the smoke
ISSUE 2 7 OCTOBER - 28 OCTOBER
LONDON’S BEST ARTS AND CULTURE: CURATED
INSIDE:
POETRY SCENE 101 BRICK LANE STREET ART BEST COFFEE IN THE CITY OF MONTREAL’S KEVIN BARNES LONDON FASHION WEEK COCOROSIE GIG REVIEW FOX HUNT MENSWEAR KINO: FILM OPEN MIC
the smoke
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the smoke
FROM THE EDITORS Uni’s kicked in, which means no more
corresponding across borders and time differences with our travelling section editors. The editorial team is back in the Big Smoke, juggling pitches, edits and layouting with uni readings, presentations and meetings. Tough, but worth it, and we hope you agree. London is always busy, but especially so in September. Our brilliant cover was shot by Nigel Pacquette at the Sophia Webster viewing during London Fashion Week. Emma made her way into London Fashion Weekend, but did it compare to its prestigious older sister? Read about her experience on page 5. (She did score a cute Cheap Monday jacket there.) The music scene is no less exciting: we got to interview Kevin Barnes, the frontman of of Montreal, when they played Electrowerkz on the 25th. Read about his love of London and how he turns to his music to save his life on
THE SMOKE
page 6, alongside the gig review on page 7. For all the doses of caffeine we’ll need during the semester, check out our selection of London’s best coffee on page 14. Also in the Food section, we’re introducing Street Feast for cheap, delicious and fresh eats. There are cocktails on offer too – we believe in a balanced diet. We’re also paying homage to our brilliant alumni – a bit of inspiration to get us all through the academic year ahead. Turn to page 11 to read about John Stezaker, a former student at Slade School of Fine Art. On page 8, we’ve found nine UoL alumni who’ve had an impact on the screen: Steve McQueen, Christopher Nolan and Derek Jarman to name a few. And who said humanities degrees are useless? Your humble literature students, Rena & Emma
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LONDON’S BEST ARTS AND CULTURE: CURATED
EDITORS IN CHIEF
Emma Hope Allwood Rena Minegishi thesmoke@london-student.net
SUB EDITOR Anna Tomlinson
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DESIGNER Emma Hope Allwood
4 FEATURES The Eye: UCL student Julija Bainiaksina on her company Fox Hunt Menswear
MUSIC EDITOR
Katherine Rodgers music@london-student.net
5 FEATURES London Fashion Weekend: worth the hype?
6 MUSIC
ARTS EDITORS
Costanza Beltrami Liza Weber arts@london-student.net
of Montreal’s Kevin Barnes talks about their new album Lousy with Sylvianbriar and his love of London
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FILM EDITOR
7 MUSIC Live & album reviews, feat. CocoRosie, Body/Head
8 FILM UoL alumni in the industry, feat. Christopher Nolan
9 FILM
Kit Harwood screen@london-student.net
Kino, a film open mic / The Comedian review
FASHION EDITOR
Art Outside the Gallery: East London Street Art
10 ARTS 11 ARTS
Emma Hope Allwood fashion@london-student.net
Postmodernism of John Stezaker / Tom Phillips
12 FASHION To Faux or to Fox? You decide...
FOOD EDITOR
Bryony Bowie food@london-student.net
THEATRE EDITOR
13 FASHION London Fashion Week highlights
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14 FOOD Street Feast / London’s best coffee shops
15 THEATRE
Sarah Fortescue theatre@london-student.net
A Midsummer Night’s Dream / Pope Joan
BOOKS EDITOR
Get into the London poetry scene / Book review: The North (and almost everything in it)
Elizabeth Metcalfe books@london-student.net
16 POETRY & BOOKS 18 DAYS & NIGHTS London’s best events, 7-29 October
19 FROM THE ARCHIVES Women in student march, Battersea Park, February 1992
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the smoke
the hunt is on
feature
JULIJA BAINIAKSINA OF FOX HUNT MENSWEAR Yeah, that’s where Fox Hunt is going, really classic but with some modern twists. I came up with the idea of manufacturing everything in Britain, everything handmade and bespoke, but the idea really evolved over about two years.
THE EYE: Every issue, The Smoke aims to feature University of London students and their creative endeavours. For this issue we’re speaking to Julija Bainiaksina (below), a 23 year-old Engineering student currently completing a Masters at UCL. Born in Lithuania, Julija started her own bespoke knitwear company, Fox Hunt Menswear, when she moved to London. Her garments are sold in boutiques and to private customers, and Julija was recently featured in the Daily Mail. How did the idea of Fox Hunt Menswear come about? Three or four years ago, I was reading an issue of Stylist magazine dedicated to businesswomen and how they started their businesses, which I think is what inspired me. I started thinking, ‘I want to do something on my own.’ My family was in the knitwear business, or at least they used to be, so it seemed to be the easiest route to follow. I spoke to my mum, who is a knitwear technician, and she said, ‘why don’t you do it?’ So this was when you were living in London? Yeah, this was when I’d just come to London. I started thinking about what I could do and just came up with this idea. But initially, it wasn’t Fox Hunt. I changed the name last summer. Before it was under a really tacky name: ‘Julija Handmade’. [laughs] That’s not tacky! [laughs] It is quite tacky! So when did you shape the brand into what it is today? At what point did you think, ‘I want to do bespoke men’s knitwear’? At the beginning, it was just knitwear. I wasn’t focusing on just men. To start with, I found some ladies in Lithuania who had been doing some knitting, so I had them produce my designs. At first it was accessories, mainly scarves and stuff, all handmade, but not produced in Britain. I started selling it in markets in Hackney Wick and Brick Lane, but I realised I needed to find some sort of niche. I decided to focus on menswear as I’ve found that working with male clients is easier. With a boy you can say, ‘yeah, you look great, buy that one!’ [laughs] And I think that especially with knitwear, there are a lot of classic male styles that aren’t going to go out of fashion.
Can you talk me through what happens when you have an idea for a product— the process, starting with an idea and ending in the production? The way I work usually is for bespoke stuff: let’s say a client contacts me and says, ‘I want a vest made for me’. We come up with the design together, so I’ll show him patterns and he’ll tell me what he likes. We usually use 100% wool. I do sketches and show them to him and we take measurements, then I send all this to the women who do the knitting. Altogether, the process takes about a couple of weeks. It’s completely made to order. Later on I would like to expand more into ready-to-wear. I’m still making ready-to-wear samples, but mostly just do bespoke orders. Do you think there are any words that really nail down the core values of Fox Hunt menswear? The core values? Handmade in Britain and unique. Do you think there’s a growing demand for products that are made in Britain as so much manufacturing has been pushed overseas? Definitely, the demand is very present. Whenever I speak with my customers they complain about how even brands like Marks and Spencer used to do great quality knitwear, and now everything is made somewhere else, and the quality is compromised. More and more people are looking for good products – they will even spend more to get something that will last longer than one season. I think that that kind of attitude is quintessentially British, something that people used to believe in the ‘50s! Back then it was much more that people bought things, wore them and really expected them to last a long time. We’re in such a throwaway consumer culture now. Yes, I want to bring back this attitude:
to make people buy less, but buy good quality products. What’s the point in buying ten jumpers?! How has the response been to the brand? At the moment, I’m not getting bad responses. No one has written, ‘oh, her jumpers are so bad!’ [laughs] Everything I’ve gotten has been quite good. It’s quite unusual to have an engineering student working on a menswear brand. How do you think your background, in this respect, has come together with Fox Hunt? I did some classes last year on entrepreneurship, I’m doing economics, finance. Engineering actually helps a lot when developing products. In engineering we’re constructing a bridge, but it’s a similar process to creating anything else – brainstorming, design. I think a lot of people tend to lump engineering with maths and science as something that isn’t usually seen as creative, but I think it is. Yeah, it’s really creative! It’s not just maths, it’s everything; how you come up with a product, why you need it, where it’s going to be used, what it’s going to look like, why it’s done this way and not that way. How have you found balancing starting a company with your studies? I never have any time off! [laughs] Even on Sundays, we’re in here working. I work most of the time. After lectures I used to meet clients, then go back to lectures, then do my coursework. So it’s kind of a juggling act! It means I’m always running around. Not sleeping much either? Yeah! Waking up at six o’clock. If you want to do something, just wake up early! I think that’s true, when I want to do things and I get up early I always feel like, right, it’s eleven o’clock and I’ve done so much! The day is so much longer that way.
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I think if you have an idea you can always do something with it. Don’t give up.
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Do you have any plans for the future? Any collaborations or events? We’re planning one event at the moment in December, a pop-up shop event. We’re going to bring together more menswear brands: suits, shoes, bags and accessories. We’re looking for a location. We’re going to name it ‘The Dandy Lab’, we’re going to create a very gentlemanly environment, even get a shoe-shiner! We’re going to try and sell some items but it’s mainly going to be a promotional event. For next year, I’m trying to put together the ready-to-wear collection for department stores, but the brand is still young; the name isn’t out there enough for the likes of Liberty or Selfridges. They aren’t going to buy your collection if they don’t know your name! I showed my collection to a Liberty’s buyer but he said, ‘we’re just not ready for you yet; the name isn’t known enough,’ but I’ll keep trying! One day, maybe! I’m sure! So finally, do you have any advice for young students who want to be entrepreneurs or start businesses? Work hard! [laughs] I think if you have an idea you can always do something with it. Don’t give up, just try, and try to get business advice. I’m sure every university has a business society or something, so get involved in business events. Start hanging out with people who are actively doing something. So surround yourself with similarly minded people? Yeah, that’s the thing. I remember when I started I didn’t know what to do or where to go. I started going to business and networking events where you listen to other speakers. It got me thinking and gave me ideas about what I wanted to do. I think those were really helpful.
