Life Without a Car
I’ve always lived in a City and spent most of my life living just off Brick Lane in Spitalfields. I have never driven a car and always relied on public transport or the generosity of a friend who drives. As a non driver I have occasionally felt I was regarded as a little odd. I can recall times when I was asked the question ‘Do you drive Phil?’ On hearing the answer there would be a silence as if the questioner had stumbled on a dreadful secret.
One of the many car accessory places in and around Spitalfields, Brady Street London 1989.
My ‘guilt’ as a non driver was reinforced as I walked around Spitalfields and stumbled on a tyre shop.
A loan tyre on on this bridge that crosses Whitechapel underground lines. London 1991
Car installation at the Frieze fare in London 2007
Tyres on Bethnal Green Road, London 2008
Blitz on Eastern Grocers
This week has been very special. My 40 year retrospective ‘went well’ according to everyone I’ve spoken to. The only difficulty I have with openings is that you don’t really get a chance to speak with old friends – some of whom have travelled quite a distance to see you. There were some delightful students who came and interviewed me about photography etc. I enjoy being contacted and interviewed by students; I hope they find the process as engaging as I do. The Gentle Author of Spitalfields life attempted to introduce me to another photographer: Colin O’Brien; we both like each others work but didn’t get a chance to talk. Still ‘Spitalfields Life’ is on my case and I’ve been told a meeting is imminent. I look forward it.
Eastern Grocers. Hanbury Street. London 1985
In terms of this week being special I went on two shoots and even walked around Spitalfields on my own (this was my first solo excursion into the world for over a year). After a shoot filming the brilliant Mural commemorating the battle of Cable Street I ended up staring at the grocers shop (above) which has now changed (below) a little. We share a jib with another filmmaker whose studio is opposite the grocers that became an Estate Agents, a Money Lender and finally (I might have missed something) BLITZ.
Blitz shop. Hanbury Street, London 2011
I am not sure what Blitz is or does. I intend to explore the place in a weeks time and report back ……
Many thanks to Andrew Grainger for all the photographs below.
Hazuan Hashim & Phil Maxwell. Opening of '40 years On'. Bishopsgate Institute, London 2011
Phil, Robson & Hazuan. Bishopsgate Institute London 2011
Rough Trade Images
I’ve always loved LP’s / Vinyl /Records. The sleeve notes and cover design music collectors grew up to expect vanished with the introduction of the CD. I have thousands of LP’s and still play them (not all at once).
Rough Trade Exhibition. Man having a cup of tea in a Cheshire Streeet Cafe. London 1986
So exhibiting in a Rough Trade store is fantastic. I noticed the old Victorian Library at Bishopsgate absorbed the images without difficulty – as did Rough Trade.
Rough Trade Exhibition. Woman outside a betting shop. Roman Rd, London 2008.
Hazuan Hashim (below) curated the show for the two venues. It’s his birthday today. Happy Birthday my darling!
Phil & Hazx2, Spitalfields London 2001
Bishopsgate Institute Archive
On Thursday November 3 I will hand over 83 images to Stefan Dickers – Library and Archives Manager at the Bishopsgate Institute. They will be the first images from my collaboration with the Institute that will be available for viewing online. Here are a few from the many hundreds to follow.
Pathway joining Hanbury Street to Old Montague Street. Whitechapel 2001
Child entering newsagents on Brick Lane with his mother, 1984
Two men in conversation. Whitechapel Road 1980's
Man on the District Line. Early 1980's
40 Years On
Last night my exhibition ’40 Years On’ launched the magnificent, the UK’s largest and most democratic photographic festival, PHOTOMONTH.
Bangladesh High Commisioner, Chris Smith & Phil Maxwell. 'East' exhibition. Spitz gallery Spitalfields 1997.
In 1997 my Photomonth exhibition was launched by the then Minister for Culture & Media Chris Smith.
I’ve had a show in this festival each year since it began so I was delighted when Maggie Pinhorn of Alternative Arts asked me to kick this years still larger festival off with my retrospective ’40 Years On’.
The opening of 'East' in Sylhet. Bangladesh 1996
‘East’ was first shown in Sylhet, Bangladesh with the support of the Kothakaly Arts Group. Shortly after the exhibition was officially opened the power failed but was kept going with candles handed out to all the guests.
Most of my PHOTOMONTH exhibitions have been in real rather that cyber space. However I have to confess as a veteran of organising exhibitions in real spaces (with the direction & assistance of Hazuan Hashim) that a considerable proportion of my shows have been ‘online’ in recent years.
Thanks to Rossana Leal, Andrew Grainger, Lohan Emmanuel and Stefan Dickers for making this years show happen!
Pictures of the opening will appear in tomorrows post if I can persuade a few friends to send me some….
