The Smoke Issue VII by The Smoke

the smoke

ISSUE 7 17 FEBRUARY - 9 MARCH ‘14

LONDON’S BEST ARTS AND CULTURE: CURATED

SOUVID DATTA, PHOTOJOURNALIST AND UCL STUDENT / WE INTERVIEW KATY B / MUSIC REVIEWS: CONNAN MOCKASIN, ST. VINCENT, WILD BEASTS / DEREK JARMAN: PANDEMONIUM / A DIALOGUE WITH PAINTER DIARMUID KELLEY / THE NORTH, SOUTH, EAST AND FURTHER EAST IN LONDON STYLE

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READ FULL ISSUES ONLINE: WWW.LONDON-STUDENT.NET/THE-SMOKE LONDON UNDER WATER: COVER DESIGN / PHOTOGRAPHY EMMA ALLWOOD

the smoke FROM THE EDITORS Oh God. What is up with this weather... no more smugly declaring that “London isn’t even that rainy, it’s just a stereotype” for us, because this is miserable. To lift our spirits, ground down by endless grey skies, these editors decided to brighten their lives through fashion. Rena picked up an orange Fila puffa jacket from eBay in a men’s small, which is still enormous. People can’t help searching for the little woman living somewhere inside the big nylon object, with something akin to pity in their eyes. She doesn’t care, though, because it looks fucking cool. Emma invested in a neon pink faux fur coat, because sometimes only wearing black – in an attempt to give off tragically fashionable existentialist vibes – gets a little boring. But if you aren’t the kind of person to buy something which will earn you wide-eyed stares, we have plenty in our new issue to brighten your day. Our feature this issue is a double spread on Souvid Datta, a UCL ESPS student and winner of 2013 Guardian Student Media Awards’ Photographer of the Year. Also the man behind London Student issue 6’s photographic feature “China: Industrialising Nation”, we asked him about the process of documenting and the

THE SMOKE

WHAT’S INSIDE

politics of representation. In other UoL talent news, the ex-Goldsmiths student and Mercury Prize-nominated singer Katy B told us about writing her new release Little Red, her student days and favourite recipe. She’s lovely: turn to page 6 to read up. And we’ve got one more: Derek Jarman, the late cult filmmaker and a King’s and Slade alum, is being celebrated in the exhibition Derek Jarman: Pandemonium, hosted by King’s Cultural Institute. We spoke to Mark Turner, English professor at King’s and curator, about Jarman’s importance: “you didn’t have to have a lot of money to make interesting work.” You also don’t have to go to a big cinema chain to see good films: check out our highlights of independent film screenings in two Peckham bars. Sink down on a comfy couch with a pint and enjoy a selection of great films – it’s the best of both worlds. We hope you enjoy this issue, and that it helps to keep your mind off the rain. EMMA & RENA

4-5 – FEATURES THE EYE: Souvid Datta, photojournalist and UCL student, shares his tales and thoughts on documentation 6 – MUSIC Interview with R&B singer Katy B: “100% I miss the [student] lifestyle – that freedom of being able to learn and meet people” 7 – MUSIC Live & album reviews: Connan Mockasin, St. Vincent, Wild Beasts and more 8 – FILM Derek Jarman: Pandemonium: a conversation with curator and King’s professor Mark Turner on the cult filmmaker’s commemoration 9 – FILM Cozy and cheap film nights at our favourite Peckham bars: Peckham Pelican and The Montpelier

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

10-11 – ARTS A dialogue between Arts Editor Liza Weber and painter Diarmuid Kelley

SUB EDITOR

12 – ARTS Sensing Spaces: Architecture Reimagined at the Royal Academy / Interact: Deconstructing Spectatorship, Courtauld Institute’s biennial exhibition

Anna Tomlinson

DESIGNER / FASHION EDITOR Emma Hope Allwood fashion@london-student.net

ARCHIVE EDITOR

13 – FASHION The North, South, East and Further East in London style

Gaby Laing archive@london-student.net

ARTS EDITORS

14 – BOOKS Independent bookstores: Muswell Hill Bookshop / Reading Literature, Studying Science: a veterinary student’s love letter to literature