To discover more about Fox Hunt Menswear, visit the website at foxhuntmenswear. com and search Fox Hunt Menswear on Facebook. / INTERVIEWED BY EMMA HOPE ALLWOOD / KCL / CO-EDITOR PHOTOGRAPHY BY NERINGA REKASIUTE, IMAGES COURTESY OF FOX HUNT MENSWEAR
IMAGE: EMMA HOPE ALLWOOD
the smoke
feature
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IS THIS WEEKEND WORTH IT? LONDON FASHION WEEKEND IS BILLED AS ‘BRITAIN’S MOST EXCLUSIVE FASHION AND DESIGNER SHOPPING EXPERIENCE’. WE DECIDED TO CHECK IT OUT WHEN IT HIT SOMERSET HOUSE TO DISCOVER WHETHER THE FASHIONLOVING STUDENTS OF LONDON SHOULD SPLASH OUT SOME OF THEIR HARD-EARNED CASH ON A TICKET. I turned up to Somerset House for London Fashion Weekend not really knowing what to expect: would it be full of über-stylish people who’d deem my leather trousers/shirt/ black jumper combo unworthy? What goodies awaited in those custom Sister by Sibling tote bags? What would the catwalk shows be like? Unfortunately, the slightly inflated ego that comes with a press pass – ‘move aside lowly attendees, I’m a member of the press’ – was punctured all too soon, as I discovered that my ticket made me eligible neither for a tote nor for entrance to the catwalk. ‘Where can I go, then?!’ I asked the bouncer who denied me entry to the tent. ‘You can just go in and shop,’ he replied, stony-faced. It turns out that London Fashion Weekend is, well, just a glorified sample sale tacked onto the end of the real London Fashion Week. It isn’t a bad one – across Somerset House, clothes from designers such as Dolce and Gabbana, Vivienne Westwood and Céline hang on the rails. However, though heftily reduced, they’re still at prices that would cover the average student’s rent and drinking bill for a good few weeks. The target audience seemed to be nipped and tucked over-50s with cash to splash and 17-year-olds trying valiantly to strut in New Look heels. On the plus side, I did manage to find a moss green teddy jacket from my favourite Swedish brand
Cheap Monday for £15: £75 off the asking price. There was a talk by some of the editorial and art team from Elle magazine, free nail polish and lip balm from Maybelline and a poster from Canon, as well as the awesome opportunity to get photographed by 50 cameras firing at every angle (so GIF-able). Still, I felt a little cheated. Where was the runway? Where was the glamour? I decided that while I was there, I might as well try and make the most of it. If I couldn’t get into the catwalk with my press pass, I’d have to try and blag a photo pass for tomorrow’s shows. This consisted of standing awkwardly for 10 minutes while some Made In Chelsea-esque PR girl chatted to her friend before I could get her attention, but eventually she shoved a pass into my hand like she was giving a tissue to a child that she wanted rid of before it got its sticky hands on her dress. Good enough for me. I returned the next day, photo pass in hand, for the Giles show: a so-called ‘designer highlight’ collection which featured items from Giles Deacon’s AW’13 collection. After a bit of a blip where I was informed by yet another bouncer that I needed a lanyard, I was in. It was impossible not to feel a thrill as the lights went down and the models emerged – admittedly, not the famous faces that had walked during the show’s original run, but still exciting. The audience were even treated to a very special guest, as the designer himself joined host Angela Scanlon on the runway. Admittedly, this was
mostly an opportunity to promo his new collaboration with DFS, who have just released his £3.5k ‘Lipgloss’ sofa, but still cool. Over the next couple of days I returned to shoot the Julien Macdonald highlight show and one of LFWeekend’s ‘trend’ collections – where four different trends are paraded down the catwalk.
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Clothes from designers such as Dolce and Gabbana, Vivienne Westwood and Céline hang on the rails. Though heftily reduced, they’re still at prices that would cover the average student’s rent...
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The racial diversity of the models was pleasantly surprising. At a time when models of colour make up a shockingly small fraction of those walking at fashion weeks worldwide (Jezebel.com claims that just over 17% of models who walked at NYFW back in February were people of colour), it was refreshing to have a runway that wasn’t solely dominated by a steady stream of beautiful Aryans. So, would I recommend that the students of London spend their cash on a trip to LFWeekend? It depends. Tickets cost between a reasonable £16 and an eye-watering £125, which is a very hefty sum to spend on what is essentially a shopping trip. The shows are fun to watch and there are some interesting talks scheduled, from those in the industry offering career advice to behind-the-scenes looks at brands like Topshop, but it all feels a bit tame and commercial. Sample sales aren’t hard to come by in London (there’s even one listed on our events list on page 18), so unless you’re desperate to get your hands on some of the left-over LFW glitz – or to try your own hand at blagging a photo pass – it might be worth a miss. / EMMA HOPE ALLWOOD / KCL / CO-EDITOR iMAGES COURTESY OF AUTHOR
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music
the smoke
kevin barnes IT’S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT OF MONTREAL HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR ALMOST SIXTEEN YEARS - WITH AN IMPRESSIVE ROSTER OF TWELVE ALBUMS, THE BAND HAVE CONTINUALLY WOWED CRITICS WITH THEIR UNIQUE BRAND OF PSYCHEDELIC GLAM-POP. GEORGE MCVICAR CAUGHT UP WITH ENIGMATIC FRONT MAN KEVIN BARNES TO TALK ABOUT LONDON, CASSETTES AND SYLVIA PLATH. So you’re playing in London tonight - do you have a particular interest in the music that comes from here or connection with the city itself? Yeah, definitely - I love music from sixties London; The Stones, The Kinks et cetera, which became my first connection to the city, but then also punk from the late seventies and Britpop too. As a band we always find that our best shows are either in London or Paris. Can you tell us a little more about what’s special about tonight’s show? Well, this is just a little promo trip for the new album, so it’s going to be a totally stripped-down acoustic gig tonight. This new album is a lot less ornamental and can work with just vocals and guitar. When I was writing the album I wanted it to be centred on the lyrics. I was listening to a lot of Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen, and usually when you think about that music, you tend to focus on the voice and the message. So I wanted to make something that was more direct in that sense, more about the lyrics and the voice. Would you say this album is more of a personal record than your previous releases? Yeah, I feel like our albums are getting increasingly personal, especially this one. Having said that, I have a very short attention span so one verse might be about something very close to home and then shift to something completely different. For example, in ‘Blade Glade Missionaries’ the chorus is very political; but the rest of the song, not so much. The lyrics always include some attempt at poetry [laughs]. If I’m going through a very difficult time, I’ll turn to my music to save my life, but if I’m functioning normally, I’ll usually wind up writing things that are a bit more abstract or poetic. Do you think that performing live is a kind of ‘gendered’ act? For instance, when you perform, do you think you act more feminine or more masculine or is that a false distinction altogether? Yeah I think it’s probably more nebulous – I don’t really think about it but there is some bravado and some swagger that you would say is more masculine and some more sensitive things are more feminine. I was reading this James Brown biography and he was of course extremely macho and abusive and basically a complete egomaniac. But he was also extremely vain, and on a certain level very feminine, because he would wear a lot of make-up and fake eyelashes. He would have a hair stylist that would travel around with him. So it’s interesting how a lot of male performers are able bring that part of their psyche to the surface. I could wear anything on stage – things I wouldn’t even think to wear walking down the street – it gives you a liberating outlet. This album also feels a lot more dynamic and groove-oriented. Can you tell us a little bit about how the album was made and how the process shaped the sound? The funk and RnB influence has been with us for a while, but when I was making music on my computer it was a much more detached process. This album was basically all cut live and everybody was in the same room at the same time so it was a very communal experience. We also did it all within about
two weeks, and recorded it using analogue. I used to work with analogue before I worked on a computer, and this album is the first time in about ten years that I’ve gone back to it. So that definitely affected how the record sounded. With analogue you can’t fake anything, you can’t click a mouse and change your part, it has to actually sound good when you play it. So it was quite a fun challenge thinking, ‘oh I’ve got to actually play my part well’ [laughs]. With recording nowadays, everyone seems to be moving towards perfection, ironing out all the little mistakes and making it sound perfect, but that doesn’t really capture the mood or the atmosphere of the particular time and place in which you recorded the song. So is format something you care about when making music? I understand you’re releasing your new album on cassette. Yeah definitely – it’s such a different experience having everyone in the room and watching the tape machine run and getting excited about that for some goofy reason. We started recording to cassette around the time of the False Priest LP when we did a tape box set of all our albums. The cool thing about cassettes is that people generally don’t think they have any value, so you can pick up a great album on cassette for about twenty-five cents. Tapes and the whole ritual that surrounds it make tapes feel more timeless. I think the physicality of the music makes a big difference in how you value it. Lousy with Sylvianbriar is an intriguing album title, can you tell us a bit about where it comes from? Well ‘Sylvianbriar’ is a word I made up. I was reading a lot of Sylvia Plath when I was writing this album. In one of her poems, the opening line is something like ‘Girl your room is lousy with flowers’. I guess I’d never really heard ‘lousy’ used in that way, so it’s a kind of homage to Plath. She was a big influence on me when we were making this album, along with Henry Miller, Cormac McCarthy and William S Burroughs. / INTERVIEWED BY GEORGE MCVICAR / QUEEN MARY / CONTRIBUTOR
the smoke
music
OF MONTREAL ELECTROWERKZ, 25.9.13 It’s fair to say that of Montreal are renowned for their elaborate stage performances; costumes, dances and lights create a spectacle of dizzying theatricality. As part of a turn towards a mellower aesthetic, of Montreal played an acoustic set that was quiet and intimate, with none of the ornamentation that their live shows are so well known for.
