The Smoke Issue III

the smoke

ISSUE 3 28 OCTOBER - 17 NOVEMBER

LONDON’S BEST ARTS AND CULTURE: CURATED

INSIDE:

GBBO’S RUBY TANDOH HAUNTED PUBS & SITES JOHN CAGE AND LONDON ART OUTSIDE THE GALLERIES OUR FAVE VINTAGE STORES LAVISH LITERARY PARTIES CINE-REBIS FILM FESTIVAL LONDON’S FORGOTTEN SPACES

the smoke

WE WANT BRAINS! (Well, just the articles they can produce, really. If you’re as passionate about arts and culture as we are, please contact the relevant section editor with a writing sample!)

the smoke FROM THE EDITORS As we approach the end of October, things are getting spookier... No, not our reading week essays, although those are definitely frightening. We’re talking about the shorter days, chilly nights and of course, Halloween. For this issue’s feature, we’ve rounded up haunted pubs, frightening sites and scarily exciting events that are sure to make your 31st of October memorable.

On the topic of sweets, we’re very happy that we got another chance to interview The Great British Bake Off’s Ruby Tandoh, whom we interviewed in Issue I at the beginning of the series. She made it so far – as she should, being an intelligent, sweet woman with killer baking skills.

Congratulations, Ruby! Turn to The Eye on page 4 to read what she has to say about being on the show, the media response and how she feels about cakes.

If you’re gastronomically inspired, we’ve got good news for you: turn to the Food section on page 16 for our favourite fresh produce suppliers. These fruit and vegetable stalls and markets are cheaper, fresher, and lets you buy seasonally.

THE SMOKE

Eight figs for a quid? Yes please! And if you’re in need of recipes and culinary advice, we also have a review of Mary Berry’s wonderful cookbook. Move over Gordon Ramsay, veal’s not on our shopping list...

Enough of staying indoors and stuffing yourself with food?

Head to The Horse Hospital in Bloomsbury for Cine-Rebis, formerly the London Underground Film Festival, where experimental and outsider films will be on show. Hear from the founders what they have to say about the festival, independent films and London, on page 12.

Last but not least, please welcome our new Travel section!

This issue contains the firsts of two new series: Little Britain will take you through destinations not far from London, while How To Travel The World Without Leaving The Smoke teaches you exactly that – turn to page 17 to get your dose of Brazilian music, food and margaritas in this gloomy weather.

Cheers, Emma and Rena

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WHAT’S INSIDE 4 FEATURES

LONDON’S BEST ARTS AND CULTURE: CURATED

The Eye: UCL student Ruby Tandoh on the GBBO

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

Spooky pubs, sites and events perfect for Halloween

5 FEATURES

Emma Hope Allwood Rena Minegishi thesmoke@london-student.net

6 FASHION Marc Jacobs’ 16 year career at Louis Vuitton

SUB EDITOR

7 FASHION

Anna Tomlinson

Winter fashion / Our favourite vintage stores

DESIGNER

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Emma Hope Allwood

9 ARTS

BOOKS EDITOR

Forgotten Spaces exhibition / Art and money

Elizabeth Metcalfe books@london-student.net

10 MUSIC “I have nothing to say”: John Cage and London

FOOD EDITOR

Bryony Bowie food@london-student.net

TRAVEL EDITOR

James Hodge travel@london-student.net

8 ARTS Art Outside the Gallery: Public art

11 MUSIC Live & album reviews, feat. Oneohtrix Point Never, Chvrches, Bo Ningen, Melt-Banana

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THEATRE EDITOR

12 FILM Cine-Rebis: an independent film festival

13 FILM

Sarah Fortescue theatre@london-student.net

Reviews: Day of the Flowers, Soho Cigarette

MUSIC EDITOR

Literary parties / London by chapter: Waterloo Bridge with Wendy Cope

FILM EDITOR

The Drowned Man review / On performance art

14 BOOKS

George McVicar music@london-student.net

15 THEATRE Kit Harwood screen@london-student.net

ARTS EDITORS

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16 FOOD Best produce markets & stalls / Mary Berry’s cookbook

17 TRAVEL

Costanza Beltrami Liza Weber arts@london-student.net

Little Britain: Brighton / World within London: Brazil

FASHION EDITOR

London’s best events, 28 October - 17 November

Emma Hope Allwood fashion@london-student.net

18 DAYS & NIGHTS 19 FROM THE ARCHIVES Electrical timers at ULU pool, November 1961

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feature

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fuck the pastry- archy Ruby Tandoh, a Philosophy and History of Art student at UCL, was one of The Great British Bake Off’s most controversial contestants yet. She struck back at the critics in a recent Guardian article that addressed the misogynistic attacks levelled at her solely for ‘being a woman on a TV screen’. have the courage to put it on a merciless online forum anymore.

That was one hell of a series. How do you feel now it’s all over?

Just so relieved! It was the first time that I’d watched an episode as it went out on TV, usually I watched it on iPlayer in my own time, and I just sat with my mum and my best friend from home and we braved it together – when it came to the end of the episode I was just sobbing with relief! I think it was just a bit of an outpouring of emotion after it all.

I’m not surprised. There’s a very bizarre split between the stereotypes of women-baking-inthe-kitchen and the professional male baker, and it’s been argued that the only way for women to rise in a culinary field is to use their sexuality. Did you find this when you were actually filming The Bake Off, or only since it’s been broadcast?

I think there’s a lot of pressure as a woman in that sort of arena to use your appearance for those means, though at the end of the day it does come down to what you want – I’m not saying it’s good or bad, but if it is against your principles then you just won’t do it. It’s a difficult one – personally I don’t subscribe too much to the domestic goddess thing; it just doesn’t appeal to me, but this idea that decorative home cooking is intrinsically worth less than the ‘hardcore’ chef stuff, I think that’s rubbish. Who’s to say that it’s any more stupid making a cutesy cupcake than a sirloin steak? You can’t make a value judgement on food, and as long as those sort of ideas are perpetuated then women are always going to struggle, because you’re shoe-horned into that cutesy category, and then you’re told that actually it’s not as real or as sincere as what men are doing.

It must’ve been so frustrating keeping the secret for so long.

Actually it became weirdly okay – I thought it would be really difficult to keep quiet about it, but I was so traumatised after the filming process that I had no desire to talk about it for quite a long time!

I understand now why, in our last interview, you said you hate cake!

Yes – it’s been at the source of all of my worst memories of Bake Off! Now you can talk freely about it all, do you have a favourite moment of the series?

Probably getting Star Baker that first time, all the way back in week two, just because I was still so nervous at the time and very insecure after week one where I very nearly went. To come back and get Star Baker then was definitely when it meant the most – it was a huge surprise.

I completely agree – there have been been so many comments about you and Paul Hollywood, though watching it I really don’t understand why.

Yeah! That was just crap – that was one of things that made me most angry, those accusations of flirting or favouritism. It’s still not fair to speculate on it regardless of what happened on screen, but the point is absolutely nothing happened on screen to speculate about! There was absolutely no hint of flirtation. It’s all very close to the idea that a woman just can’t get anywhere without using her sexuality, which is rubbish.

Was there a favourite thing you made on the show?

I still stand by my peacock bread. I really liked that, just because it was ridiculously over-thetop and ostentatious!

On a slightly different note, your article in The Guardian was fantastic. I can’t believe how IMAGE: EMMA HOPE ALLWOOD much nastiness there has been this year on social media!

Thank you! Yeah, I just don’t understand how I don’t subscribe too much to the anyone can get angry about a cake programme, it’s crazy. I can’t believe what happened with domestic goddess thing...but this idea that At the beginning, when everyone was trying to get to know the bakers, a lot of the media focus the article – they asked me to write something decorative home cooking is intrinsically around you was the fact that you’d previously and I thought it would be a really small thing worth less than the ‘hardcore’ chef stuff, I done some modelling – do you think that maybe in a tiny corner of the paper. Even then I was led people to criticise? really chuffed to be doing it as I’m a little bit of think that’s rubbish.

Yes, I think that did play a part in it. I just feel a Guardian worshipper, but then it got on the that, as a woman, I got it worse – and the other front page! I’m just so happy with that, and the support from it has been huge – I must’ve had thousands of comments on Twitter female contestants as well – than the all-male finalists last year. I think they had an with people writing that they agreed with it and that it needed to be said – I feel very easier time of it, comparatively. I remember last year there was a lot of coverage focusing on how great it was to have men in the kitchen and baking – and I surprised and happy about that. completely agree, that’s fantastic and of course men should be baking – but people didn’t seem as able to attach that same praise to women doing it this year. Baking That’s great – it really seems to have altered a lot of people’s opinions too. is every bit as much of an art and a skill – and should be just as commendable – for Yes – I was surprised, because I’d seen so much nastiness I thought that everyone us women. would jump down my throat when they saw the article but they didn’t, which is great.

So, what’s next?

I’m not really sure! Possibly some food writing… there’s various things, but nothing’s Your writing’s brilliant – I love your blog, too, though I miss the beautiful really certain yet. descriptions.

Yeah, I wish I could still do that [Ruby had to temporarily take down her personal / INTERVIEWED BY BRYONY BOWIE / ROYAL HOLLOWAY / FOOD EDITOR baking blog due to harassment; it now consists of only photos and recipes, without Ruby’s blog can be found at www.rubyandthekitchen.co.uk the text accompaniment]. I still jot stuff down in notebooks but I just don’t quite

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fright night

“London was a city of ghosts, some deader than others,” starts a novel by author Mark Billingham. Is there any city better suited for Halloween than our gloomy London? It’s not just the weather that can make the Big Smoke so grim – the city is riddled with bloody history and spine-chilling ghost sightings. So, how will you spend the 31st?

