underground. London 2006 (Bishopsgate Collection)

Man on the underground. London 1990's (Bishopsgate Collection)

Whitechapel Station. London 1990's (Bishopsgate Collection)

Platform at Whitechapel Station. London 1990's (Bishopsgate Collection)

Two men on the underground. London 2003 (Bishopsgate Collection)

Mile End Station. London 2003 (Bishopsgate Collection)

Sleep. London 1998 (Bishopsgate Collection)

Reading. London 1998 (Bishopsgate Collection)

Legs on the underground. London 1998 (Bishopsgate Collection)

Mile End underground. London 2001 (Bishopsgate Collection)

Second hand

May 18, 2012

I have always been fascinated by markets. Everything is second hand, has its own history and is often for sale at a ridiculously low price. The markets open on Sunday in Spitalfields are less numerous than before and the Cheshire St market has shrunk with the development of warehouses into ‘luxury housing’. Markets are an adventure; they draw you in to reveal secrets, history and adventure. The experience is altogether different from that of a shopping Mall. I would go as far as to say that I would see markets with their constituent stalls and fly pitches as the antithesis to the dire hand of a shopping mall. There is no need to think in a shopping mall but your mind can be set free in a market.