Without the embellishments that usually accompany his performances, songs like ‘Suffer for Fashion’ sounded altogether more heartfelt, allowing their folk origins to ring out louder than before. The performance also highlighted Barnes’ talent as a singer, as he hit every falsetto note with passionate conviction.
Whether this concert marks the start of a new chapter for of Montreal is unknown. But playing the songs this However, if I had any doubts way, stripped of all the extras, paid off enormously. over the strength of Barnes’ Without the full band to lean songwriting, they have now back on, the attention of the disappeared. audience immediately turned to the intense lyrical content / GEORGE MCVICAR / QUEEN MARY / of Kevin Barnes’s songs, who easily has enough wit CONTRIBUTOR and charm to spearhead an entire performance.
chvrches
BIRTHDAYS, DALSTON 25.9.13
The Scottish electronica trio CHVRCHES is surprisingly surrounded by hype. Their songs are so slight, so painfully pretty that they seem like the sort destined to grace indie film scores and record store vinyl bins, to be hailed as a tragically under-appreciated cult classic, rather than to be played in a cramped Dalston venue with people standing on bar stools to catch a glimpse. But CHVRCHES’s surface simplicity belies cleverness absent from most of the current victims of the hype machine. On first listen, lead single ‘Gun’ may sound like pop-by-numbers, but attentiveness reveals a wonderfully constructed elegy which manages to be equal parts menacing and euphoric - ‘I will be a gun, and it’s you I will come for.’ Laura Mayberry’s vocals are impeccable - a glacial croon that surfs the waves of synths and beats expertly conjured by bandmates Iain Cook and Martin Doherty. Tonight’s set revealed CHVRCHES as a band prepared to meet the hype head-on. / KATHERINE RODGERS / UCL / MUSIC EDITOR
OVAL SPACE 1.10.13
COCO ROSIE
CocoRosie have always seemed like something of a botched lab experiment - a collaboration between a polished formerly-professional opera singer (Sierra) and a gravelly female MC (Bianca), who astonishingly also happen to be sisters. CocoRosie are art-pop of the most impenetrable and intriguing nature - their style skitters from a feral groove redolent of Volta-era Björk (‘Rainbowarriors’) to lush dream-pop (‘Lemonade’) to the downright uncategorisable (‘Smokey Taboo’). This eclecticism doesn’t always work in their favour - ‘Smokey Taboo’ quickly nose-dives from interesting to unbearable, as Sierra breaks into a harrowing extended wail. But as volatile as their set may be, truly beautiful moments come thick and fast, and every element in their performance is so beautifully thought of - from the bewitching visuals that ticker behind the sisters, to their stage costumes, which are lurid, exaggerated displays of femininity reminiscent of burlesque. Not a perfect show by a not (yet) perfect band, but probably the most interesting thing you’ll see in ages. / KATHERINE RODGERS / UCL / MUSIC EDITOR
ALBUM REVIEWS
au revoir simone
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polly scattergood
MOVES IN SPECTRUMS
ARROWS
(MOSHI MOSHI)
Returning with a brasher, unapologetic sound, the much-adored dream-pop trio are back after a four-year-long hiatus. Whilst Move In Spectrums, their latest attempt, is still sown with the clapping and skittering beats that have long been the band’s trademark (particularly in the dazed, should-have-been-on-the-OC soundtrack Still Night, Still Light), they have been updated into a sexier, more confident sound. The twittering of their vintage keyboards is swapped for a more visceral tone, particularly in ‘Crazy’, which opens with a single power-chord, and leads to the most unforgettable chorus of the record: ‘oh girls you drive me crazy’, chanted over swelling synth. Whilst Move in Spectrums presents a dizzying waltz between the band’s lighter, previous efforts and a new, darker sound, what is consistent is the band’s ability to make music that creates a world of its own. / EMMA MADDEN / UCL / CONTRIBUTOR
8/10
(MUTE RECORDINGS) It’s been almost four and a half years since the release of Polly Scattergood’s debut, but Arrows proves that it was time well spent. While Polly’s debut was a mixed bag of maudlin songs with the odd electronic flourish, Arrows finds her going full-blown electronic pop. The album begins with ‘Cocoon’: a stark, fragile vocal coda reminiscent of her debut, swept up into a slick, expansive wall of sound. Sure, shoegazing, misty-eyed moments are still present in ‘I Miss You’ and ‘I’ve Got a Heart’, but they are presented here with gravitas and poise, rather than her debut’s clumsiness. ‘Disco Damaged Kid’ and lead single ‘Wanderlust’ provide sizeable hooks and throbbing analogue synths, not unlike label-mate Goldfrapp. After Polly Scattergood’s bumpy start, Arrows finds her finally taking flight. / ROSS MURDOCH / QUEEN MARY / CONTRIBUTOR
8/10
dj rashad
BODY / HEAD
DOUBLE CUPS
COMING APART
(HYPERDUB)
(MATADOR)
DJ Rashad shouldn’t be an unfamiliar name. His unique take on Chicago’s juke music has earned him attention not only within the sphere of electronica, but from lovers of experimental music everywhere. Released on the legendary Hyperdub label, Double Cup is testimony to Rashad’s dedication to exploring new textures of sound, as he incorporates intriguing elements of breakbeat, trap and techno. The album’s enticingly-named lead single ‘I Don’t Give A Fuck’ has a distinctly stripped-back sound, sometimes pared back to a single note. It’s a brave move, and it pays off enormously well. There are also some unexpected four-to-the-floor moments here, such as ‘Acid Bit’ - an oddball juke/techno hybrid with Addison Groove. The album even swerves into jungle, as amen breaks are peppered throughout tracks – juke and jungle are a long overdue pairing, and typical of Rashad’s mastery, it works astonishingly well. / GEORGE MCVICAR / QUEEN MARY / CONTRIBUTOR
9/10
Body/Head is the spooky love child of Kim Gordon (of Sonic Youth) and Bill Nace. Coming Apart is their debut: an explosion of dissonance and shrieking guitar experimentation. First track ‘Abstract’ sounds like a motorbike going through an existential crisis, and this is a fitting opener for a largely harsh, industrial album. Fans of Sonic Youth looking for familiar soundscapes will find themselves a little lost here: structurally, these aren’t rock songs. They’re more trance-like, with repeated riffs and lyrics and barely any percussion. Sometimes they collapse completely, jarring and fragmented. Gordon’s voice is both powerful and delicate - she veers from blood-curdling wails to sounding like she’s on the verge of tears. Coming Apart is a fitting title for an album so overflowing with emotions. It’s a bundle of nerves, anger and fear. You may need therapy afterwards, but it’s an intriguing experience. / RUBY CLYDE / UCL / CONTRIBUTOR
6/10
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the smoke
FROM STUDIES TO SCREEN
film
Universities are often keen to plug the Nobel Prize winners amonst their alumni, but the average student would be forgiven for being totally unaware that several top filmmakers, screenwriters and actors walked our campuses. For many of the people below, their time studying at the University of London played an invaluable role in developing their careers. And who said your humanities degree would get you nowhere?
STEVE MCQUEEN Steve McQueen, born in 1969, grew up in West London. He first became interested in filmmaking while studying at the Chelsea College of Art and Design, going on to study Fine Art at Goldsmiths. While studying at Goldsmiths, he began producing short films. After university, McQueen continued to make short films before moving on to the feature-length films Hunger (2005) and Shame (2011). His artistic background is evident in his experimental style. His highly anticipated next film, Twelve Years a Slave, is due to be released in January 2014.
DEREK JARMAN Derek Jarman studied at King’s College London and then went on to study at UCL’s Slade School of Fine Art. He is known for his films Jubilee and Caravaggio, specifically for his unique aesthetic style. Born in 1942, Jarman was open about his homosexuality and fought for gay rights, a theme which is present throughout his work as a filmmaker. In addition to making short and feature films, Jarman also created numerous music videos from the late 70s to the early 90s, for bands such as The Smiths, Pet Shop Boys and The Sex Pistols. He died of an AIDS-related disease in 1994.
SAM TAYLOR-WOOD Like Steve McQueen, Sam TaylorWood studied at Goldsmiths, where her interest in art also led her to filmmaking. In 2009 she directed Nowhere Boy, a biopic about John
Lennon’s teenage years. TaylorWood’s second feature-length film is an adaptation of the best-selling novel Fifty Shades of Grey, due to be released in August 2014.