If the combination of horror and alcohol sounds good to you, you’re in luck: London is home to many haunted pubs. King’s students need not wander far for a pint alongside supernatural patrons: on your way to the Maughan Library, stop by The George on the Strand. With its mock Tudor frontage (refurbished in the 1930s) sandwiched between an Apostrophe and an off-license, this popular pub might not look so spooky at first sight; but it stands on much older foundations, and comes with its share of scary stories. As well as being a stone’s throw away from where the legendary Sweeney Todd was said to have his barbershop, it’s supposedly haunted by the handsome phantom of a cavalier who has been known to startle employees by appearing in the cellar. Though the ghost has been appearing since the 17th century, his origin remains mysterious.

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A stone’s throw away from where the legendary Sweeney Todd was said to have his barbershop, it’s supposedly haunted by the phantom of a cavalier...

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documented. A manager was locked into the cellar, although the door was unlocked and could be easily opened from the outside.

Two electricians have reported that they got persistent taps on the shoulders, and a carpet they’d rolled up was lifted mid-air then dropped.

The ghosts that haunt the joint seems partial to its employees, but why not grab a pint there – it might be your turn…

Also in east London, Whitechapel might now be somewhere you’d associate with struggling artistic types rebelling against their Home Counties roots; however, it was once the hangout of London’s most unsavoury residents.

Originally located outside the city’s walls, it was a place of slaughterhouses, breweries and brothels – there were over 60 of these houses of ill repute by the late 1800s. Overcrowding and poverty made for a very Dickensian part of town, with dark, maze-like alleyways and tall buildings overhead. It was the perfect setting for the scene of London’s most infamous and grisly murders.

Jack the Ripper remains a figure of mystery and intrigue, believed to have murdered and mutilated five prostitutes in Whitechapel in 1888, during a period dubbed the Autumn of Terror. The killer was never found, though it’s presumed he may have been a doctor – the way he sliced his victims suggested experience in surgical procedures. If you fancy following his bloody path, there are several Jack the Ripper walks and tours daily for around £7; the best, however, is said to be the one led by London Walks from Tower Hill station. Pick a dark, foggy night, though, and beware – the ghosts of his victims are said to haunt the streets, their souls searching for justice. If all this leaves you in need of a stiff drink, you might do well to avoid The Ten Bells on Commercial Street; it’s said that two of Jack’s victims are still patrons there…

The Flask Tavern in Highgate is home to another ghost of unknown identity. The nameless female spirit gives a forewarning before visiting: the temperature of the pub suddenly drops. It’s not common for her to do a full manifestation, but she has been known to sway the lights back and forth, move pint glasses across the table and breathe down the necks of the pubgoers.

It’s rumoured that she is the ghost of the pub’s maidservant, who committed suicide after a disastrous end to an illicit romance. Others say the ghost is linked with the mysterious bullet lodged in the pub wall; however, the story surrounding the bullet remains as enigmatic as the ghost lady herself.

Located a little more centrally is the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane, one of London’s most haunted – if not the unluckiest – buildings. It suffered fires in 1672 and 1809 and went through a string of financial disasters, as well as the attempted assassination of King George III in 1800. In the 1840s the skeleton of a man was discovered in a walled-up side passage, with damage to his remains that indicated he had been stabbed to death. Known as the Man in Grey, the figure of this lost soul has been seen often in the upper circle, though his sighting is said to be a sign of good luck for the day’s performance. He’s only one of several ghosts that occupy the premises!

Head east, and you’ll find Viaduct Tavern in Farringdon across from the Central Criminal Courts. It’s the last Victorian gin palace left in London, and while the claim that their cellar used to be Newgate Prison cells turned out to be a hoax, their poltergeist is real and well-

However, in London, you don’t even have to reach the destination to witness a haunting. If you’ve ever ridden alone on one of the last tube trains, you’ll know there’s something quite eerie about them. This unease has been escalated to full-on terror for some, as passengers on

the Bakerloo line have reported seeing a figure seated next to them reflected in the windows, despite the seat being unoccupied. Workmen building the underground since its birth in the 1800s have come across the mass graves of plague victims, who still remain largely anonymous and unmourned.

The old, abandoned British Museum station is said to be haunted by the ghostly figure of a mummy, perhaps the disturbed remains of an Egyptian princess torn from her resting place and shipped over to the museum in the 1920s.

The old station can still be seen – look out of the window of a Central line train between Holborn and Tottenham Court Road and it can be made out, but don’t blame us if you see more than you bargained for…

If you’d like something more tangible, head over to the Hunterian Museum’s Halloween Late View for a lesson where you’ll learn the anatomy of a hanging, and how the incidents of the dead “resurrecting” weren’t so uncommon in previous centuries. The museum (below) specialises in human anatomy and pathology, and they’ll be offering a “Pickle a Part” workshop where you can make your own anatomical souvenir, if you couldn’t get enough of the preserved body parts in the exhibition. The late view takes place on the 30th with a suggested donation of a mere £2, which means you’ll have the time and money for a ghostly pub crawl on All Hallow’s Eve. For those of you who want to make Halloween last as long as possible, The Vaults are staging a Halloween Playground from the 31st to the 2nd of November. Crawl into the tunnels under Waterloo Station in fancy dress – it’s mandatory!

– and you’ll find terrifyingly good DJs, a haunted graveyard cinema and devilish cabarets.

Be warned, though: it’s not all laughs and dancing – there will be a few shocking surprises throughout the night. / EMMA HOPE ALLWOOD / KCL / CO-EDITOR / RENA MINEGISHI / KCL / CO-EDITOR

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A MARRIAGE PENNED IN GRAFFTI AFTER SIXTEEN YEARS, MARC JACOBS IS STEPPING DOWN FROM LOUIS VUITTON. WE TAKE A look at his career so far With the runway set in something of a gothic wonderland (think clocks, thick black carpet and a fountain), Louis Vuitton SS14 was a rich and original spectacle like any other LV show of the past sixteen years. This was one that had been doused in jet-black oil like a Bond girl, sparking a thousand mournful tributes to Marc Jacobs as he departed from the helm of the French fashion house.

Jacobs has always been entranced by the spotlight. While his fellow designers will take a brief bow from backstage at the end of a show, Jacobs has modelled in his own campaigns and his private life has become a tabloid staple. The designer first came to prominence when studying at Parsons School of Design in New York, but gained global attention after a SS93 campaign for Perry Ellis.

The show served as an homage to a memorable and provocative fashion tenure, referencing past Louis Vuitton shows. The opening model (below centre) entered entirely covered in the infamous Stephen Sprouse graffiti print from SS01, and others navigated the catwalk on escalators from SS13, ornate iron gates from AW11 and an elegant carousel last seen at SS12. After weeks of rumours, it came as little surprise in a post-show announcement that the American creative director was bidding adieu.

The iconic ‘grunge’ collection infamously got him fired, yet Jacobs still describes it as his favourite ever collection. “I was genuinely so inspired […] by this beauty in imperfection […] a dismissal of everything that one was told was beautiful, correct, glamorous, sexy,” he said of his inspiration at the time. Nonetheless, in 1997, Jacobs was appointed creative director of Louis Vuitton, and transformed the brand from luggage label to mainstream global powerhouse by introducing a ready-towear line.

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No-one but a dedicated showman with a gift for combining haute with street could have tackled tradition-infused Paris with quite the same success.

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No-one but a dedicated showman with a gift for combining haute with street could have tackled tradition-infused Paris with quite the same success. It was through collaborations that he became the master of the high/low. Notably, one such collaboration in 2002 with Japanese artist Takashi Murakami paired the signature LV letters with a cartoonish style. And as mentioned, in 2001 Jacobs used the eighties New York street artist Stephen Sprouse’s graffiti print, slyly poking fun at the standard high-end look.

Another undeniably Jacobs trait is his ability to combine punkish nonconformity and innovation with creating something that can be translated into a wearable mainstream trend. For AW09 he channelled eighties excess with sleek bubble dresses and indulgent lengths of ribbon, but threw in statement bunny ears for Disney-esque drama. Perhaps most memorably, the high budget Jacobs was provided with allowed him to create theatrical and otherworldly catwalk shows. For AW11 it was a seductive boudoir of bondage, with a u-turn towards sugary, frothy pastels complete with a spinning merry-go-round for SS12.

However, Jacobs often made the most impact off the catwalk. Advertising campaigns for his own labels Marc Jacobs and Marc by Marc Jacobs, shot by legendary photographer Juergen Teller, are always wonderfully original, while tending to spark controversy. A campaign featuring a then-twelve-year-old Dakota Fanning was criticised for having sexual undercurrents, whilst a later series featuring the actress aged seventeen with a perfume bottle lodged between her thighs (below far left) was banned in Britain for its provocative nature.

The campaigns are also famed for starring well-known faces. Victoria Beckham was put in a giant carrier bag for SS08; Winona Ryder and Helena Bonham-Carter have also posed. Never one to miss an opportunity for attention, Jacobs has starred naked in several campaigns himself, with only a perfume bottle or Stephen Sprouse graffiti bag to protect his modesty.

So what does the future hold for this style rebel? CEO of fashion powerhouse LVMH, Bernard Arnault, said he was keen for Jacobs to focus on his own label (which the group also owns), saying that it “has an enormous potential all over the world”.

British Vogue editor Alexandra Schulman also echoed the excitement surrounding his next steps, stating “it’s going to be exciting to see how this impacts on the creativity in his own line”. The fashion world may not know exactly what Jacobs will concoct next, but one thing is certain: it will spark a thousand knock-offs. /LAUREN CLARK / KCL / CONTRIBUTOR

fashion WRAP UP WARM IN AN OVERSIZED COAT £85, TOPSHOP

the smoke FLUFFY CROPPED JUMPER £34, TOPSHOP

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MATTE LIPSTICK ‘DIVA’ LOOKS GREAT ON ALL SKINTONES £15, MAC

THE WINTER EDIT THESE BOOTS ARE MADE FOR STOMPIN’ £80, VAGABOND

USE A VELVET SCRUNCHIE TO KEEP HAIR UNDER CONTROL £4.50, AMERICAN APPAREL

CHECK YOU OUT! THESE TROUSERS ARE A BARGAIN £29.99, ZARA

we love preloved

london’s best second-hand shopping destinations OXFAM, WESTBOURNE GROVE There’s logic to Oxfam success: find an affluent area, a nice quiet weekday, and you’re in business. If sifting through vintage basements isn’t for you, the big green O is in town to lend a hand. Westbourne Grove is home to one of London’s best: sitting just opposite Joseph and Zadig & Voltaire, it is right at home in fashionable Notting Hill. The residents of W11 like to drop in their old Prada shoes, Ralph Lauren rugby tops and last season’s Whistles to their local Oxfam Boutique, one of eight specialised stores nationwide (other London outposts are Chelsea and Chiswick, rather unsurprisingly). These stores are devoted to selling great quality pieces at lower prices, mixing Fair Trade fashion with pieces specially recreated for Oxfam and generous residential donations.

