Antiques & Rubbish
Over the years I have left old furniture from my flat on the landing outside and watched it disappear after a day or two. I was confident it had been recycled; sometimes the furniture would return to the landing years later only to disappear again. I’m not sure if any of it made it to the ‘Antique’ shop {below).
Antique shop on Brick Lane 2009
Clearly the settee and washing machine etc (below) were not considered worthy of recycling as they were simply dumped on the street.
Dumped rubbish on Bethnal Green Road. London 2001
Cheshire Street Sunday market. London 1985
Wall colours
The mural in New York City (below) has suffered from a number of graffiti editions but still brightens a bleak New York Street.
A pedestrian walks past a street mural. New York 2005.
This ‘street art’ has accumulated over a number of weeks following the closure (below) of some shops in Athens. It brings to the street an entirely different ambience from the discipline of a ‘mural’. In some ways it reflects the coming economic chaos and anger of people affected by the recession.
Street art on empty Greek shops in Athens 2005
Woman walks past street 'tags' in Barcelona.
A woman walks past a blue entrance with graffiti and stencils. Vallance Rd, London 2009
Dhaka Cobblers
The street in Dhaka is an industrial engine catering for many every day needs. These cobblers had established their own production line when I photographed them on the pavement in 2009.
Cobblers hard at work on the pavement in Dhaka. Bangladesh 2009
Cobblers hard at work on the pavement in Dhaka. Bangladesh 2009
Although the pavement stone work was incomplete any shoe repair would be complete.
New & Second Hand
You can buy virtually anything new or second hand in the East End. Most derelict sites have been utilised for car boot sales before they were ‘regenerated’. The women below were selling goods at the bottom of Vallance Rd on a site which has now been utilised for housing.
Car boot sale on a derelict site in 1987. Vallance Rd. London 1987
The numerous street markets in Tower Hamlets provide an alternative to mainstream shopping. Market traders often have communication skills which embrace the finest traditions of music hall.
'Perfume Pat' on her stall in Bethnal Green Rd. London 1995
Petticoat Lane and Bethnal Green Rd Sales
Market shopper. Petticoat Lane. London 1988
Selling goods from a tea chest. Sunday market Bethnal Green Rd. London 2007