CHRISTOPHER NOLAN Christopher Nolan, born in London in 1970, was interested in filmmaking from an early age. Although he decided to study English Literature, Nolan specifically chose UCL for its filmmaking facilities. During his time at university he became president of UCL’s Film Society, regularly hosting film screenings. Using the society’s equipment, as well as investing his own money, he shot his first short film in 1989. Nolan shot part of Batman Begins (2005) in Senate House, and Inception (2010) at UCL. In 2006, his university named him an Honorary Fellow for his work in film.
he would soon be performing a couple of small gigs in London as the character David Brent.
RUTH PRAWER JHABVALA Ruth Prawer Jhabvala CBE fled with her family from Germany to Britain in 1939 to escape the Nazi regime, and lived in Hendon during the war. Jhabvala attained an MA in English Literature from Queen Mary. She adapted her novel The Householder into a screenplay after being approached by Merchant Ivory Productions, and continued to work with the production house, making over twenty films in total. She received a BAFTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for adapting her Booker-winning novel Heat and Dust. Jhabvala won two Academy Awards for adapting E. M. Forster’s A Room With a View and Howards End.
BORIS KARLOFF RICKY GERVAIS Ricky Gervais studied Philosophy at UCL and worked as an assistant events manager at ULU, the University of London Union. On leaving his job at ULU and going to work at the radio station XFM, Gervais met Stephen Merchant, and together they began writing comedy. In an interview, Gervais cites “years and years standing round a student bar hearing bad comedians getting rounds of applause” as one of his inspirations for his sitcoms such as The Office, in which he draws attention to bad, cringeworthy jokes. Gervais has recently confirmed on Twitter that
was awarded two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his work in television and motion pictures.
William Henry Pratt, better known by his stage name Boris Karloff, was born in London in 1887. He attended King’s College London, intending to go into the consular service, but dropped out of university in 1909 to become a farm labourer. After starring in a few films in Canada, Karloff travelled to Hollywood and began acting in silent films. Karloff rose to fame in 1931 as Frankenstein’s monster in the James Whale film Frankenstein. During the same decade, Karloff went on to appear in two other Frankenstein films, and did a lot of other acting work, both in and out of the genre of horror. Karloff
DEVIKA RANI Born in India in 1908, Rani won a drama scholarship at RADA, where she also studied architecture, texture and colour design. During this time she met scriptwriter Niranjan Pal, who would eventually write many of her most successful screen roles. Rani married Indian producer and actor Himanshu Rai in 1929. Together they starred in Karma (1933), and soon after founded the Bombay Talkies film studio. In 1936, she starred in Achhut Kanya, her most notable film. In 1958, the President of India honoured Devika Rani with a Padma award. She also became the first recipient of the prestigious film prize the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1969. She is considered to be one of India’s earliest film stars. At her funeral, Devika Rani was given full state honors.
ANDREW DAVENPORT Most famous for creating the Teletubbies, Andrew Davenport studied Speech Sciences at UCL. While there, he was president of UCL’s drama society. After completing his degree, he set up a theatre company and has since won several awards for his work in children’s television. / SOPHIE MAWSON / KCL / CONTRIBUTOR
the smoke
film
9
BORED OF THE SAME OLD OPEN MICS? HEAD TO KINO FOR A NGHT OF FILM FUN few entry requirements, I had muted expectations on my way there: the words ‘open-mic’ instill a special kind of fear in me, a fear shared by anybody who’s had to sit through hours of unimaginative noodling on an acoustic guitar. The night was held in the Islington Metal Works (AKA Electrowerkz). Entry is a reasonable three pounds, but drinks are on the expensive side. The frugallyminded amongst you might consider popping into The Angel for a swift one beforehand – if you’re not averse to swatting away a few flies, that is.
Kino is a monthly open-mic short film night with only three rules: films must be under 6 minutes, include the Kino logo, and be introduced by the filmmakers themselves. With so
Don’t dally, though. By the time we got there the place was almost full, forcing us to scramble for seats without picking up our free popcorn (though, in the spirit of community, the group sitting next to us shared theirs). We did, however, manage to nab our complimentary copy of Gorilla magazine, which is definitely worth getting your hands on if you’re
interested in short films or filmmaking. After a brief introduction from our hosts the programme started, with each film being, as promised, introduced by the filmmaker. The lack of curation resulted in an eclectic mix of genres and styles; a ‘Gritish’ gangster short might be preceded by a horror comedy and followed by a psychedelic art film. My personal favourite was introduced by a man who, for tact’s sake, I’m going to describe as looking like he was eligible for a free bus pass. Entitled “Wally Wibble and the Wibblettes”, the film starts as a video-diary before morphing into something far stranger than your average deeply sensible curated festival pomp. This is one of the great advantages of nights like Kino: it allows the genuine misfits to come out of the woodwork in an age of high budget festival-bait wankathons. The personal introductions from the filmmakers were a great addition, breaking up the evening and
THE LONELY LONDONERS
Loneliness is a fragile and intimate emotion, universally felt yet rarely recognized – perhaps not quite gelling
The titular comedian Ed, played by Edward Hogg, is a 30-year-old call centre employee, attempting to forge a new career in the comedy clubs of east London. He begins a relationship
If you make films, showing at Kino is a no brainer – but the night isn’t some back-slapping circle that only filmmakers can enjoy. Go if you’re after good vibes and some great films. Kino will return to the Islington Metal Works on October 16th. / KIT HARWOOD / KCL / FILM EDITOR
TALE OF DISENFRANCHISED QUEER YOUTH IN LONDON
These characters – the 20-35 creativetypes who live in shared houses and take on dead-end jobs while their dreams take a backseat – are not frequently depicted in films. All of my friends probably fall into these brackets, though. Admittedly, a 20-something in London with little money and no big plans doesn’t necessarily make a brilliant story.
with British stoicism and pride. It is a testament, then, to Tom Shkolnik’s subtle first feature, The Comedian, that it dares to display loneliness in the Big Smoke with such understated realism, avoiding resorting to melodrama to justify its presence. The loneliness in The Comedian isn’t a source of tragedy or the outcome of negative events: normal people feel it as a regular aspect of their lives. Londoners aren’t exempt from this.
I’ll admit the average production value wasn’t at blockbuster levels. If you’re a stickler for perfectly constructed lighting and crystal clear hi-fi sound, I’m afraid Kino is not for you. But one of its greatest strengths lies in its raucous, infectious atmosphere. This helps cut through the superficial surface and brings out the best qualities of all the films shown. Sure, there were a few that, in my opinion, failed to hit the mark, but it is an open-mic night after all. Happily, the standard was far higher than I had expected.
THE COMEDIAN: A RELATABLE
with Nathan (Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, from C4’s drama Misfits), a young artist he meets on a bus. Edward may or may not be bisexual; confusion lingers, surrounding his beautiful singersongwriter housemate Elisa (Elisa Lasowski).
Films paint London as being quaint, foppish and privileged; arty, busy and exciting; or dark, seedy and violent. London is a large city, and due to its size, able to subsume all three of these facets. However, there is one emotion felt by the inhabitants of all big towns: loneliness. We’re all familiar with the archetype of the isolated New Yorker, or the solitary Parisian. Loneliness is a theme frequently explored in art, and yet depictions of London tend to shy away from addressing this ubiquitous experience.
providing some context and personality to the films that is missing from today’s often online viewing experience.
What is compelling about the film, then, is seeing your own life transposed on screen, which only succeeds because The Comedian is so utterly convincing in its sheer realism. The Comedian could be the British answer to Mumblecore. Shkolnik himself stated: “I wanted to make a film about a London that I could recognise; about people who were poor but not starving, living on estates but not in council housing, who were foreign but not asylum seekers, black but not gang members, gay but not camp... These were the people that filled my life and yet our lives didn’t seem to fit into any genre and so for the large part remained invisible.” London itself is the London seen every day - the buses, kebab shops, small ex-council flats. It’s not Richard Curtis’ Notting Hill, but neither is it the estates
in Ladbroke Grove as envisioned by Noel Clarke in Kidulthood (incidentally, the two are practically the same area). The characters’ struggle to create meaningful connections with each other is supported by Shkolnik’s faithfulness to verisimilitude. Reminiscent of the Dogma 95 movement, Shkolnik imposed strict rules for the shoot of the film, which was made up as they went along; actors use their own names and aspects of their lives, there was only one shot per scene with two cameras (which makes an emotional exchange between Elisa and Edward towards the end of the film all the more staggering), and in true guerrilla-style, it was all shot in real locations at real times, without disturbing the people or the activity of the location. This approach, however, may also contribute to some of the flaws of the film. Without a clear plan and structure for his narrative, Shkolnik ends The Comedian on a note that feels so dangling and incomplete that even fans of the genre may feel unsatisfied. Still, the film effectively captures London, the people and the loneliness that so often characterises the experience of the city, and there is solace and comfort to be gleaned from that. Tom Shkolnik, a young filmmaker in London, has made a film about his friends – and as a young film student in London, it feels like he has made a film about my friends too. / SNEZHANA KUZMINA / KCL / CONTRIBUTOR
10
arts
the smoke
ART OUTSIDE THE GALLERY A NEW SERIES
TOM MOUNA TAKES THE SMOKE ON A GRAFFITI TOUR THROUGH ONE OF LONDON’S BEST STREET ART DESTINATIONS, BRICK LANE The prestige of London’s galleries is no secret, but after surfacing from London’s underground in the early 2000s, street art has been building its reputation as a movement reflecting the city’s subculture. The constant regeneration of street art means there is no better free exhibition than what can be seen on the buildings and walls around you – and trust us, there’s a lot more to it than Banksy. Scattered all over London, street art pops up by dual carriageways like Gold Peg’s enormous paintings, or is found tucked away in the most inconspicuous of corners like the Invaders miniature mosaics of space invaders. For a quick fix of graffiti, head to a space of concentrated works, as in Southbank, Leek Street, or Brick Lane. This article is a tour of one of these hotspots, a tour of the gritty beauty of Brick Lane. Despite the changing nature of street art, Brick Lane is like following a trail;
snaking up from Whitechapel Road to Bethnal Green Road, the street is flanked by hidden alleys of graffiti heaven. Between Wentworth Street and Fashion Street is a tiny nameless alley covered in stickers, posters, tags as well as large and time-consuming works, which gloriously opens out into a quasi-gallery. Posters by the likes of Ace and huge spray-painted works by Milo Tchais
“
Brick Lane is like following a trail; snaking up from Whitechapel Road to Bethnal Green Road, the street is flanked by hidden alleys of graffiti heaven.