245 Westbourne Grove, W11 2SE

WEST HAMPSTEAD & KILBURN If you fancy making an afternoon of it, pop to West Hampstead – the yummy mummy capital of London is in Zone 2 and on both the Jubilee line and the Overground. It has a handful of charity shops on West End Lane bursting with upper-middle class handme-downs. Of all of them, All Aboard is arguably the best. This charity has a string of locations throughout London (including one on nearby Finchley Road) and boasts a great vintage section. In fact, this fashion editor’s best charity shop find ever (a vintage 60s silk gown from Saks Fifth Avenue) came from here, at the very student-friendly price of a fiver. It’s a ten-minute bus to nearby Kilburn, which has a similar array of charity shops, including an enormous Traid – swing by on one of their £2 sale days for the best deals.

West End Lane and Kilburn High Road, both NW6

shopping you need a little bit of luck and enough patience to have a really good rummage, but here, a lot of the hard work is done for you. It’s well organised, with carefully selected pieces clearly presented, making for a hassle-free spree. There’s a huge range (and they are partial to the odd sequin...) but the best part is that the price tags are easy on the wallet. Almost everything is about £15 or less and every few months they do a sale where everything is £1. Coats, jumpers, leather trousers, all £1! It can get pretty hectic, so go by the philosophy ‘if I like it just a little bit, it’s going in the basket.’

Unit 1A, Assembly Passage, E1 4UT

BLITZ VINTAGE

BATTERSEA CAR BOOT

Located in a 9000 square foot warehouse just off Brick Lane (where else!) is Blitz (above), which claims to be the world’s largest vintage shop – though they prefer to call themselves a department store. The refurbished and redecorated Victorian factory makes for an impressive space, and it’s full to bursting with rails of clothes, from Levis jeans to sportswear. It even sells furniture, magazines and records as well as reworking vintage clothes into new creations. If all that shopping tires you out, there’s also a coffee shop conveniently located right inside with comfy leather armchairs to relax into. Prices aren’t the cheapest, but keep an eye out as you walk down Brick Lane, as there are always people handing out flyers for special discounts.

55-59 Hanbury St, E1 5JP

People (and perhaps especially students) often miss out on the bargain festivals that are car boot sales because they usually entail getting up at 7am on a weekend. Thankfully however, Battersea Car Boot is an exception. Widely believed to be London’s best, it’s been running for almost fifteen years every Sunday from 12-5 and boasts hundreds of stalls. There’s a lot to look through, from the usual second-hand finds (books, records and roller skates) to vintage and designer clothes, antiques and furniture. It costs £3 to get in if you come at 12, but only 50p after 1.30, though you can expect to queue up if you’re early.

Just remember – never be afraid to haggle!

Battersea Park School, Battersea Park Road, SW11 5AP.

EAST END THRIFT STORE

/ ELEANOR DOUGHTY / QUEEN MARY / CONTRIBUTOR / EMMA HOPE ALLWOOLD / KCL / CO-EDITOR / ELLA STERN / CSM / CONTRIBUTOR

Tucked away in Assembly Passage off Mile End Road in a suitably alternative warehouse is the East End Thrift Store. It goes without saying that with vintage

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arts

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ART OUTSIDE THE GALLERY # 2 – PUBLIC ART

IT’S NOT JUST GRAFFITI YOU CAN SEE FOR FREE AROUND LONDON. THE CITY IS FULL OF PUBLIC ART, FROM STATUES TO SCULPTURES The constant generation and regeneration of street art places London’s public art at the forefront of the contemporary scene, while also working to commemorate the past by highlighting existing statues and architecture.

In the previous issue of The Smoke, Tom Mouna took us on a tour of the graffiti of Brick Lane, commenting on its varied and impermanent nature. In contrast, public sculpture and architecture carry the assumptions of premeditation and continuity. Yet through their public accessibility, both graffiti and sculpture offer a democratic commentary on the present. A public artwork interacts simultaneously with the city’s architecture and its people, creating a relationship that cannot be reproduced in a museum or gallery. The identity of public art lies in its interaction.

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Confronting viewers in their everyday lives, public art provides an on-going commentary on the mentality of the city.

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Katharina Fritsch’s commission for Trafalgar Square’s Fourth Plinth, Hahn/Cock, takes full advantage of the interaction between public art, placement and audience. London’s Mayor Boris Johnson’s unveiling of Fritsch’s “big blue… bird,” instantly shocked its viewers, the latest in a series of controversial sculptures standing atop Trafalgar Square’s Fourth Plinth since 1999.

of the work, called The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, and its seeming childlike innocence are especially striking in its city setting. Jake and Dinos Chapman ask the viewer to note the irony created by the contrast between the subject and the setting, thereby turning the work into a commentary on the stereotypical corruption in the financial sector.

The ultramarine work (right) juxtaposes Nelson’s column and the other erect men standing on the square’s plinths, and for those tuned in, seems to voice a feminist critique of the ‘cock-erel’. Through its positioning, Fritsch’s sculpture invites debates on public art, its value and its place in urban settings.

The structure designed by Anish Kapoor and Cecil Balmond for the 2012 London Olympics rather asks its viewers whether it is itself good, bad or ugly. Forging a midpoint between balance and instability, its bright red, twisted, asymmetrical shape is the sum of Britain’s largest piece of public art. Its dubious appeal certainly widens the debate on public art, especially in light of its £22.7 million price tag.

At St. Pancras Station Lucy and Jorge Orta’s Cloud : Meteoros (above) proposes a contrast between the real versus the imagined. Figures posing on top of two white puffy clouds float about the ceiling, interacting with the station’s Victorian architecture and thereby challenging the expected; the sight of clouds meeting above a high-speed rail network provides a moment’s distraction from the daily grind.

Creating the same moment of surprise are Jake and Dinos Chapman’s dinosaurs standing beneath the Gherkin. The simplicity

Public art evokes reactions not transferable to a gallery or museum space; it takes away the façade and lets the viewer think about the art, not the institution.

It thereby raises issues such as the commodification of the art market and the role of the arts in the development of popular culture.

As the works leave the institution they become an integral part of urban development and regeneration, countering the isolation of the

city, instead attempting to develop a greater sense of community.

Confronting viewers in their everyday lives, public art provides an on-going commentary on the mentality of the city. Its placement makes it accessible, as it physically stands beyond the confines of an institutional space. It also changes whose reaction to the artwork actually matters, giving the title of art critic to the public themselves. / ANNA TOMLINSON / UCL / SUB-EDITOR

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RIBA

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N E T T O G R O F SPACES EXHIBITION REVIEW

AN EXHIBITION AT SOMERSET HOUSE DISPLAYS RENOVATION IDEAS SET ON TURNING LONDON’S DISUSED SPACES INTO PUBLIC ATTRACTIONS One would not normally associate Somerset House with dripping tunnels. And yet there I was, standing in the somewhat ominously named ‘Deadhouse’, a dusty brick passageway with exposed pipework that runs underneath the Edmond J. Safra Fountain Court. Seventeenth-century tombstones line the walls, along with a couple of strategically positioned buckets to catch the drips.

These tunnels are currently home to the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Forgotten Spaces exhibition. In locating it in the forgotten nooks and crannies of Somerset House, we can see the premise of the exhibition in action: the renovation of London’s disused spaces to restore them into public attractions. Of the 147 ideas pitched to RIBA for their annual competition, the top 26 are laid out here through written proposals, maps, design drawings, models and 3D sculptures.

Some proposals seem realistic. One scheme – the overall winner – proposes the resurrection of the Fleet River in St Pancras Gardens. Others are wildly ambitious.

There are plans to create a public pool in the disused Aldwych tube station,

FOR THE LOVE

OF MONEY “

Germaine Greer, discussing Damien Hirst in the Guardian, pronounced that ‘the art of the 21st century is marketing’

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(above) complete with a scenic walkway alongside it. It seems somewhat flawed to me – people are unlikely to strip off and bare their bodies to a constant stream of commuters traipsing past. The lack of secure funding only adds to my sense of doubt.

Nevertheless, the exhibition is well put together. Its roughly assembled scaffolding, bright lights and yellow signage take you on a spectacular journey, and confirm that with a little imagination, a lot can be done. I particularly liked the idea of installing chairs in London’s trees and transforming redundant telephone boxes into cycle repair kiosks.

Even if some schemes are far from practical, we cannot help but praise the exhibition for tearing us away from Tom’s Kitchen and taking us down to the hidden depths. / ELIZABETH METCALFE / KCL / BOOKS EDITOR

In an age where celebrities are snapped at Miami Beach art fairs, Damien Hirst can put a diamondencrusted scull on the market for a cool £50 million, and Sheikha Mayassa has an annual £1 billion budget to improve her Qatar art collection, it is difficult to ignore that art often goes hand in hand with money. With Frieze Art Fair posters lining the Underground walls once again, our attention is drawn to the age-old debate: is art just about money?