Costanza Beltrami Liza Weber arts@london-student.net

BOOKS EDITOR Elizabeth Metcalfe books@london-student.net

15 – THEATRE Interview: Tim Key, actor and standup comedian

FILM EDITOR 16 – FOOD Review: Pitt Cue Co / A quick & easy recipe for procrastination o’clock: burnt butter biscuits

Kit Harwood screen@london-student.net

FOOD EDITOR Bryony Bowie food@london-student.net

17 – TRAVEL How to travel the world without leaving the Big Smoke: Cuba / Little Britain: Wales

MUSIC EDITOR George McVicar music@london-student.net

THEATRE EDITOR Sarah Fortescue theatre@london-student.net

18 – DAYS & NIGHTS We present London’s best events, 17 February - 10 March 19 – FROM THE ARCHIVES

TRAVEL EDITOR James Hodge travel@london-student.net

Two students at Goldsmiths Student Union by Philip Meech, February 1992

feature

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SOUVID DATTA THE EYE Souvid Datta is a photojournalist and the Guardian Student Photographer of the Year. From Kolkata and London, and a final year European Social and Political Studies student at UCL, we asked him about documentary photography, the politics of representation and future projects

How long have you been taking photos for? Not long. I kind of fell into it, actually – I took a year off after school, started travelling quite a bit, mainly just backpacking; that’s when I started taking pictures of pretty things, using lots of filters. Slowly it became a way to create narratives and connect with certain communities and people. It gave my travelling a bit more purpose. And then I realised there was this whole field of photojournalism, which I knew nothing about; it went hand in hand with social sciences and being interested in politics and humanitarian issues. When I went back to India later in the year, it all started clicking together, and I got my first proper camera then.

IMAGES FROM SOUVID’S ONGOING PROJECT DOCUMENTING THE REDEVELOPMENT OF INDIA’S SLUMS. THE WOMAN IS A SEX WORKER IN SONAGACHI, WHERE SHE MAY EARN AS LITTLE AS $2 A DAY

We saw that you took pictures of women in India – those who are involved in sex work? Some of them are. There is one project specifically about sex trade in India. There’s another project, quite a big, longterm documentary work, on slums being redeveloped across India. That’s not getting too much attention at the moment, just because it’s such a long process, and in terms of visual documentation – everyone goes and takes pictures of slums, but [I was interested] in identifying the character of these quite iconic long-standing special economic zones of the poor, and seeing how that’s fading away and changing the face of the city. The sex trade project is a part of that. One of the biggest red light districts in Asia is in north Kolkata, called Sonagachi; it’s one of the slums I’m really interested in. We were interested in how you manage to go into such a private situation – how do you approach people? Are they OK with being photographed? Sonagachi was really hard, just because they’re not fond of photographers or foreigners at all. I can speak the language, but I don’t look like I’m from there – I’m taller than most people there, I wasn’t wearing the right clothes and I have a funny accent when I speak, so it didn’t take very long for people to realise that I’m not supposed to be there. You get heckled away and stuff. There are stories of unsuspecting foreigners going there with a camera and getting beaten up. The area works as a criminal gang system. Unless you have a way in, through people who spend a lot of time there or who have connections, you’re not going to get access. So I tried working with NGOs [Non-

Governmental Organisations] to begin with, and that gave me some familiarity with how things work on the ground, some context; but even then, they’re seen as outsiders. So I had to make contacts with sex workers there, and arrange for meetings to speak to them. Just interviews initially, spending some time with them, and then introducing the idea of a camera to document them. Quite a long process, then. It seems like it, but it was quite a rushed process; the sex work project was in a onemonth period. I wish I could’ve taken all the pictures that I wanted to, but the frustrating thing is that 99% of the pictures I wanted to take, I couldn’t. It was more about trying to manage, to edit the pictures I did have to represent the situation in a fair, respectful but honest way. You asked about permission – I think that’s super, super important, especially for me. In terms of creating a narrative or addressing an issue – for me, photography is about getting to know people, connecting with them; you have to speak to them from before. And in terms of objectivity, they say you should try to blend into the shadows, be a fly on the wall or whatever, but I don’t think that’s really possible in most of these situations. Especially when you quite clearly don’t belong there. So you have to interact with them, get them used to who you are, what you’re trying to do, get them comfortable with you, so that the process becomes more honest and true. Oh, completely. And there are a lot of politics around representation, because you get some photographers that just go into a place they have little familiarity with or connection to, don’t spend the time to get to know the people or understand the situation, and thus misrepresent them, which is dangerous. We were wondering about your work in China – the Western media loves to portray China as this huge dystopia. Did you have any connection to China; did you speak the language or did you go with somebody else? No; I was quite acutely aware of the fact that I was going to a place where I don’t know its language, I’d never been there before, addressing an issue I don’t have any qualifications in – I don’t know much about environmental sciences – which is why the approach became much more anecdotal and based on a personal testimony of things, instead of trying to paint a big brush kind of picture, of China being environmentally irresponsible. So it became more about the people and personal costs to individuals and communities, of specific companies being neglectful of their responsibilities. I did have people there helping me translate. They weren’t professionals, they were students willing to help out. I was there on a tourist visa, which got me into quite a lot of trouble… in terms of getting insight into the country, I went on my very limited personal experiences and what other people said to me.