”
were recently on show. One part of this urban painting emporium utilises the crumbling architecture so that each work occupies its own little niche, akin to the frames of a painting separating one from another, creating a French salon for graffiti in East London. There are even gallery-like niches, (above), the space giving each artist their own specified “canvas.” Following the trail further, Pedley Street, another narrow alley, seems to have legalised graffiti within its twenty-metre jurisdiction. Brazilian artist Cranio’s work (below left) was recently seen here. Also spotted nearby was Diaz’s elephant octopus (below centre), hand-painted in Indian inks. Hitting Grimsby Street is where the trail begins to run cold. Here the building site’s temporary wooden
structure is the artist’s canvas. Look out for works by the likes of Raeo and Shok-1. Shok-1’s ghostly heart (below right) here subsumes a garage door. Within the heart are numerous carefully rendered watches and clocks, visible only on close inspection. Street art, like all art, is a world of the good, the bad and the absolutely awful. For every well-painted work that draws you in through its strange narrative or aesthetic beauty, there are ten crudely constructed posters or amateur tags. The level and frequency of the superb works is, however, more than enough to make up for this. Visit Brick Lane to discover an art so contemporary that the paint is, very often, still wet.
/ TOM MOUNA / COURTAULD / CONTRIBUTOR IMAGES COURTESY OF AUTHOR
the smoke
arts
11
ALUMNI FEATURE JOHN STEZAKER SLADE SCHOOL OF FINE ART, GRADUATED 1973 Until the 1970s, the Slade School of Fine Art used Arthur Thompson’s Anatomy for Art Students as an educational reference when teaching the nude form. Thompson’s book – a catalogue of skeletal structures, muscles, and subtle features of male and female anatomy – proved not only a core academic source but also vital inspiration for the student John Stezaker.
TOM PHILLIPS AT FLOWERS GALLERY
Born in 1949 in Britain, the conceptual artist Stezaker has played a pivotal role in the artistic developments of the last three decades, a position consecrated in 2012 by the prestigious Deutsche Börse photography prize. Stezaker relies on collage as a technique to realise his conceptual vision. Through his art, he criticises popular mass media images. Cutting and pasting photographs, film stills and vintage postcards as found art, Stezaker’s collages are altogether postmodern. His acclaimed series Portraits and Dark Star successfully appropriated cinematic images. Yet unlike his contemporaries Cindy Sherman and Richard Prince, Stezaker retained the original scale of film stills, a manifestation of his artistic desire to preserve imagery in its original state. Stezaker soon moved from cinematic imagery to the nude. Where in the 1970s he was engaged with the culture of the image, in the 1980s his interest turned to the nature of the image. After this turn, the sources of Stezaker’s imagery have become multiple. Over the years, his work on film still collages has alternated between depicting the culture of the image through landscapes, cityscapes, and topographical images, and depicting its nature through the nude. The use of cinematic imagery is one of Stezaker’s best-known techniques. An exhibition celebrating York Art Gallery’s purchase of two Stezaker works is currently on show at the Contemporary Arts Society’s London Gallery. Here, Stezaker’s anatomical collages hang next to works by other artists such as William Etty, a prolific 19th century artist who inspired the works of Rubens and Titian. The pairing seems casual at first, yet ultimately enhances Stezaker’s vision: as your eyes move from Etty’s wholesome, classical aesthetics to Stezaker’s postmodern, fragmented images, you will inevitably experience the shocks of the new. / AZMINA ABDULLA / UCL / CONTRIBUTOR
IMAGE: THE SCREENS, 2013 ©TOM PHILLIPS, COURTESY FLOWERS GALLERY
TOM PHILLIPS Flowers Gallery Until 12 October Free entry Artist, writer and curator Tom Phillips CBE RA presents himself as “the complete recycler” in his current exhibition at Flowers Gallery. Fragments of used-up, disposable palettes are composed into collages featuring both abstract and figurative subjects, including, for example, a work that resembles Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper. His newest body of work originates from Terminal Greys, a series begun in 1969. The majority of intimate, small-scale, postcard-dimension collages confirm his retirement as a portraitist but more subtly expresses his love of recycling. Phillips’ interest in recycling discarded material has its foundations in one of his earliest and ongoing projects: A Humument. A Treated Victorian Novel. In this project, he reinterpreted – or ‘treated’ – a forgotten 1892 Victorian novel titled A Human Document by W.H Mallock by applying painting, collage and cut-up techniques over the original text. His most recent edition consists of collaged magazine cuttings, maps and old postcards, revealing the artist’s intention of transforming such ephemeral remains into attractive novel-turnedartworks, thus archiving and preserving unwanted everyday material. This is also the case for Phillips’ recycled paint palettes, remodeled into panel paintings and now on display at the Flowers Gallery. Several of the collages are mounted on random scraps of written text, linking Phillips’ past and present projects. The largest and most intriguing work on display, facing the back wall on entering, supports the artist’s commitment to recycling, reading in conspicuously large-font capital letters WASTE NOT, and on the lower tier in smaller font THE REMAINS OF THE DAY.
IMAGE: JOHN STEZAKER DISPLAYS - JOHN STEZAKER AT THE CONTEMPORARY ART SOCIETY PHOTO: JOE PLOMMER COURTESY: YORK ART GALLERY
The artist’s academic background in both art and
literature enables him to question the viewer’s perceptions of art in playful ways. In The Remains of the Day, the interface between image and text is word-play on the artist’s own work practices – the dried-up paint on the palette is the painter’s leftovers after a day of work. The phrase resonates deeper than being just a literal description of the artist’s method, however; it is derived from the title of Kazuo Ishiguro’s historical 1989 novel, and originally a recycling of Sigmund Freud’s concept of Rückstände des Tages (the last thoughts of the day), which manifests in the form of an encoded dream. Similarly, Phillips re-elects the palette as a medium ‘at the end of the day’, after having worked on his other paintings. He is reworking his everyday artistic tools into desired compositions, as described by Freud in his theories on dreams. A comparison can be drawn between Jackson Pollock’s Action Paintings and Phillips’ collages, since both artists record the act of painting. Yet where the former relies on chance, the latter’s work displays more deliberate intention. Phillips’ first encounter with disposable palettes as the primary source of his collages was a serendipitous one. First introduced to them by portrait painter Daphne Todd, he admits he had an epiphany one day ‘when he observed that the mixtures and random conjunctions of colours on his palette were perhaps more exciting than the picture he was painting.’ If not a coincidence, Phillips’ collage displayed directly opposite The Remains of the Day – composed of palette shavings and thick application of glue – looks like a Pollock. Entirely different from Pollock’s gestural paintings, Phillips’ recycling manifests on multiple levels of both medium and text. Tom Phillips at the Flowers Gallery is not to be missed, for both his palette and his recycling techniques. And between Phillips’ thin layers of plastic, it’s possible to get a glimpse into the artist’s mind, emphasizing the overall intent of the exhibition. / LYELLE SHOHET / COURTAULD / CONTRIBUTOR
12
fashion
the smoke
to faux OR
to fox? WINTER IS WELL ON THE WAY, BUT SHOULD WE TAKE THE DESIGNERS’ ADVICE AND INVEST IN FUR? LAUREN CLARK INVESTIGATES. Fur has had a renaissance for Autumn/Winter 13. Bumblebeeesque fur pieces clothed models at Versace (above right), whilst ombre fox was paired with camouflage at Christopher Kane (above left) and rainbow mink took over the catwalk at Fendi (above centre). Statement and classic hides were standouts of the collections back in February, with designers almost unanimously incorporating the material. Indeed, according to British Vogue, 69% of the shows featured fur, and for the first time since the 1990s it has become a staple that can transcend the fashion merrygo-round. The Guardian declared recently that “fur has made a stealthy return right to the heart of high-end fashion.” However, should we so easily forget that just 20 years ago, the word ‘fur’ incited thoughts of PETA and violent veganism? Stella McCartney and the rest of the anti-fur brigade have already spoken out against its revival. Nonetheless, alongside pastels and masculine tailoring, fur is a covetable new season trend; London’s fashion-conscious students will no doubt be hunting down the perfect cold-defying coat to lay their paws on. Faux fur or the real deal, though? Fur has been marked as a wise investment, but it remains a
contentious moral issue. There was a time when the fashion world treated fur like a poisoned chalice, and believed it commercially disastrous to become associated with. Indeed, in 1994, five supermodels including Naomi Campbell were photographed for the famous ‘we’d rather go naked than wear fur’ PETA campaign. The alleged lack of ethics practiced by the fur industry resulted in high-profile protests by anti-fur campaigners who burnt buildings, doused wearers in red paint, shot graphic advertisements and served persistent mink-wearer Anna Wintour a dead raccoon in a New York restaurant. However, despite many stylish minds praising the virtues of faux, the real stuff crept back into vogue at the turn of the century.