It is true that the financial value of an artwork often precedes its aesthetic value. Germaine Greer, discussing Damien Hirst in the Guardian, perhaps accurately described the situation when she pronounced that ‘the art of the 21st century is marketing’. Rather than treating him with derision, Greer suggested that we should admire Hirst’s skilful marketing machine as we might admire the use of light and dark in a Caravaggio. Damien Hirst is a brand, and an incredibly effective one at that; it needs to be. Art might not be traded on the floors of the stock exchange, but it is certainly ingrained into our financial culture, particularly in wealth and asset management.

This is hardly a new concept. In 2010 the Saatchi Gallery hosted a debate entirely focused on this idea, which in itself had financial consequences.

Jasper Joffe, an artist who was particularly critical during the discussion, later claimed that his work was subsequently banned from the Frieze Fair. Coincidence?

It has been suggested that almost 80% of the attendants at Frieze are present merely for the spectacle: and it is true that for the majority of us, the art dealt in Regent’s Park will be forever beyond our reach. The arguably misnamed Affordable Art Fair, pricing art at under £5000, is hardly more accessible, what with the average British savings account now reputedly standing at £1600.

In London, art is part of a larger social enterprise.

People can pour into any number of free museums and galleries, not just to see the boundary-pushing experiments of the avantgarde but also the most revered Old Masters.

The art world has always been a rich man’s game. Increasingly, galleries and museums are selling their autonomy to stay open. This was an issue recently highlighted in spectacular style by artistic duo Elmgreen and Dragset, who put the Victoria and Albert Museum up for sale on a billboard aptly named ‘Tomorrow.’ It is a depressingly imaginable possibility.

So if you are lucky enough to have the time and spare cash, go to Frieze, and simply have a look.

We spend so much time talking about the value of art, about the names of artists and what that means for a piece, that we have forgotten to simply see for ourselves. / MOLLIE WITCOMBE / COURTAULD / CONTRIBUTOR

10

music

the smoke

Silence

and London

MORE THAN A DECADE AFTER HIS DEATH, JOHN CAGE’S MUSIC REMAINS AS PERTINENT TO LONDON AS EVER “Wherever we are, what we hear is mostly noise. When we ignore it, it disturbs us. When we listen to it, we find it fascinating.” These are the first words of John Cage’s Silence: Lectures and Writings, a book which is less a plea for noiselessness than a celebration of its impossibility. Living in London, his words seem especially relevant. In this city, it’s hard to escape the perpetual revving engines of cars and the chuntering of the tube – noises which disturb me even though I try to ignore them.

Walking through London, I’m sometimes struck by an unsettling feeling, and it usually takes a few moments to register that what arrests my mind is, in fact, the lack of noise. It happens for a brief moment on canal paths, parks and – infrequently – on roads. It is unsurprising that the Southbank Centre is drawing from many of Cage’s works and ideas for the last two months of the festival The Rest Is Noise. I believe that a large part of Cage’s work was an attempt to expose the strange space silence occupies in our cultural consciousness.

noises of everyday life, the sounds that become silent through lack of attention, are presented as the basis of music, and of art in general.

The reason for drawing attention to silence is to make us listen more carefully to noise. In doing this, we gain a better understanding of our aural landscape, the sounds that provide the horizon of our everyday hearing. This is undoubtedly political, at once a renunciation of normative aesthetic forms and a democratic insistence on the beauty of noises.

Cage puts this playfully when he asks, “which is more musical, a truck passing by a factory or a truck passing by a music school?” It is Cage’s playful approach to his aesthetic that makes his ideas resonate with the type of people whom Wilfrid Mellers labels “the young at heart” in his review of the Silence lectures.

Those with a cursory knowledge of Cage will probably know him as the composer who wrote a piece of music consisting of four minutes and thirty-three seconds of silence. It may seem striking, then, that most of Cage’s oeuvre is not particularly silent; in fact, it is far from even being quiet. The point of 4’33” was to show, in Cage’s words, that “there is no such thing as silence. Something is always happening that makes a sound.” This piece made a huge impact against the backdrop of 1950s America, as the sounds of WWII died out and the cultural clamour of bebop and colour television flourished.

John Cage’s conceptualization of silence seems to only increase in relevance; as recently as 2010 there was the Cage Against the Machine campaign to get 4’33” to become the Christmas No.1 tune, a campaign which was certainly young at heart in the best possible way. This combination of playfulness and revolt – Cage himself was an anarchist – is reflective of student politics, particularly over the past few years. Tactics like 2010’s spate of university occupations have shown this spirit of play, while at the same time expressing a serious rejection of dominant voices on campus, such as those of senior management and security, in order that we may better listen to the silenced voices: the cleaners who have received pay cuts, teaching staff who have been axed, and the students themselves who have seen their rights to education impinged upon.

The aim of 4’33”, insofar as it had any one aim, was to draw attention to what makes music distinct in the first place: the silence of non-music and the noise of everyday life. This kind of aesthetic inversion placed emphasis on the creaks of the concert hall, the coughs, awkward noises and chattering of the people who had attended to hear a piece of music. For Cage, then, the

Cage’s use of chance procedures, including his use of the classical Chinese divination system I Ching to structure his music, is certainly something that has had a huge influence on conceptual art to this day. John Cage: Everyday Is A Good Day, the recent retrospective of Cage’s visual art which toured the UK, used chance procedures to determine how the

exhibition would be laid out, meaning that it was different in every venue. Similarly, his piece Five can be played by any combination of five instruments, allowing it to be constantly recreated. This December will see the Ives Ensemble playing the piece for flute, clarinet, viola, cello and piano at the Southbank Centre.

The theatrical staging of his Lecture on Nothing at the Barbican earlier this year goes to show how Cage’s work transcends genre. Indeed, it shows us how his explorations of silence and nothingness can be read back into everyday life, and we can begin to see why Cage has such a huge presence in London’s cultural scene. In a city where there is so much said, where we are confronted at every angle by conflicting ideologies, media, and general noise, it is worth returning to his celebration of meaninglessness: “I have nothing to say, and I am saying it, and that is poetry.” / LAWRENCE UZIELL / QUEEN MARY / CONTRIBUTOR See our What’s On on page 18 for events celebrating John Cage’s music and ethos.

the smoke

music

Bo Ningen, Scala, 10.10.13

Lovepark, Notting Hill Arts Centre, 02.10.13

The first time I became aware of Bo Ningen was about 18 months ago, accidentally catching a glimpse of them at Brighton’s Green Door Store. I was instantly captivated, not only by the sheer theatricality of the band – the hair, the clothes, the dance moves – but also by their breath-taking musicianship and talent. I was lucky enough to catch them again for the first show of their new tour, at the historic Scala nightclub.

Lovepark have been steadily reshaping and improving their sound for more than six years now. Their charming mixture of infectious hooks and lyrical sincerity makes them stand out in an ever-crowded music scene.

Earlier this month I caught them at Notting Hill Arts Centre showcasing their cultivated sound, with exciting snippets from their upcoming EP.

and frenzied screeches, lay a rock solid backbone that only a band with years of experience could hold together.

Their set culminated into a somewhat unbelievable climax, filling every possible space with thick, crunchy guitars and miles of feedback.

For anyone with an interest in labels such as Southern Lord, Rise Above and P.S.F, or who just wants to hear some seriously adrenaline-filled music, Bo Ningen is definitely a place worth visiting. With a string of UK dates lined up over the next few weeks, there’s no excuse not to try and see these guys play. They’re without a doubt one of the most exciting live bands around today.

Swinging from desert rock to psychedelic blues to harsh noise, it often became difficult to keep up with such colourful stylistic contrasts. It was incredibly easy to get lost in the cacophonous walls of sound that maxed out the venue, to be completely sucked in by their enormous sonic tapestries.

What is perhaps most captivating about Lovepark’s sound is just how tastefully reserved it can be. Where most live bands perform an all-out onslaught of energy and distortion, Lovepark hold the tempo down, providing a more considered, intricate sound altogether. The use of space is particularly admirable, sometimes consisting of entire bars of silence.

The electronic influence is also prevalent, with pulsating sub-basses and percussive samples. Indeed, the whole cavernous atmosphere of the performance could be compared to something from the legendary Digital Mystiks dubstep label. Lovepark know what most bands don’t: that less is more.

And yet, behind the tripped-out echo

This means that when a dynamic shift

One thing to note about Bo Ningen is that they are unquestionably a live band; listening to the record simply doesn’t do them justice. Following a rich Japanese tradition of improvisation, the band remain amazingly comfortable on stage, even when the music they’re playing is so seemingly disjointed and unplanned.

/ GEORGE MCVICAR / QUEEN MARY / MUSIC EDITOR

ALBUM REVIEWS

melt-banana

FETCH

11

does occur, the contrast is startling. Just the occasional lift, added harmony, or rhythmic break has the power to alter the entire mood. This sets them miles apart from many bands of a similar ilk who seem to think that just raw power and crude volume is enough to keep a band absorbing for an entire show.

The revamped version of the old favourite “Just Someone” was the crowning moment of the performance, highlighting just how far the band have come since their bedroom songwriting a few years ago. Now with a nuanced air of sophistication, Lovepark are set for a flourishing career, and I cannot wait to see where it takes them. / GEORGE MCVICAR / QUEEN MARY / MUSIC EDITOR

oneohtrix point never

R PLUS SEVEN

(A-ZAP)

What follows six years of silence? After a minute of twinkling electronic soundscape, Melt-Banana’s 10th album fetch shifts gear to – you’ve guessed it – dissonances, explosive drums and screams that make you go, “damn, they’re really back.” Despite their more polished sound, the band has retained their energy: a grovelling bassline teases open ‘Vertigo Game’, which bursts into the familiar abrasive sound; in ‘Infection Detective’, the distorted guitars riffs attempt to one-up another in a relentless, unnerving stream. But fetch starts to lose momentum in the second half: while the harmonies in ‘My Missing Link’ show the band’s more sentimental side, its neatness also sounds confusingly like early 2000s emo, as does ‘Schemes of the Tails’. The ending track ‘Zero’, however, is a colourful tune with a chord progression that’ll cradle you under the noisescape. Don’t get me wrong – Melt-Banana will always know how to hit hard, but fetch pales in comparison to their blistering masterpiece of Cell-scape. / RENA MINEGISHI / KCL / CO-EDITOR

5/10

(WARP)

Since Oneohtrix Point Never (real name Daniel Lopatin) blessed us with his astonishing and brilliant album Replica in 2011, critics have been struggling to guess exactly where his music could go next. Fortunately, Lopatin has somehow managed to come back with a record that is just as boundary-pushing, innovative and inspiring as the last. A significant departure for Lopatin is the move away from the sleek Blade Runner-style synths, which were so central to his initial sound. Now he has turned towards a more artificial, cleaner sound, akin to the likes of James Ferraro or the recent Night Slugs releases. There are also some intriguing timbres littered throughout this album, including organs, choir voices and traditional Chinese instruments, giving it a strangely religious feel.

