Money Lenders Driven Out Of Temple
Each day new slogans emerge at the encampment outside St Paul’s. The placard below reminded me of the story in Matthew’s Gospel when Jesus stormed through the Temple and drove out the money lenders.
Demonstration outside St Paul's cathedral, 2011
Protester at the first gulf war demonstration. London 1990
Poster on railings outside St Paul's Cathedral. London 2011
Cathedral and Capitalism in Crisis
Happily following a swift blood test at St Bartholomew’s Hospital yesterday we were able to show our solidarity with those camping outside St Paul’s Cathedral. Anticipating the brevity of the hospital appointment we took a film camera with us to collect footage that might prove useful for our film ‘From Cable Street to Brick Lane’.
Capitalism in Crisis protest, St Pauls Cathedral 2011.
I’ve admired the steps and facade of St Pauls all my life. That admiration was amplified when I first looked at the tented encampment that was growing around the ecclesiastical base. Traditionally Cathedrals throughout Europe would be surrounded by markets. The sale of ‘fruit and Veg’ would no doubt be seen as vulgar by today’s cathedral authorities. Possibly they would now prefer a modest market instead of being ethically cleansed by campaigners and activists who have no faith in Capitalism.
Planet for sale. Capitalism is Crisis protest, St Pauls Cathedral 2011.
I can imagine a liturgical parade, with the Bishop carrying a staff with the message (above) attached to it. I am reminded also of the time Saint Peter Tatchell ‘occupied’ a cathedral pulpit with the Archbishop of Canterbury in pursuit of LGBT rights. I shouldn’t imagine things because in reality there is a real and international growing movement against the greed of bankers and multi – national companies who dominate the world economy.
Women protesters against racist murderers. Newham 1980's.
I had some difficulty in selecting the above photograph. I was going to add another photograph of the St Paul’s encampment. I then realised I was missing something out. The international struggles that have become so visible this year and given hope to millions of people across the planet have been spurred on by a great legacy of struggles from the past. I can never look back now with a nostalgia towards previous struggles because at the Cathedral yesterday I could feel that all the demonstrations I have attended over the past 40 years were resonating their.
Prams and Shopping Trolleys
Lady pushing shopping trolley. New York, 2005.
Woman with pram on Vallance Road. London 1986
Lady pushes shopping trolley across Valance Rd. London 2006
Phil Maxwell: 40 Years On – A Retrospective
“It has been my good fortune to record all this life and change continuously for the past thirty years”.
Phil Maxwell – East End Photographer
Celebrating 40 years of Phil Maxwell’s work and its archiving for public use by the Bishopsgate Institute, the exhibition takes you on a journey through his youth in Liverpool to his later life in the East End of London.
- Housed in two venues – the Bishopsgate Institute and Rough Trade – you can walk between the two buildings and experience the vibrancy of the East End first hand. This is the East End seen through Phil Maxwell’s lens – his backdrop and canvass against which he’s captured sketches of life, documenting an instant in time and the social conditions and history of his community.
Phil Maxwell
40 Years On – A Retrospective
Friday 30 September – Wednesday 30 November 2011
Curated by Hazuan Hashim
Bishopsgate Institute Library
230 Bishopsgate
London EC2m 4QH
Royal Trade East
Dray Walk
Old Truman Brewery
91 Brick Lane
London E1 6QL
Prints from the exhibition are available (with a certificate of authentication signed by the photographer). For purchase please contact Rossana at mercaditoproductions@hotmail.com
Stills for Films
I suppose I could be described as a visual artist with a bias towards stills photography rather than film. I would disagree with this because I don’t hold to rigid definitions around still and moving film. Furthermore disciplines relating to still photography also apply to film.
Man on Brick Lane, London early 1980's
The photograph (above) has been chosen for our film ‘From Cable Street to Brick Lane’. It accompanies a narrative about how the Lane has changed over the years. Hazuan Hashim edits our films and has developed an eloquent language through his use of stills from my 40+ year old archive. His use of stills may also involve a series of frames of the same subject. Stills are not used with reluctance because of any shortage of moving footage. Stills have become an integral part of our ‘film’ vocabulary.
Artist Bob & Roberta Smith working on a piece of work for our film.
In addition to stills a number of artists are creating pieces specifically for the film. For the work above we will be using film and many stills to accompany the narrative of the artist Bob and Roberta Smith.
Bob relates the acccount his father gave him of the time he fought the Fascists at Cable Street. The film has been in production for four years and examines the social changes that have occured in the East End as well as the ongoing fight against Fascism. Since the film was started the skyline (looking west from the East) has changed quite dramatically. The ‘Shard’ building viewed from Whitechapel (below) will soon be the tallest in London.
The Shard building under construction. London, October 2011
Phil Maxwell: 40 Years On – A Retrospective
“It has been my good fortune to record all this life and change continuously for the past thirty years”.
Phil Maxwell – East End Photographer
Celebrating 40 years of Phil Maxwell’s work and its archiving for public use by the Bishopsgate Institute, the exhibition takes you on a journey through his youth in Liverpool to his later life in the East End of LondonHoused in two venues – the Bishopsgate Institute and Rough Trade – you can walk between the two buildings and experience the vibrancy of the East End first hand. This is the East End seen through Phil Maxwell’s lens – his backdrop and canvass against which he’s captured sketches of life, documenting an instant in time and the social conditions and history of his community.
Friday 30 September – Wednesday 30 November 2011
Curated by Hazuan Hashim
Bishopsgate Institute Library
230 Bishopsgate
London EC2m 4QH
Royal Trade East
Dray Walk
Old Truman Brewery
91 Brick Lane
London E1 6QL
Prints from the exhibition are available (with a certificate of authentication signed by the photographer). For purchase please contact Rossana at mercaditoproductions@hotmail.com
Pub Talk
Phil Maxwell: 40 Years On – A Retrospective
Conversation in a pub. Lodge Lane, Liverpool 1983
“It has been my good fortune to record all this life and change continuously for the past thirty years”.
Phil Maxwell – East End Photographer
Celebrating 40 years of Phil Maxwell’s work and its archiving for public use by the Bishopsgate Institute, the exhibition takes you on a journey through his youth in Liverpool to his later life in the East End of London.
- Housed in two venues – the Bishopsgate Institute and Rough Trade – you can walk between the two buildings and experience the vibrancy of the East End first hand. This is the East End seen through Phil Maxwell’s lens – his backdrop and canvass against which he’s captured sketches of life, documenting an instant in time and the social conditions and history of his community.
Phil Maxwell
40 Years On – A Retrospective
Friday 30 September – Wednesday 30 November 2011
Curated by Hazuan Hashim
Bishopsgate Institute Library
230 Bishopsgate
London EC2m 4QH
Royal Trade East
Dray Walk
Old Truman Brewery
91 Brick Lane
London E1 6QL
This exhibition Lambda C Type image is printed on paper measuring 59cm x 59cm and mounted on 5mm foam board. As an exhibition single prints it are for sale at £200 (with a certificate of authentication signed by the photographer). For purchase please contact Rossana at mercaditoproductions@hotmail.com