“
If you don’t fancy living in fear of being attacked by paint-wielding PETA members, faux fur may be the safest option.
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The British Fur Trade Association estimates that the production of mink pelts has risen by an annual ten per cent in the past few years, and a high proportion of London Fashion Week designers regularly incorporate it in their collections. Mink, chinchilla, fox and beaver made guest appearances at LFW. However, some have taken a deliberate moral stance. Selfridges, Topshop and Zara refuse to stock it, whilst Stella McCartney is a wellknown anti-fur advocate. When British Vogue’s Emily Sheffield in her highly praised ‘What Fur?’ September issue article spoke to McCartney about fur’s aesthetic pulls, the designer argued that ‘the use of real fur is just repulsive and I think there are plenty of ways you can make a coat or a bag look great without it.’ Where does this leave the styleconscious London student who was, in all likelihood, an oblivious toddler when Naomi stripped? In every vintage store in the capital, there is usually a decent real fur selection. Could second-hand be the answer? Since the vintage craze began, fur coats, stoles and gilets have been adorning females under twentyfive across the city. Fur is no longer the domain of Joan Collins, purely for eveningwear nor particularly shocking to own, yet others argue that buying vintage still condones
its production. If you don’t fancy living in fear of being attacked by paint wielding PETA members, faux fur may therefore be the safest option. It’s a lot cheaper, and now significantly improved in standard. Topshop is the high-street leader on the faux front, and will be your go-to if you are daring enough to work the colourful Fendi look. Other brands such as ASOS and River Island also have a great selection, but make sure you follow the care instructions and keep your faux away from any rain to avoid having a jacket that more closely resembles some kind of mystery roadkill. Fur is glamorous, irresistibly warm and can be thrown over anything. It’s a no-brainer, surely, if we were thinking only of ourselves. Emily Sheffield muses that Stella McCartney’s clarity on the issue is desirable: ‘It is not easy unearthing any levity in this controversy. It appears there are only positions on a sliding scale one can adopt.’ Many would obviously feel uncomfortable wearing real fur; however, does faux really fill the void? There is no doubt that this season fur is a key trend. So the question is: will you faux, or will you fox? The answer is up to you. / LAUREN CLARK / KCL / CONTRIBUTOR
the smoke
fashion
LONDON FASHION WEEK
13
another whirlwind fashion week just stormed through london, but what did spring/summer 14 have to offer?
THE HIGHLIGHTS ALL IMAGES THIS PAGE: NIGEL PACQUETTE / BIRKBECK / CONTRIBUTOR
London Fashion Week had a definite hint of brand-focusing, positioning and commerce in the air. Christopher Kane’s show was served up fresh from the announcement that megaconglomerate Kering, previously known as PPR, had purchased a hefty 51% of the business. On the day of the show, the brand announced that their first store would open on Mount Street, Mayfair in the near future. Expectations were high, but some had concerns: would the Kane magic be lost in the torrent of commercialism? He turned out another version of the now-expected ‘posh’ sweatshirt - this time with ‘PETAL’ embroidery. It wins the prize for most literal fashion statement of the season, and was teamed with a cutout skirt in the same design. For a brand with no online interface, one might question how the collection would have been received had the store announcement come a day later. The shouting sweatshirt assault continued at recent Woolmark Prize winner Sister by Sibling’s show (centre right). Last season, they kept a rapt audience at the ICA with Cara Delevingne opening, presenting knitwear that pinpointed the cool Sibling vibe. But this month, the trio
pulled up their socks to produce a more grown-up collection that also seemed even more commercial than Kane’s multicoloured extravaganza. Commerciality was not the sole word on the industry’s lips. As rumours spread of a JW Anderson buyout by LVMH (the fashion world’s biggest dog, behind Dior, Givenchy, Marc Jacobs and more), there were murmurs of “who would be next?”. Simone Rocha was on the list: the young Central Saint Martins graduate showed her edge with a collection that closed with veiled brides in pearl-embellished knee highs (near and far right). These elements of DIY fashion (designed to appeal to the tumblr girl, no doubt) were evident at Meadham Kirchhoff too, where the duo showed a Jacobean Wednesday Addams aesthetic on a rose-cast runway, showing that slogan jumpers aren’t for all. But with the old big bucks sits Burberry. Fans gathered on Kensington Gore for the arrival of Harry Styles – journos with young daughters got their photographs taken with the king of tween pop – and the whole front row seemed a mist of celebrity factor. Logistical limitations pinned the Burberry
THE LONDON LOOKS
show to the floor: live-stream timing and a tight London schedule forced press to miss shows in pursuit of catching the advertiser – Burberry collaborated with Apple, ahead of their iPhone 5S launch, to capture content live. Luckily, the clothes took a step forward from traditional staple trenches to exciting separates that made the runway nearly shoppable – if only your bank account allowed it. In all this, an awkward question arose: what is the point of the fashion show? To show clothes to buyers and press, or to the consumer world? Burberry, amongst other brands, has established itself on a global scale. Topshop’s last season show was click to buy, arguably voiding the buyer’s role. At the end of another round of fashion month, some insecurities hang in the air. New York’s With Oscar de la Renta’s closed guest list for only select press, the British Fashion Council’s blogger clamp-down and street style exhibitionism unhooked by senior editors in flat shoes: where does this leave the show season? For now, safe, but perhaps not for much longer. / ELEANOR DOUGHTY / QUEEN MARY / CONTRIBUTOR
beauty If there’s one phrase to describe the beauty look that many designers sent down the London runways for Spring/ Summer 14, it’s ‘barely there’. Natural, demi-matte skin with minimal lip or eye make up glowed on the faces of models at Christopher Kane, Marios Schwab (far left), Giles, and many more, providing an easy to wear, go-to look for the new year. Many designers opted to leave the focus on nails. Whilst the butterfly-adorned look seen at the Sophia Webster show (see
cover) may not catch on, it’s clear that a killer manicure will be taking centre stage for SS14. In London, Sister by Sibling led the pack (left) by drawing attention to tips and half moons, painted black with butter LONDON’s Union Black polish (centre). The Mary Katrantzou show was the best example of a new lip trend: the ‘just bitten’ look. Models’ lips were flushed with MAC’s upcoming line of lip stains in hues of diffused red, reflecting the colours of the
collection. Soft, feminine skin created using MAC’s Mineralize foundation complemented the look. As we turn up our collars against the first cold winds of the coming London winter, it’s easy to feel like next spring is a long way off. But one thing’s for sure – when the new year rolls around, there’ll be plenty of great beauty looks for us to sink our teeth into. / EMMA ALLWOOD / KCL / CO-EDITOR
14
food
the smoke
FEEDING THE MASSES:
STREET FEAST LONDON There are many reasons to welcome street food with open arms. It’s a window into far-flung cuisines and home-grown specialities, and a quick and easy way to dine. Since kitchen space tends to be limited in the working bellies of food trucks and tents, traders build their culinary identity upon a few choice dishes. Still, after the novelty of free Turkish delight wears off and the steam from giant pans of paella and curry evaporates, you start to notice something’s not quite right. Once a stall develops a following, it disappears, then reappears somewhere like Selfridges’ food hall. Street food is now a wellknown success story. Innocent drinks,
for example, started out as a group of university friends who set up a smoothie stall at a music festival. Now they’re an international brand owned partly by Coca-Cola. So, is it every little food truck’s dream to make it big? No, not always. There are some important differences between the supermarket and the food market. For one, I can’t talk to the rather dashing CEO Richard Reed every time I get an Innocent smoothie. But head down to Street Feast London: you’ll find a broad selection of cuisines from Bengal to the Seychelles with only a light graze on the student pocket lining. I’ve spoken to some incredibly
dedicated traders at Street Feast London, some of which have developed almost a cult following. With the likes of The Ribman, Rola Wala, Mother Flipper, MotoYogo and You Doughnut, the vibes are distinctly grassroots up, rather than top down. Street food is counterculture that requires a lot of work. And how do you show off the open-air, nomadic street food revolution at its best? At Street Feast’s Dalston Yard location, you’ll find a shabby-chic styled warehouse missing its roof, an open-plan layout with the occasional bench made from planks balanced across a pair of oil drums. Towards the rainier end of summer there are also fire pits in barrels, which keep punters warm and leave Twitter fans glorifying in the smell of smoke and gin. Markets are the new night out. Start the evening by choosing a cocktail or
THE DAILY GRIND A GUIDE TO LONDON’S BEST COFFEE It’s taken as a traveller’s truism that London has terrible coffee – but I’m not so sure that’s true. It may be easy to find terrible coffee in London, when every second step leads to a heat-radiating, free-wifibearing Costa, but coffee artistry is on the rise. Young people are seeking the perfect grind as their parents did the perfect bottle. So, to help you keep your finger on that pulse, here are a few of London’s best cafés: MONMOUTH Monmouth Coffee is a tiny shop that started off as a sampling room. Whilst it still caters to the connoisseurs, it’s also a place where the less coffeecrazed can get wonderful pastries and delicious coffee. Monmouth is currently using a blend of Brazilian, Colombian and Guatemalan beans for