Make no mistake, Lopatin is far from finished broadening his creative scope. Just how far he can expand it is anyone’s guess. / GEORGE MCVICAR / QUEEN MARY / MUSIC EDITOR

8/10

connan mockasin

chvrches

CARAMEL

THE BONES OF WHAT YOU BELIEVE

(MEXICAN SUMMER) In Mockasin’s words, “the concept is that it’s an album.” Forever Dolphin Love’s romance is over; smooth, stoner-tempo swagger replaces the former album’s heartbreaking awkwardness. Sleazy seductions and heavy breathing blend with slurred babbling and obscure metaphor.

Voices, drenched in reverb, chant “C-O-NN-A-N” like cheerleaders from a particularly narcissistic fantasy. Distorted guitar slides inventively narrate a high-speed carcrash. There’re sporadic bursts of piss-take giggles, as if recorded in a bedroom packed with schoolgirls on sugar-highs. Like surreal daydreams, Caramel’s ambient meanderings are occasionally vaguely unsettling (see: Mockasin’s 70s porn ‘tache). Hypnotically repetitive final track ‘I Wanna Roll With You’ is hauntingly catchy. “You’re very welcome,” intones a gravelly, pitch-shifted sigh.

Mockasin knows we’ll be hungry for more. / KRISSY BEE / QUEEN MARY / CONTRIBUTOR

9/10

(GLASSNOTE)

Electronic pop bands may be a penny a dozen, but there’s always room for those doing it quite as well as Chvrches. The Bones of What You Believe isn’t so much a breath of fresh air as it is a gale-force wind; stratospheric, brassy synths combine with impeccable pop sensibilities (their choruses have their own choruses inside them) to create a sound that’s both highly likeable and polished to a mainstream gleam. Lead vocalist Lauren Mayberry is responsible for much of Chvrches’ quirky pop credentials - her vocals are pitched somewhere between Robyn and Minnie Riperton, a keening croon which can summon up a fair amount of bluster when needs be (like on ace lead single ‘Gun’). The hype machine is savage, but Chvrches have more substance than most - their future is bright. / KATHERINE RODGERS / UCL / CONTRIBUTOR

6/10

film

the smoke

ILLUSTRATION: ARTUR ESCARLATE

12

CELEBRATING CREATIVITY This year The London Underground Film Festival is reborn as Cine-Rebis. Under the guidance of Daniel Fawcett and Clara Pais, Cine-Rebis will be showing underground, experimental and outsider works of cinema at The Horse Hospital in Bloomsbury. Film editor Kit Harwood spoke to its current organisers about the upcoming season.

First of all, what is the festival about?

Cine-Rebis celebrates the art of cinema; it celebrates films made outside the restrictions of the film industry. We’re celebrating true creativity. We are filmmakers ourselves and are curious about what other filmmakers all over the world are doing. We were sure there must be many people on the fringes of the so-called ‘film world’ making very exciting work, finding in themselves the seeds of new forms and new ideas. It is hard to get your film shown if there is something truly unique about it, a lot of festivals shy away from showing anything that doesn’t fit into their rigid idea of what a film is, but that is exactly what makes these works worth seeing!

This is our first year running the festival and, as well as expanding it from London to include Porto in Portugal, we have changed the name to Cine-Rebis.

Rebis is a term used by alchemists for the end result of their great work. In art, the Rebis is often portrayed as a two-headed hermaphrodite, embodying both masculine and feminine principles. This felt like a good analogy for our ideas about the creative process.

Tell us a bit about your background. What led to running the festival?

We’ve been working together now since the end of 2010. Within weeks of meeting we got started on our first feature film together, Savage Witches.

It was a film that, for us, was a way of questioning and breaking free from the conventions of filmmaking and coming to a deeper understanding of the purpose of cinema and the role it plays in our lives. It was also a celebration of all that we love about cinema – the artifice, the playfulness, the theatricality and magical quality of the medium. For us the making of a film is a transformative experience, a form of ritual or therapy.

As well as making films, we also write about them and have our own publication, FILM PANIC, which features interviews and articles about underground, experimental, arthousese, trash, queer, amateur and cult cinema.

The festival itself came about by chance. We’d been at the festival over the last couple of years and James Lowry, who started the whole thing, was going to shut it down as he had other projects that he wanted to focus on so he asked us if we’d take it over. Simple as that, suddenly we are running a festival. Who knows what will happen next, life is full of surprises!

It seems that current ‘independent’ films are stuffed full of A-listers and equipped with enormous budgets. What’s different about the films you show?

The truth is that none of that stuff matters to us, the world of celebrities, the size of the budgets and even the terms ‘independent’ and ‘underground’. What

we care about is that the films we show are made by living, breathing human creatures who fully participate in life in the best way they can: people who can see through the bullshit of the film world, or the art world, all of that stuff.

Cinema is still attached by the umbilical cord to Mother Money, some people are even trying to climb back into the womb. But it is time to cut the cord and start crawling. There is a wonderful journey ahead!

What are your thoughts on London as a city? Is it a good place for underground films to flourish?

Anywhere is a good place for underground films to flourish, and when we talk about underground films, what we’re really talking about is art. And where there are people there has to be art. And where there are lots of people we desperately need art. Not just objects and paid for experiences, we need to find a way to bring art into every part of our lives because art brings transformation and is an expression of being human. Humans constantly feel that their lives are full of restrictions and suffering, art is our way of turning everything on its heads, it brings both lightness and depth to our experiences and helps us join in the dance of life with a spring in our step.

On top of running the festival you both make your own films and run a fanzine. Does it ever get too much?

Sometimes we need to slow down and take a big breath but we love everything we do, there is not much that is more exciting than making a movie, it’s such a thrilling experience. Never easy, but so incredible. Because there are two of us creating the projects, it is a constant exchange and a continuous shared experience. It helps us maintain the energy – we keep each other going.

Finally, events like this are a great way to introduce people to a different type of cinema. How do you hope people will come away feeling?

If they come away with only one thing in their minds, we hope that they see that the art of cinema is alive and it is an evolving, mysterious creature that is still quite young, and even though it might appear that the medium exists under the domination of modern Hollywood and the money men, its future lies in the hands of the amateurs and the artists. The variety of explorations taking place in the films we’re presenting should demonstrate that there are many stones unturned and many lands unconquered. There are no dead ends, just ever expanding possibilities. / INTERVIEWED BY KIT HARWOOD / KCL / FILM EDITOR Cine-Rebis will be running from the 14th to the 17th November at The Horse Hospital.

More information on the festival can be found at www.cinerebis.net

the smoke

film

13

DAY OF THE FLOWERS

the latest cinematic endeavour of BAFTA-winning director John Roberts Set against the colourful backdrop of contemporary Havana, Day Of The Flowers is part romantic comedy, part drama which follows Scottish sisters Rosa (Eva Birthistle) and Ailie (Charity Wakefield) on a trip to Cuba to scatter their father’s ashes. An ardent socialist, their father was a dreamer who travelled to Cuba during the revolutionary late sixties. There he met their mother, before returning to England and ‘selling out’ his ideals after her early demise. The sisters’ aim is to mix both their parents’ ashes and scatter them into a river on the feast day which gives the film its title.

Day Of The Flowers does not engage with the standard territory of Cuban political struggle. Rather, it focuses on the way people live on a human, everyday level, the cinematography closely surveying intricate market and street scenes. Still, the main story lies

SOHO CIGARETTE REVIEW

I arrived at the screening of Jonathan Fairbairn’s Soho Cigarette somewhat disheveled, to put it lightly. On discovering that I had turned up both late and at the wrong cinema, I rushed through the disorientating colours of Soho’s streets, lost in the back alleys behind the Apollo Cinema. Having finally made my way to my seat, I was presented with an entirely different vision of Soho.

Soho Cigarette follows the life of ‘D’, played by David Galea, a suave young man whose expulsion from his girlfriend’s flat inspires him to buy a car. To skip over the film’s somewhat lacklustre middle section, in which D’s aimless exploits result in very little happening at all, he sells the car. It’s a film that adopts the classic ‘road movie’ structure, led more by dialogue than action, where the relationships that develop and dissolve are connected by the act of driving. However, this road movie doesn’t actually manage to find its way out of Soho.

The film seemed to be trying to remind me of Breathless, mimicking its black and white cinematography

with the sisters, both strong-willed and very different with little family resemblance: one a party girl and the other an anti-capitalist activist.

on most things, including romantic entanglements, though the ending brings some resolution to their conflict.

Cuban ballet dancer Carlos Acosta provides the romantic interest in his screen debut, yet it is mishaps around the ashes and the comedy-drama this leads to that creates the story’s momentum. Customs officials confiscate their father’s ashes, thinking them to be a suspicious substance, and tracking down their mother’s ashes proves even more hazardous.

The film received lukewarm reviews at Edinburgh, mainly due to its two-dimensional script. There are over-coincidental plot devices and sparse dialogue which in places lacks depth and subtlety. However, the humour of many scenes undeniably adds an entertaining lightness – the opening, for example, in which Rosa secretly steals their father’s ashes from their stepmother and pours them into an old cigar box.

