Hackney Happenings
I apologise for being so tardy with the L.O.P. The world of existential aestheticism or athleticism has over come my commitment to the Project, but nonetheless, it has not been forgotten.
On Sunday 21st October 2012, I left my more usual section of the London Overground and veered towards Hackney to see the film 'Whatever Happened To Baby Jane?' As ever, I did it as a Citysocialising event and only one person came to see it with me. But anyhow, I arrived in Hackney and it was raining. It's amazing how our sense of place is often determined by the weather and/or mood we are experiencing when we arrive there. For example, a theme park in the rain is about as appealing as Marmite eaten with peanut butter.
Hackney Central was similar to most of the Overground stations. Slightly modern or converted stations with quite charming signage. Sometimes, really pretentious and Grecian in their aspirations but this one was more subtle.
Main Hackney was wet and wild. A slightly unusual blend of architectural styles. The walk up to the Hackney Picturehouse involved walking past the Hackney Empire, which I have unusually never frequented and past the usual mixture of shops that you expect to see on most high streets and I don't mean Argos etc. I mean quirky little places that offer to unlock phones and whilst selling you cheap plastic protection for your phones.
The Hackney Town Hall also stood out as a memorable landmark in an environment that seemed in some respects quite spartan, but this was as much to do with the weather as anything else. I was amazed to see the curious exotic trees outside the Town Hall like a nod to South Africa and Graham Greene novels.
The Hackney Picturehouse was wonderful. Distinctively modern. Impressive bar area. Old projector on display downstairs and odd light display upstairs. The seats were also comfortable. Whilst waiting outside the venue, I think I saw Slavoj Zizek, philosopher and cultural critic disappearing out of the venue following his talk. Behind him, an assorted collection of backpacked students and bearded activists left. Are beards an essential feature of political activism?
In passing, 'Whatever Happened To Baby Jane?' was screened on the final day of the 'London Film Festival' and for once, I saw four films. It was still vibrant and an insightful exploration of sibling rivalry within the film and theatre industry. As ever, when I left the film, I listened to the random conversations of the audience. A couple of the audience felt that it had aged quite badly but the majority seemed to enjoy it. It's a film that needs to be seen in the cinema.
As you will see from the photos I took, Hackney is as much about the dumped rubbish, fungal growth on the side of monuments and the polite ostentation of in your face signage to denote modernity. It is changing. It will continue to grow.
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| A tree of some importance outside the Hackney Town Hall. |
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| Hackney Town Hall with tree oddly out of place and time. |
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| Ornament and clock faces appeal to me. |
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| Fungal growth on monument. |
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| Hackney Town Hall with stairs. |
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| Pineapple tree as I will colloquially call it. |
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| Understated signage for the Hackney Empire. |
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| A wet Hackney Street and the Hackney Empire on the left. |
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| Rubbish. A metaphor for the hierarchical nature of our lives. |
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| Of lines and light, our journeys are shown. |
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| A church in an age of disputed faith. |
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| Hackney Central sign and arched windows boarded up. |