espresso, but it varies – ask one of the helpful staff and they’ll fill you in. You can also buy bags to take home (left), which are guaranteed to impress any early-rising house guest. 27 Monmouth Street Covent Garden Monday to Saturday 8am-6.30pm DAMSON From the damson painted on the exterior to the counter heaving with baked goods, Damson looks so good it would probably be worth a visit even if the coffee and cakes weren’t amazing. The good news is that they are amazing. They use London-roasted Square Mile beans, with a good selection of teas and cold drinks as well, and the charming flower arrangements are the ethically-traded sugar on top of the organically-sourced cake. 64 St Giles High St, London Borough of Camden Monday-Friday 8am to 6pm Weekends from 10am TAPPED AND PACKED (TAP) Though the bicycle hiked up above the doorframe may cause you to raise an eyebrow, never fear. Tapped goes beyond the trendy décor, offering wonderful coffee and equally wonderful service. They’re also pretty good bang for your buck. Ask and you’ll be handed a card printed with a bicycle: get six riders
craft beer at the bar, then pick your starter, main, and dessert from any one of the tried and tested stalls and trucks, before making your way over to your similarly chuffed in-the-know friends (or friends-to-be). You can even chat whilst perching on the side of a keg (there are bog-standard sofas, tables and chairs too, but you’re there for something different, right?). Like the student dream, maybe street food is a little rough around the edges, but it’s also a hub for good times, while they last. Street Feast is set to return in midOctober at a heated, covered location. Keep up to date by following Street Feast on twitter @StreetFeastLDN or online at www.streetfeastlondon.com / LOUISE WANG / KCL / CONTRIBUTOR IMAGES VIA STREET FEAST LONDON
stamped and your seventh coffee is free. Beans come from Square Mile, Climpson & Sons and Union Hand roasters and they have a good selection of salads, sandwiches and soups. Just don’t be surprised if a stranger asks to share your table. When lunch rolls around, a coffee grinder isn’t the only thing here that’s packed. 114 Tottenham Court Rd, London Monday-Friday 8am-7pm Saturday 10am-6pm / TAHLIA DAVIES / UCL / CONTRIBUTOR IMAGE VIA MONMOUTH & TAP
the smoke
theatre
BOTTOMS UP!
SHAKESPEARE’S CLASSIC COMEDY AT THE NOEL COWARD THEATRE would have been right.
Michael Grandage’s new production is one of the most imaginative, inspired and altogether appealing visions of A Midsummer Night’s Dream to appear in recent years. Its stars also ensure it’s the funniest. The Michael Grandage Company season at the Noel Coward Theatre has been turning heads since 2012, after details of its five plays featuring homegrown Hollywood stars such as Daniel Radcliffe, Judi Dench and Jude Law were announced. Despite this impressive line-up, most intriguing were
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David Walliams has divided the critics over his performance. The application of his signature camp style, especially when performing the part of Pyramus has drawn the most negative criticism. He overacts, he hams it up, he milks every second of his Shakespearean debut; but it works. Walliams is an arse. It couldn’t be more apt that he is at his best as the ass, Bottom. From productions at RADA to the RSC, the character of Nick Bottom has irritated, disappointed and, at best, slightly amused me – yet it is Walliams with his own brand of flamboyance and unique comic timing who has finally brought the part to life, making it genuinely funny.
television actors Sheridan Smith and David Walliams. Any theatrical production boasting popular television stars carries fairly big risks; the obvious benefit of selling out a show with new faces is balanced by the danger of heightened expectations going unmet. New and perhaps younger viewers of this Dream may have expected aspects of the endearing, chain-smoking Janet of Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps to accompany a selection of camp characters from Little Britain; they
In contrast, his fellow TV performer co-star is cementing her reputation as a celebrated Shakespearean actress – and rightly so. Sheridan Smith’s Titania, a liberated joint-smoking hippy, revels in her position as fairy queen. Similar to a young Zoe Wannamaker, she is able to capture all that appeals about a complex character and effortlessly portray them with admirable truthfulness. In this Dream, she gives the play its heart.
Although the performances of Smith and Walliams are no doubt a highlight of this remarkable production, they do not define it. Excellent as they are individually, it is the collective effort of this outstanding company, and their ability to execute perfectly the roles created for them, that allow Grandage’s ambitious vision to triumph. The sexually-frustrated energies of Stefano Braschi’s Demetrius and Katherine Kingsley’s Helena, the endearing naivety of Sam Swainsbury’s Lysander carry the first half of this two hour production, whilst the wonderfully silly humour of the parts of Lion, Wall, Thisbe and Moonshine leave the audience crying with laughter. The task of (re-)creating this classic comedy for modern audiences is not easy. Visionary, surreal, and often obscure, standards and expectations are among the highest with new interpretations of one of Shakespeare’s best-loved plays. Grandage’s festivalthemed fantasy world will resonate with an array of audiences, and has succeeded in creating a Dream for 2013. / SARAH FORTESCUE / CSSD / THEATRE EDITOR IMAGE VIA NOEL COWARD THEATRE
A MEDIEVAL TALE FOR THE MODERN WOMAN The National Youth Theatre’s production of Pope Joan left me feeling angry yet moved. Pope Joan is a medieval tale about the alleged first (and only) female Pope, who rose to the top of the Vatican by styling herself as ‘John’. She is devout, brave and willing to risk anything to be close to God. Prior to the start of the play, Joan has revealed her true identity to a cardinal, slept with him, and is now carrying his child – obviously a problem if she is to maintain her disguise as a man.
of ornate church walls and stained glass. She has pushed the altar back and has filled the floor space with an enormous horizontal white cross. This acts as a raised stage for the action, and is a constant reminder throughout the play of Christ’s bodily sacrifice to God, reflecting on Joan’s own physical struggle.
Joan is not blameless in the child’s conception, and does not wish to keep it as it will reveal her identity. However, she feels that an abortion is a disavowal of God’s reproductive gift to females. Sophie Crawford, who plays Joan, portrays this pain and conflict in a tour de force performance. She is torn in a fundamental dichotomy between her faith and her biology. Joan dies a martyr: she goes into labour whilst delivering a sermon in the pulpit, her identity uncovered as she is dying.
Louise Brealey’s debut script is brilliant – particularly the dialogue between Joan and her antagonist, the snarling Cardinal Anastasisus, played by Robert Willoughby, who wants the papacy for himself. The most powerful moment in the show is a silent physical scene where director Paul Hart uses the National Youth Theatre’s ensemble to create a staircase up the aisles toward the church altar. Crawford climbs the staircase, breasts bared, reaching out in desperation to the edifice of Christ above her head. She is prepared to give her body to Christ, but it is the same body – and the child growing inside her – that supposedly nullifies her connection to God.
St James’s Church makes a perfect set for the production. It allows designer Fi Russell to create an atmospheric setting that builds on the backdrop
Richard Geller and John Lipman excelled in creating costumes for this performance. In tandem with Russell’s design and the church setting, Joan’s
papal robes are heavily brocaded, creating an authoritarian sweep around her as she commands the Vatican, cutting through the dust of the Church. Anastasius is dressed, fittingly, in long and satanic-red robes, emphasising Willoughby’s tall figure, threateningly towering above Joan. The strengths in this production are typical of the National Youth Theatre: the incorporation of the space into the ensemble’s work. As you sit in the pews, the Vatican shouts all around you, creating a multi-sensory experience. Although it is a fictional story, one ingrained in Christian and urban mythology, the tale of Pope Joan reflects and emphasizes the sexual discrimination women face at work even today. Pope Joan is an aptly timed show, performed just as a bill allowing female bishops in Wales was passed: proof that the Church is beginning to accept that the strength of faith should be more important than gender. / HANNAH ELSY / KCL / CONTRIBUTOR
SOPHIE CRAWFORD AS POPE JOAN IMAGE VIA NATIONAL YOUTH THEATRE
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poetry and books
the smoke
THE WORD ON THE STREET A GUIDE TO LONDON’S POETRY SCENE Want to get into the London poetry scene? I’ve got one piece of advice for you: go to as many open mics and events as you can. Once there, don’t fret! Everyone panics – even the pros. Fear is normal, and that sense of intimidation is part of the process of initiation. Try to see where your poetry might fit, or where it might provide something new to what’s already on offer. Of course there are veterans and regulars, but chat to these people: they’ve been exactly where you are now. And listen, listen, listen, because spoken word travels by word of mouth. Find out who you like, find out who likes you (someone will), find out what’s on next and then go. A great place to start your poetic odyssey is at the world-famous Poetry Café in Covent Garden. It might sound a bit like playing the O2 when you’ve not done the back room of your local yet, but bear with me. Poetry Unplugged on Tuesday nights is one of the most inclusive, friendly and diverse events in town, and is definitely worth going to on a regular basis whether you’re starting out, trying out new material or are looking for the chance of some selfimprovement. Host Niall O’Sullivan is
incredibly supportive, particularly of his ‘Unplugged Virgins’. Given the very open nature of the night, you’re sure to hear a range of poetry – which may startle, delight and even serve to improve your confidence about your own work!