In the process, the sisters uncover some emotional family truths which leave them questioning everything they have ever known about their father. Much of the film is also driven by tensions between the two sisters: Ailie is merely on the trip for a sunny beach holiday, and behaves selfishly throughout. They disagree

in an attempt to replicate Jean-Luc Godard’s beautiful and spontaneous coolness. Replace that coolness with despondent, contrived wandering and you get Soho Cigarette.

“

This road movie doesn’t actually manage to find its way out of Soho

”

Where Godard captured his characters against the gorgeous backdrop of rural France and Paris, Fairbairn neglects the fascinating setting of Soho in favour of following his characters at a consistently close distance. This is exemplified by the bizarre and awkward scenes in which D feigns being a tour guide, which play out for far too long in some of Soho’s most featureless back alleys.

This style of closely following your characters is one which can be extremely effective, as for instance in Abbas Kiarostami’s Ten, where the camera is directed singularly at its various subjects as they drive or are driven around. However, one integral aspect that makes Kiarostami’s film so captivating is the dialogue, which in Soho Cigarette sadly ranges between unenthusiastic bickering and quasi-

In short, a fun – but not very special – comedy drama against a backdrop of contemporary Cuba. / AMY PRIOR / BIRKBECK / CONTRIBUTOR /

philosophical pondering. One is left with the feeling that Fairbairn’s actors take for granted their omnipresence on screen, and perhaps it is this that renders the acting, which in some scenes shows some promise, essentially unconvincing.

Perhaps I am being unfair. It’s possible that Fairbairn was attempting to frame a alternate side of Soho, whose inhabitants avoid the dizzying crowds and stick to more exclusive joints like underground wine bars and penthouse suites. Maybe D’s failure to be accepted into this lifestyle, in which money and charm go hand in hand, accounts for the lack of urgency and energy in any character interaction. But if this is the case, then Fairbairn presents a depressing binary, where the cool rich man (Vidal Sancho) gets the girl, and the poor wannabe, despite all his efforts, loses out and even then remains ambivalent about the whole

situation.

Overall, what I objected to most in the film was this potential that failed to be effectively gauged. Unfortunately, the monochromatic cinematography and uninspiring use of locations meant that all of the energetic vibrancy that could have given so much definition and urgency to his film pass by out of shot. Perhaps it’s simply that Soho is a difficult muse.

Emerging from the cinema after the film, I found myself standing in the bustling street, contemplating how much more captivating the reality of London is. Unfortunately for Fairbairn, two minutes spent having a cigarette in Soho is significantly more interesting than two hours spent watching Soho Cigarette. / ALFRED CLARKE / GOLDSMITHS / CONTRIBUTOR /

14

books

the smoke

the champagne and the stars literature’s greatest parties

The whirlwind of strobe lights, dirty pints and awkward introductions that is Fresher’s Week is now but a distant (and quite blurred) memory. While for some of you this may come as a slight relief, some of you may be feeling a tad blue. Never fear, however! We’ve revisited four of the most spectacular shindigs in literary history to get you back into that party mood.

ANNA KARENINA BY LEO TOLSTOY You may have expected an invitation to one of Jay Gatsby’s decadent do’s to be at the top of our wish list, but we’ve passed him up for a slice of the Russian aristocracy in the late nineteenth century. Tolstoy’s parties are “all tulle, ribbons, lace and flowers”: the kind of parties where scandals abound under the mask of the innocent waltz and where Anna herself might appear “in a black, low-cut, velvet gown, showing her full throat and shoulders”. How very sexy, Anna –all great women know the power of the LBD. THE GREAT GATSBY BY F. SCOTT FITZGERALD Having said that, we certainly couldn’t leave Gatsby out of the running altogether! West Egg on Long Island was the place to be seen in the Roaring Twenties, especially at the mansion of one of the most audaciously wealthy and mysteriously tortured hosts of all time. Jay Gatsby is,

arguably, the epitome of the guy that every man wants to be and every woman wants to be with. His parties are, inevitably, the kind of parties that no one wants to leave, even if it is in “a brisk yellow bug.”

“the beautiful silver, the brass fire-irons, the new chaircovers, and the curtains of yellow chintz”. Her guests will be the type of guests who notice these things, after all – and did I mention that “the Prime Minister was coming”?

Of course, Gatsby’s world signals the death of morality, but we won’t fret over that for long, because it’s a world where “the lights grow brighter as the earth lurches away from the sun,” where guests come and go “like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars.” And if you’re not sold on such transcendence, there’s always the refreshments to look forward to: orange juice is squeezed from a machine “which could extract the juice of two hundred oranges in half an hour if a little button was pressed two hundred times.”

Scrumptious.

And when all is said and done, when the flower shop has been visited and revisited and the silver polished and polished again, once you’re absolutely sure that the yellow chintz is precisely the right shade of yellow, there’s nothing left to do but throw your doors open to London’s aristocracy with the well-known, somewhat insincere words “How delightful to see you!”

MRS DALLOWAY BY VIRGINIA WOOLF As we’re talking about spectacular hosts, it would be rude not to include Clarissa Dalloway, who spends the entire novel preparing for her high-society get-together.

The fact that a grand total of 25 pages are given to the event itself only serves to confirm that planning is key.

Mrs Dalloway is the kind of party planner who has an eye for detail, who knows that a good party comes down to

ALICE IN WONDERLAND, LEWIS CARROLL As a child, a place at the Mad Hatter’s tea party would have been partly delightful and partly the stuff of my absolute nightmares. A psychedelic dreamscape in which animals talk in riddles whilst plying you with tea and bread-and-butter? Thank you, but I must decline. On the other hand, there’s something slightly irresistible about the Dormouse’s sleepy story-telling skills, and one can’t help but think that if Alice had been just slightly less inquisitive and a little more open to the possibility of treacle wells, she might not have left in such a rush. / AMANDEEP BAINS / KCL / CONTRIBUTOR

LONDON BY CHAPTER In our new series, Flora Neville explores London’s places and spaces through the words written on them. In this issue she takes a stroll across Waterloo Bridge with Wendy Cope’s poem ‘After the Lunch’.

As London’s bridges go, Waterloo Bridge is not wildly inspiring. It floats between Blackfriars Bridge, with its striking red and goldlatticed sides, and Hungerford Bridge, lit up at night and bustling with buskers. Its clumpy, geometric shape is not elegant, buses hurtle over it, and the wind bites when October strikes.

Nonetheless, it is on the bridge that the speaker of Wendy Cope’s ‘After the Lunch’ tries “not to notice I’ve fallen in love.” I wonder where on Waterloo Bridge the speaker is “tempted to skip”.

Perhaps back to the place that had been the setting for the elusive lunch that preceded her revelation. I, for one, am dying to fall in love in The Scooter Cafe, on Lower Marsh. I shall say nothing more except it’s a place of unparalleled wonder and you must go and fall in love there. Or perhaps she is a student at King’s, and has been wooed with fine lemonade from Tom’s on the terrace, overlooking the boat-speckled river.

The clichéd reality is implicit in the title alone: she doesn’t care where she had lunch. It is after the lunch that counts: it is on Waterloo Bridge, after they have ‘said our goodbyes’ that counts. What is poetically conducive about this bridge? Perhaps it is its sturdy support over murky waters, or its expansive views both east and west that broaden the heart and the mind. Or perhaps because it is just a lover’s leap from an array of bookish havens. From the South Bank Centre Poetry Library to the book market beneath the bridge’s span, raffish charm abounds and the seduction of the printed word is palpable. / FLORA NEVILLE / KCL / CONTRIBUTOR

AFTER THE LUNCH On Waterloo Bridge where we said our goodbyes, the weather conditions bring tears to my eyes.

I wipe them away with a black woolly glove And try not to notice I’ve fallen in love.

On Waterloo Bridge I am trying to think: This is nothing. You’re high on the charm and the drink.

But the juke-box inside me is playing a song That says something different. And when was it wrong?

On Waterloo Bridge with the wind in my hair I am tempted to skip. You’re a fool. I don’t care.

The head does its best but the heart is the boss I admit it before I am halfway across.

— Wendy Cope

theatre

the smoke

15

THE DROWNED MAN AND THE PROBLEM WITH PUNCHDRUNK Punchdrunk’s latest production, The Drowned Man, may be awash with physical beauty, but its lack of emotional content left this Theatre Editor completely drained.

As an internationally-acclaimed theatre company famed for their immersive sitespecific work, Punchdrunk is anything but bland. The hype that has preceded the end of their 6-year break from the London theatre scene is nothing short of obscene; I’ve genuinely struggled to find anyone who hasn’t either seen, or desperately wanted to see, their latest offering.

Loosely based on Georg Büchner’s Woyzeck, the action takes place in the fictitious world of Temple Pictures, which is in reality a disused post office in West London. Audiences, wearing masks, are expected to guide themselves through the studio’s unnerving world of the broken dreams of its delusional stars – their dysfunctional relationships and neurotic behaviours fuel an anxietywrought atmosphere throughout.

To provide context: Woyzeck was never completed. Many have taken on the task of posthumously finishing the play, but Punchdrunk decided not to, preferring to focus on the fragmented state of the incomplete work and adventurously

trying to portray it through this overambitious postmodern interpretation.

This is where the main problem with the production lies.

The deliberate lack of structure of the piece leads to immense frustration. It is not easy viewing. Worse still, within this abstract concept, the protagonists are not only difficult to relate to – they are downright annoying. What you are left with, then, is a bizarre tour of broken scenes of exasperating people that you cannot escape, complete with chilling and repetitive noise and a forced sense of isolation imposed by white masks. I think the correct word is ‘nightmare’.

I’m aware that this may seem a cutting criticism, and, in comparison with other reviews, an unjust one – but it is true.

Nightmares often merge contradictory situations, are visually intriguing, uncomfortable, and ultimately baffling.