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A PROTESTOR IN CAIRO THROWS BACK A TEARGAS CANISTER, FEB 2013. £1.7M WORTH OF THESE WERE ORDERED FROM THE US BY PRESIDENT MORSI

I realised really quickly that my ambitions are always too big – I didn’t speak Arabic, I didn’t know anyone there either, but it was a good learning experience. I’m not happy with the pictures I took, because they don’t tell a story really, but I learned. ny ad ice to i e to other students ho may e inspired to try this type o photo raphy One of the biggest bits of advice I’ve got from people and mentors, and what I’m beginning to discover now, is that your best work occurs in places that you know something about. Like, China was fun, but it was just as much about travel and learning as much as it was about taking good pictures. I’m going to be able to take much better pictures in places I know more about. That’s something I’ve always been scared to do, in the same way people like to go to a new city and travel a lot more than they do in their home city. I take many more pictures abroad than I do in London, and I want that to change. There are a lot of important stories here, which aren’t really getting good photojournalistic coverage, and I want to address that. Specifically looking at youth culture in ethnic minority groups, which I think I have some access to. Young parents, gangs, violence, that kind of stuff. What I would’ve wanted to know as me two years ago… enter competitions, shoot as much as you can, whatever the project is. There are portfolio reviews, and so many different photography festivals. Shoot, shoot, shoot, and find a mentor. / INTERVIEWED BY EMMA ALLWOOD & RENA MINEGISHI / KCL / EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

THE SHUOGANG GROUP STEEL FACTORY ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF BEIJING. AT DAWN A WASTEPIPE ILLEGALLY SPEWS HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS INTO THIS DRIED-UP LAKE.

How do you react when you hear gunfire? How do you react when there’s a bleeding guy in front of you but there’s a picture you should be taking 50 metres away? All that, you can’t really learn unless you are in that situation. For me, that was one reason to go to Cairo, to see how I handled it. Secondly, I was super inspired by all of the Arab Spring, studying politics, with terms like “freedom” and “democracy” being thrown around and rearranged all the time, but not being questioned on a personal level. That whole process of people – families, children, students and the elderly – coming together to fight for what we take for granted really attracted me, and I thought it would be a chance to get a story together.

THOUSANDS GATHER IN TAHRIR SQAURE, CAIRO, FOR AFTERNOON PRAYERS

In your degree, you’re studying issues of con ict s that hy you tra elled to ypt to document the continuin unrest It was during last February, and that was for me the first time I got to test whether I had the skills to be the photographer that I wanted to be. When I think of photographers that inspire me, I think of people like Steve McCurry and James Nachtwey, they’re all heavyweight photojournalists who go to conflict zones and cover quite challenging, long-term humanitarian issues. That requires a lot of skills, which I don’t think most people get to test out.

music

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KATY B “I’M SUCH A LONDON GIRL”

KIERAN JONES INTERVIEWS KATY B, R&B SINGER AND GOLDSMITHS ALUM, IN TIME FOR THE RELEASE OF HER NEW ALBUM LITTLE RED.

doing it last minute. I still came out of it with a degree but I feel I could have done so much more so I would say just start things a little earlier.