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Find out who you like, find out who likes you (someone will), find out what’s on next and then go.
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‘It’s not pornography but it’s still pretty good’ is their tag-line; great poetry is appreciated by vigorously-shaken milk cartons full of chickpeas and rice; it’s been voted the best regular spoken word night: Bang Said the Gun is a one-off that keeps coming back and re-loading. It’s live every Thursday; their Raw Meat Stew Golden Gun award adds playful competition to the open mic and is well worth having a shot at.
The experience of performing at Bang is totally unique and forces you to look at your own work from a completely different angle. I would liken it to how different a song sounds when listening alone in your room comapred to when it’s played loudly at a party. Bang is all about atmosphere and it definitely has plenty of it.
of understanding craft as well as community. We made this decision together, as an emerging collective. We meet once a month and showcase featured acts alongside our own poets and we welcome new members. / EMILY HARRISON / KCL / CONTRIBUTOR
Jawdance, a monthly event at the Rich Mix, is the closest you’re ever going to get to a poetry variety night. If you’re thinking: “poetry? variety? really?”, well, it’s a goody-bag of featured acts, an open mic and poetry film shorts with the opportunity to ‘rub your chin and make meaningful noises’. It’s the perfect night for seeing and hearing the possibilities of live spoken word while having a good time in an equally brilliant venue. Finally, Burn After Reading is a new poetry community established by Jacob Sam-La Rose, the big man of the London poetry scene. I have been fortunate enough to be a part of this group from the outset; we write, we read, we perform, we publish – as widely as possible. We celebrate a diverse range of poetics from ‘spoken word’ to ‘page’ and points in between. We celebrate the importance
BOOK REVIEW In any writing about the north of England, it’s a cliché to begin by asking where the north itself begins. It only takes The North (And Almost Everything In It) six pages to raise the question, but more than five hundred to answer. This memoir-cum-history-cum-miscellany, by the music journalist Paul Morley, is more than anything else an account of how he came to identify himself as a northerner. The only truly coherent answer on a personal level, it seems, is that the north begins where you find yourself to be northern. The narrative, to the extent there is one, is driven by the description of Morley’s childhood in the modest suburbs of the south Manchester satellite town of Stockport. Looming over the story is Morley’s taciturn, unhappy father – a kind of Willy Loman character – who killed himself in 1977. In between Morely’s personal story are asides on biography, place names, buildings, natural features, songs, films, books and television. We read
how Anthony Burgess, author of A Clockwork Orange, grew up behind a shop in Moss Side, Manchester, which later became a West Indian shebeen. Certain passages – like Morley’s description of how he came to know the counties of England through cricket – have a weird power, locating his childhood in a certain time and a certain England, as well as in a certain idea of the north. In other words, his vision is expansive rather than parochial. Later he describes locking himself away in a cupboard in his bedroom to read, listening to the rain and his own breathing. Outside, he writes, the mill chimneys were like mysterious obelisks from another age, whose meaning was unknown, transmitting secret messages. There is, however, something that mithers me about Morley’s approach, for all that the memoir is beautiful and compelling. His vision of the north is essentially timeless. He jumps from Joseph Priestley to Bernard Manning to Peterloo.
In an extended passage on the eighteenth century novel Tristram Shandy (written by a Yorkshireman, Laurence Sterne), Morley describes how Sterne deliberately avoided cohesion, a single narrative voice, or a clear sense of order and direction. Though he does not say so explicitly, Morley has clearly taken Tristram Shandy as an influence for his post-modern narration of the north, borrowing ideas and stories from many sources, and many times. However, although it may make sense for a music journalist to identify the Sex Pistols’ two gigs at the Free Trade Hall in 1976 as a kind of northern space-time singularity, it doesn’t much help anyone else to identify what the north is now, or what it might become in the future. If there is, as Morley seems to imply, a permanent northern character, then how do we explain change in the past – or activate it for the future? This is a beautiful book, an important book, but if writing about the north is always going to be based upon the
assertion of an unchanging thread from Thomas de Quincey to Shaun Ryder, then I just don’t buy it. / HARRY STOPES / UCL / COMMENT EDITOR
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the smoke
days and nights ANITA’S VINTAGE FASHION FAIR
ORWELL’S LONDON: A WALKING TOUR
COASTS
13 October, 11am-5pm 20th Century Theatre, Westbourne Grove £2
Great Portland Street Station 12 October, 10am £16, includes a copy of Orwell’s essay Politics and the English Language.
The Shacklewell Arms 29 October, 8pm £6, 18+
ONLY IN ENGLAND: PHOTOGRAPHS BY TONY RAY-JONES AND MARTIN PARR
RICHARD ROGERS RA: INSIDE OUT
57TH BFI LONDON FILM FESTIVAL
Until 16 March Science Museum Students £8
Until 13 October Burlington Gardens, Royal Academy Students £5
Until 20 October Location and ticket prices depend on film
OUR CURATED PICK OF LONDON’S BEST EVENTS OVER THE NEXT TWO WEEKS.
STEPNEY FARMERS’ MARKET
DESIGNER SALES UK SAMPLE SALE
12 October Stepney City Farm, near Canary Warf Free
24 October, 12-8pm Chelsea Old Town Hall £1 – £2
PENELOPE LIVELY
DANCE & DISOBEDIENCE
A first look at her new memoir Ammonites and Leaping Fish 9 October, 7pm Keats House, Hampstead £5, including a glass of wine
Somaye fuses jazz and Middle Eastern music, and DJ Lucinda will spin old school, hip hop, drum & bass, breaks. 12 October, 12-5pm Rich Mix, Shoreditch Free
INTERNATIONAL FOOD MARKET
POETRY MEETS BIOMEDICAL SCIENCE Eleven poets create poems in response to the life and work of eleven contemporary scientists.
THE CLASSIC CAR BOOT SALE 12 October, 10-6pm Southbank Centre
10 October, 7-9pm Keats House, Hampstead, NW3 2RR Free, booking essential
£3
ACID ARAB
Readings by the six short-listed authors for the Man Booker Prize. 13 October, 7.30pm Southbank Centre £5-£6 for students
The Parisian fusion electronic duo makes their first UK appearance. 10 October, 10pm Plastic People, Shoreditch £5 before 11, £7 after
25 October UCL Main Quad Free
ROOTS & NATURAL Market offering natural, organic and handmade products. 25 October UCL Main Quad Free
FASHION MEETS MUSIC 2013 MAN BOOKER PRIZE READINGS
THE SLAM
WE STEAL SECRETS - THE STORY OF WIKILEAKS + Q&A
Showcase your own talent onstage. October 11 Free
Roxy Bar and Screen 16 October Free, suggested donation £20
FLUX SOUP
KINO LONDON
11 October Kennington Cinema Museum £7 for students
Islington Metal Works 16 October £5, £3 with flyer
Until 20 October Tate Modern £8.60 for students
LONDON RESTAURANT FESTIVAL Until 21 October 195 Piccadilly (BAFTA) From £15
LUTZ BACHNER: BLACK BEAUTY Until 17 November Institute of Contemporary Arts Free
CONTEMPORARY ART SOCIETY: NOTHING BEAUTIFUL UNLESS USEFUL
Six week pop up with events, activities and designers. Until 18 October Westfield Stratford City Free
Until 1 December Whitechapel Gallery Free
NATIVE SPIRIT FILM FESTIVAL
Until 30 December, 9pm Temple Studios (Paddington station) Discounted tickets available
Brunei Gallery, SOAS Until 19 October Free, suggested donation £5 per film
SALOUA RAOUDA CHOUCAIR The world’s first major museum exhibition of Lebanese artist Saloua Raouda Choucair celebrates a pioneer of abstract art in the Middle East
A DROWNED MAN: A HOLLYWOOD FABLE
FASHION RULES EXHIBITION A collection of iconic designer and couture royal outfits, spanning a 40year period Until 4 July 2014 Kensington Palace £12.40 for students
the smoke
FROM THE ARCHIVES
STUDENT MARCH - BATTERSEA PARK 12 FEBRUARY 1992 © NIC KENT
Unfortunately, our internet searches for this London Student photographer alum turned up nothing, but we liked this image too much to damn it to the bottom of the archive pile forever. London’s students have never been afraid to exercise their right to protest, and these women are certainly no exception. Gender and the act of protest are closely linked: ‘protests offer women the opportunity to combine our anger from individual grievances with the revolutionary power of the collective. It’s here that we can challenge the institutional power that is the source of our oppression,’ commented Shanice Octavia McBean, Women’s Officer for King’s College. This image is topical: last month, as the English Defence League attempted to infiltrate Tower Hamlets, hundreds of women gathered in counter-protest encouraged by group Sisters Against the EDL. In a time where riots are still largely male dominated, their attempt to increase women’s visibility in protest is vital and remarkable.
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