The more shocking a moment is, the more memorable. As someone with an excruciatingly poor memory, I’ve dabbled with the theory that cheese enhances the vividness of dreams, and gorged on some pre-bedtime cheddar in the hope that lucid subconscious offerings may appear during my slumber. Watching parts of The Drowned Man, particularly towards the end of my journey, I felt as though I’d bathed in

Stilton and gone to bed with quite lot of issues. Subtle it was not. It also made no sense.

From the collection of drugstores, saloons and trailers, to nauseating 1950s locker rooms and Haversham-esque bedrooms, each action within the piece is so insular and self-indulgent that an audience can’t possibly be expected to engage fully. Physical immersion, in this instance, could not be further removed from mental engagement. There is no link, no guide, no thread to weave the disjointed segments of theatrical material together.

Many aspects of The Drowned Man must be applauded. Punchdrunk have excelled, again, at creating a selection of visually stunning scenes, worlds

even. The production boasts an array of accomplished dancers, and makes full use of their remarkable athletic ability – the talent of the performers often substituted for the excruciating lack of meaningful dialogue. My argument is that it shouldn’t have to. With an abstract piece, set in a vast location, the frustrating fragmentation doesn’t need to be highlighted with multiple plots, unwelcoming characters and a total lack of guidance.

The one thing about this uniquely bizarre production is that it is entirely open to one’s own interpretation. Luckily, I know exactly what happened. The man drowned in a fondue. / SARAH FORTESCUE / CSSD / THEATRE EDITOR

THE ARTIST IS PRESENT:

WHY I DITCHED HEROIC COUPLETS FOR PERFORMANCE ART The world of performance art is a mysterious one. Live Art Development Agency vaguely describes it as “an innovative genre of performance that challenges traditional performance styles and conventional social ideas”.

It sounded like something I’d never get into – I’m very traditional when it comes to theatre. I’ve been brought up on Shakespeare, so Titus Andronicus was as radical as it got. Nor did I think that was a bad thing.

However, embarking on my journey as a drama student meant I’ve had to open my mind a little more. Starting my first year at Queen Mary, I had no idea how much cultural upheaval I was about to put myself through. One year later, I’m regularly attending talks by Franko B, a performance artist who often features his own blood in his productions. His controversial performance I Miss You saw him walk naked through Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall, his body covered in white paint and with catheters in his arms, his blood dripping down his body and staining the white runway. I’d like to think I’ve come a long way.

It was only by chance during a flat party that I learned of performance art. I heard extensive tales of nudity on stage, and performances consisting of three-hour

shaving sessions. It sounded ridiculous, but I wanted to know more.

When I arrived to watch my first performance art piece, and heard that the performance had started 20 minutes early without an audience present “in order to create a sense of time”, my eyes

rolled. It seemed hugely self-indulgent.

What I didn’t realise, however, was that in creating long-length performances, the performer is challenged to make their art especially engaging. I arrived midperformance and was met with about 10 people, all at their own individual station in an undecorated room, repeating an action

over and over. Some were unwrapping tampons, others were making lists and one girl was passionately stamping on balloons in oversized heeled shoes. Each action, though perplexing on its own, was under an umbrella theme that guided the whole piece: adolescence. The realisation that they had been repeating said action

Mary, played a prominent part in guiding me that throughout the many works that have come to define performance art as a discipline (despite their vast differences in style and content). She asserted that it gives audience members more freedom of interpretation than traditional theatre. Although Live Art is not opposed to traditional theatricality, it employs the intrigue and provocation – so infamously associated with the genre – to make much more striking and powerful political statements. These statements are as varied as the performances themselves, ranging from critiques on modern-day living, as seen in the work of Tehching Hsieh, to explorations of gender and sexuality, prominent in Barri Holstein’s work. Performance art can take its audience to uncomfortable places, both thematically and physically, with durational pieces that test the limits of an audience.

alone, for 20 minutes without an audience, instilled in me a bizarre sense of intrigue, and more unexpectedly, respect. This was a feast of metaphors, of which I was eager to sample more.

Performance art is daring, and can be far more thought-provoking than most traditional theatre. But more than anything I find the unabashed bravery of the artist – who both creates the artwork and operates within it – utterly compelling. It’s safe to say I’m converted.

Lauren Barri Holstein (above), a respected performance artist and a lecturer at Queen

/ MIRANDA BURNS / QUEEN MARY / CONTRIBUTOR

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food

the smoke

MARY BERRY’S CRASH COURSE IN COOKERY And then Mary Berry’s Cookery Course is published and everything changes. Well, maybe not everything.

It’s highly unlikely that I will ever manage a dacquoise, after all, but “a step-by-step masterclass in home cooking” can only help improve matters in the soggy bottom area (for those of you who do not watch Bake Off, I really am talking about pastry here).

In fact, it could help with far more. On flicking to the contents page, I find Mary is by no means just about the baking. From Soups to Salads, Poultry and Game and Pasta and Rice, Mary has got all the pillars of home cooking covered. The recipes are simple yet traditional, so don’t expect any Ottolenghi-esque feats of salad innovation.

“ Mary Berry encapsulates the very essence of British home baking. Most of us will know her best from The Great British Bake Off, where, with her twinkling eyes and warm smile, she represents everything that we love about our own grandmothers - plus the added killer fashion sense. She knows how to knead her dough, she’s a dab hand at dacquoise, and when it comes to pastries she won’t even break a sweat, let alone come out with that dreaded “soggy bottom”.

With such a number of stellar attributes, it really is inevitable that come every Tuesday evening, I’m always mildly depressed knowing that I will never be anything like the great woman herself.

A good cookbook is also one that goes above and beyond the call of duty, and Mary Berry’s Cookery Course does exactly that

”

Personally, as a student, I prefer this take in a cookbook. Sorry Mr Ramsay, but I’m not about to go hunting down truffle oil any time soon, and veal really isn’t on my weekly shopping list. The simplicity

of Mary’s recipes is a fundamental reason why her cookbook is a good one for the average student – the ingredients can usually be found in your local supermarket, and even if something features that’s a tad pricey, you can use your imagination to find a convenient replacement that will work just as well.

A good cookbook is also one that goes above and beyond the call of duty, and Mary Berry’s Cookery Course does exactly that. There is the Basic Equipment section that a lot of cookbooks include these days, helpful for a fledgling home maker but perhaps less so for a student who is more than happy to make do with precisely one saucepan, one frying pan and one (questionably) sharp knife, thank you very much.

However, Mary does include a Technique Finder, which really is helpful. Ever found yourself wondering how to make a basic tomato sauce? Are soft-boiled eggs your nemesis? Whatever your core skill demon, Mary can slay it with a few well-aimed directions.

And of course, there are stomach-grumbling pictures galore, documenting both the process and the delicious final product (so you know what it should have looked like, even if you somehow manage to mess up).

All in all, Mary Berry has produced another showstopper. If you’re looking to nail your cooking skills, then there really is no better person to learn from. In the words of Mary Berry herself, “keep it simple, follow the recipe, and you will be a star cook in no time!” Aww, Mary! / AMANDEEP BAINS / KCL / CONTRIBUTOR

Psst: DK are offering 40% off all Mary Berry books until 31 October.

THE HUNTER GATHERER VISIT THESE MARKETS! able to pick up a papaya or two in November, but produce in season will, as a rule of thumb, be less expensive (this month: look out for pumpkins, artichokes and the odd fig). This helps not only the wallet but also the mind: trying to eat within the seasons makes mealtime decision-

Hungry, poor, tired, uninspired... What to cook?

Most evenings, this is the conundrum that gnaws at our minds. There are several solutions out there – one favourite being a visit to the website whatthefuckshouldimakefordinner.com – but one especially good way to combat this frustration is to leave the supermarket aisles and head for your local backstreets.

Many will have heard of the famous big-dog London markets: Borough, Portobello and Broadway. But both these big names and the lesser-known hubs are falling out of favour as a source for our daily feeding, eclipsed by the ease of the supermarket. When value and convenience are at the top of our minds, popping to the local market may not seem a sensible course of action - but you couldn’t be more wrong.

Market shopping reflects nature’s natural abundance and leads to seasonal eating – not something generally reflected in supermarkets. You may be

school nature means you can still pick up the classic ‘bowls for a quid’.

BOROUGH MARKET

making a whole lot easier. You may also be surprised at the variety you can get for your honest pound – Fresh Fruit Daily by Holborn station gave me 8 figs, 2 avocados, a bag of apples and a punnet of blueberries for a mere £4. The same basket in Tesco would set you back £7. Need I say more?

Tube: London Bridge Thurs: 11am–5pm, Fri: 12pm–6pm, Sat: 9am–4pm Not just for the expensive treats. Pop along especially to see the wonderful Lizzie, who partowns a butchery called ‘The West Country Farm Shop’, one of only three stalls that have been in Borough Market (left) for over 15 years. £10 will get you exceptional braising steak, mince, sausages, eggs and a new friend.

THE TOP 5 SELLERS TO GET SAVVY WITH:

BETHNAL GREEN MARKET

FRESH FRUIT DAILY Tube: Holborn The ultimate motherlode: it’s situated in the midst of student activity and should not be missed. Be friendly to the delightful sellers and you may find yourself with a complimentary orange or two as you become a regular.

BERWICK ST & RUPERT ST MARKET Tube: Tottenham Court Road Mon–Sat: 9am–5pm Though it has been feeding Soho since the 1840s and only a handful of stalls still exist, the general atmosphere of the street is unbeatable and the old-

Mon–Sat: 8.30am–5pm, Thurs 8.30am–12.30pm No-nonsense fruit and veg stalls and great opening hours mean it should be a must for all east Londoners.

SMITHFIELD MARKET Mon–Fri: 4am–12pm One for the meat lovers, Smithfield is a traditional wholesaler that also sells to the public. Perfect for when you‘re feeding the house and a few more - the early start means you can bag yourself top quality meat, and lots of it. Freezers at the ready.

/ SOPHIE JOHNSON / KCL / CONTRIBUTOR

travel

How To

the smoke

#1 BRAZIL

Travel The World

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little britain

IN THIS NEW SERIES, THE SMOKE EXPLORES DESTINATIONS ACROSS THE UK

WITHOUT LEAVING THE BIG SMOKE

IMAGE: EMMA HOPE ALLWOOD

MADE IN BRASIL For some of the best cocktails outside Brazil, right in the heart of Camden is a gem of a place (above) that exudes Brazilian charm and hosts live music every day.

There’s nowhere better to feel the bossa nova beat or sensual samba while you nibble on cassava chips and drink a raspberry and chilli caipirinha.

Happy hour 12-8pm Monday-Friday and all day on Tuesday. All caipirinhas £4.25 and beers from £2.95. www.made-in-brasil.co.uk

GUANABARA Bringing music, food and drink straight from the heart of Brazil to the centre of London, this Brazilian club in Covent Garden will make your soul sway and feet dance to the rhythm of Brazilian carnival. Samba, capoeira floorshows, forro, Latin beats, hip-hop and much more. Open Tuesday–Sunday, with happy hours from 5-8pm. www.guanabara.co.uk

TIA MARIA TAPIOCA HOUSE A little retreat in Vauxhall, Tia Maria brings tapioca to London. This delicious snack is made from starch extracted from cassava and cooked into a form of flatbread, often coated in coconut. The fillings range from sweet to savoury.

Combine that with happy hours from 3-7pm and sometimes a live show, this is a place not to miss. www.tiamarialondon.com

RODIZIO RESTAURANTS Rodizio is a type of restaurant service in Brazil. You pay a set price and will be offered an all-you-can-eat selection of chargrilled meats and a large buffet of side dishes to go with them. It’s on the expensive side, but you won’t need to eat again for a week! £20-£25 per person, not including drinks. www.rodiziorico.com www.rodiziopreto.co.uk

LONDON SCHOOL OF SAMBA Dance classes, drumming classes, live performances give you the chance to get into the samba rhythm, a lively glimpse into the world of the Brazilian carnival.

Open classes are on Sundays in Waterloo and cater for a range of abilities. £6 for students. www.londonschoolofsamba.co.uk / FRANCESCA SECOLA / BIRKBECK / CONTRIBUTOR

The seaside is both an old English tradition and a cliché, summed up no better than by the tinkling tune of the beachside carousel in Brighton. As the painted horses slowly rise and fall against a soundtrack of cawing seagulls, breaking waves and the buzz of the pier, the shore has a timelessness about it.

What makes Brighton better than your average beachside resorts, however, is its soulfulness.

Whilst Blackpool may be the choice of raucous hen parties, Cornwall the hangout for summer surfers and Margate more suited to a Saga day trip for Grandma, Brighton’s artistic edginess and youthful playfulness make it the perfect weekend getaway for the London student.

This juxtaposition of beach and Bohemia meets at the shore’s edge where you can roam across the sandy pebbles while perusing the talents of the local creative types. The Artist Quarter, just west of the pier, makes its home in the arches under the promenade formerly inhabited by fishermen, effortlessly blending the briny local history and the contemporary talents of the city. ‘All At Sea’ is aptly nautically themed, selling art made from shells and driftwood, while the ‘Little Beach Boutique’ produces beautiful handmade items and glassware.

“

Brighton’s artistic edginess and youthful playfulness make it the perfect weekend getaway for the London student

”

If music is more your thing, Brighton is the birthplace of some of today’s biggest bands – from Bat For Lashes and British Sea Power to the Freemasons and Fatboy Slim. The Concorde 2 is particularly noteworthy for being the first UK venue to host the White Stripes as well as Jarvis Cocker’s first solo gig. Built into the side of a cliff,

this small and intimate venue provides an acoustic haven of the big names of the future.

A short walk away from the seafront up the Old Steine leads to a building easily confused with the Taj Mahal. The Brighton Pavilion looms proudly amongst the poky sea cottages and old Victorian town houses. It is apt that a city as multicultural and diverse as Brighton should be home to an Indian palace, famously home to the most extravagant chinoiserie interior decor. Fostering local talents in its gardens during the summer, it can be the perfect place for a relaxing picnic set amidst buskers and performers after a morning of historical exploration.

Whilst there’s great people-watching potential in the Pavilion Gardens, better still is to wander down towards the Lanes. Brighton is famed for its liberal way of life - it was the first ever city to elect a member of the Green Party as its local MP and has long been considered the gay capital of the UK. The miscellaneous mish-mash of shops, cafes and pubs echoes the cool crowds that hang out along North Street. Of particular note is Shakeaway, the gourmet milkshake bar offering over 180 flavours from Maom sweets to Ferrero Rocher chocolates and Jamaican ginger cake.

For the more health-conscious and ethicallyminded, Food For Friends has been serving delicious vegetarian and vegan dishes since the ‘80s.

Of course, a visit to the pier arcade is a must if you want to feed your gambling addiction (even if it is in the form of a tuppenny coin pusher).

Equally, those thirsty for a little competition might enjoy the many funfair stalls at the end of the boardwalk. And if you fancy finding out if you’re going to strike lucky in advance, why not try the pier’s fortune teller?

But don’t spend too long amongst the crowds of tourists: wander back to the top promenade and you’ll find the Kiss Wall, created by Bruce Williams in 1992. As the light pierces the column, it reveals six images of people kissing – two men, an elderly couple, a mother and child. This celebration of love encapsulates what lies at the very centre of a city that is made not by its sense of place but by its people: Brighton does indeed have a big heart.

/ JAMES HODGE / BIRKBECK / TRAVEL EDITOR

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EVENTS

the smoke

days and nights SLAMBASSADORS NATIONAL FINAL

THE OUTSIDER

BIOSPHERE / PERC: AMBIENT SET

National final of the longest running youth slam.

Foyer Spaces, Southbank Centre.

1 November, 4pm Free

A dramatised reading of the novel for Camus’s 100th.

Purcell Room, Southbank Centre 7 November, 7.45pm £5

Church of St-John-at-Hackney 7 November £14

WES ANDER-THON

GHOSTS

GLAMOUR OF BELLVILLE SASSOON

Prince Charles Cinema 9 November £25 non-members / £22.50 members

Henrik Ibsen, dir. Richard Eyre Almeida Theatre Until 23rd November From £8

An exhibition celebrating the British couturier.

Fashion and Textile Museum Until 11 Jan 2014 £5

OUR CURATED PICK OF LONDON’S BEST EVENTS OVER THE NEXT THREE WEEKS. THE DUKE MITCHELL FILM CLUB: HALLOWEEN The Phoenix Artist Club 28 October Free

THE GREAT WAR Joe Sacco discusses his latest book, which provides haunting account of wartime trenches.

London Review Bookshop 28 October, 7pm £10

LIVIA FIRTH: CAN FASHION CHANGE THE WORLD?

JONATHAN SAUNDERS, TALKING FASHION The designer talks to Vogue journalist Sarah Mower about his career so far.

V&A 5 November, 6.30pm £6

WHIRLYGIG CINEMA SPOTLIGHTS

MARGARET DRABBLE

Hackney Attic - Hackney Picturehouse 6 November £5, £4 Advance

Drabble talks about her new novel The Pure Gold Baby.

Hall 2, Kings Place 11 November, 7.30pm £9.50

NIGHT TALES Food, experimental bar culture and nightlife in a car park and underground bunker.

Abbott Street Car Park, Dalston Thurs-Sat from 7 November £3 donation

The sustainable fashion campaigner in conversation about fashion and eco ethics.

Victoria and Albert Museum 1 November, 6.30pm £6

EXPLODING CINEMA

ALL WALKS OF DEATH HALLOWEEN PARTY

HISTORIC HESTON BLUMENTHAL

The Dime Bar, Battersea Rise 1-2 November Admission free, menu prices apply

Films/Performance/Music/Visuals Canterbury Arms 8 November £5

An evening with Heston exploring the culinary impact of the Georgian era and their influence.

British Library 8 November £8

COFFEE HOUSE POETRY An “unpredictable spoken-word shindig” featuring Jo Shapcott, Christopher Reid and others in the famous Troubadour cellar-club.

The Troubadour 4 November, 8-10pm £7

ANDREW ZOLINSKY The British pianist plays works from four American visionaries: Cage, Wolff, Monk and Feldman.

Southbank Centre 10 November, 1:00pm £10

EXPERIMENTAL FOOD SOCIETY SPECTACULAR Includes a wildflower meadow made entirely from sugar and ‘Alcohol in Space’.

The Old Truman Brewery, Brick Lane 8-9 November £7

POETRY LIBRARY OPEN DAY A day of poetry and performance, with printed displays and live readings.

Poetry Library, Southbank Centre 17 November, 11am Free

PAUL SMITH An exhibition showcasing the British designer’s work.

Design Museum From 20 November £7

LONDON INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FESTIVAL Barbican/Horse Hospital/Rio Cinema Until 03 November £8.50/£TBC/£10

RICHARD PRICE: PROTEST PAINTINGS Skarstedt Gallery Until 20 December Free

EMILIO GRECO: SACRED AND PROFANE Estorick Collection Until 22 December £3.50

ANNA LOU AT SELFRIDGES A customisation pop-up store from the London jewellery designer.

Selfridges Oxford Street Until 31 December

ELMGREEN AND DRAGSET: TOMORROW Victoria and Albert Museum Until 15 January 2013 Free

FOUND AT THE RA Burlington Gardens, Royal Academy 22 November, 6.30-9.30 pm Free

EDWARD II National Theatre Until October 27th From £12

TAYLOR WESSING PHOTOGRAPHIC PORTRAIT PRIZE National Portrait Gallery Until 9 February 2013 £2

PAUL KLEE: MAKING VISIBLE Tate Modern Until 9 March £13.10

the smoke

FROM THE ARCHIVES

Every issue, The Smoke aims to honour London Student’s near-sixty year history by featuring an image from our photographic archive. This image from November 1961 shows some remarkable new technology being tried out at the ULU pool. We’re not quite sure on the whole “putting live wires into water” thing, but these chaps seem to be behind it.

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