This may be a bit of a predictable question, but where did the name of your album come from? You know what, it’s not an obvious question – I actually named it after a song called “Little Red Light” but it didn’t make the album because it didn’t ﬁt in with the rest of the music. But I really liked it, I think it kind of describes me in a way – because I’m short and I have red hair, and I thought “Little Red” represented all the emotions I feel when I listen to the album, and the subject matters like love, jealousy, lust, danger. It just feels like quite a weird album as well.

I heard you like cooking. Any meals you can recommend for students to cook? The easiest thing is just to have a roast chicken, and if you cook a roast chicken then you can make sandwiches with it, make a salad, make a curry and make stock out of the bones.

So is there a particular theme running through it? What do you feel influenced your music this time around? I think the songs are just about experiences, conversations and walks from the last three years of my life really; that’s kind of what ties it together – those sorts of experiences that I’ve had over the last few years. I listen to underground club music, a lot of very raw albums, which definitely influenced me when I made On a Mission. One of the songs called “Blues Eyes” was influenced a bit by Joni Mitchell and her acrobatic kind of vocal style, so [there’s] loads of different influences. Some of the new music is a bit slower, instead of up-tempo, but it’s still electronic so it accidentally ended up sounding quite 80s. As a result, I started listening to artists like Madonna more. What was the writing process like for the album? Do some songs take longer than others to get through in the writing process? All the time; some songs fly out in half an hour and you’re like “wow, that was easy,” then other days I’ll write six different verses when I have a chorus in place. Or sometimes I’ll think that chorus isn’t good enough, and I’ll write another one and another one, bashing my head against the wall saying “oh my God” because I just can’t get it out.

“

When you’re in the studio for ages then you can’t wait to sing live, but then when you sing live you can’t wait to get back into the studio

“

I understand your UK tour is sold out, how do you feel about that kind of response? I feel really, really excited because I can’t wait to sing my new songs live; it’s just going to be really, really good fun. How has London shaped you as an artist? London is the biggest part of my identity. I was just driving through here the other day and I was thinking I am such a London girl. My parents are from London, my grandparents lived here so I’m a London girl really. There’s so much here that has inﬂuenced my music, like the pirate radio stations here and the music that you hear all around. Even where I was growing up in Peckham in south east London, you walk down the high street and the butchers will be blasting music or a friend’s uncle will be playing. I grew up to be around a lot of people that are into R&B. It’s just everything here really. Do you have a favourite place in London? The other day I walked to Greenwich because my mum and dad used to take me there when I was little to visit the Cutty Sark or walk through the foot tunnel, and I had a spare Sunday over the Christmas holidays so I thought, “I’ll walk to Greenwich and get some pie and mash.” I had just a little walk around the market on my own like a loner, but I had such a nice day so I actually think Greenwich is one of my favourite places.

What was it that inspired you to take the route of a popular music degree rather than just going straight out into the world of music? I thought that when I left college, instead of going and getting a job in a bar or something like that, I thought I’d go to uni and be a student and learn more about music and open my mind to things, so that was my reason for doing a popular music course. What was it like being a student? Were you the typical partying student and do you miss the lifestyle? I went to Goldsmiths, so I didn’t move out or anything, but I still definitely saw my fair share of [partying]. I’d also get the National Express to all my friends that were in Bristol and York and Bournemouth and all these different places. 100% I miss the lifestyle: that kind of freedom of just being able to learn and meet other people that are from different parts of the country. I think it’s definitely an experience that shapes you as a person. Is there any advice you can give to students that helped you get through your degree? I would definitely say don’t do essays the night before, because as soon as I would start doing them I would be like “I’m quite enjoying this” and it would just be too late to really put 100% into it – I would just be

If you hadn’t studied popular music, what degree would you have chosen? I probably would have studied media. I wouldn’t mind doing something to do with a radio show so I probably would have done a media course and writing about music. I may have done something at Goldsmiths like sociology or anthropology, although I really enjoyed doing music psychology – working out how people think with music and stuff like that. What is your favourite part about being an artist? When you’re in the studio for ages then you can’t wait to sing live, but then when you sing live you can’t wait to get back into the studio and when you’ve been there for ages then you want to shoot a video so everything comes full circle. You revealed that your dad had a career in performance, when he appeared in the 1976 Eurovision Song Contest; would you say that he was an inﬂuence in you becoming a performer because of that? 100%. My dad was a massive inﬂuence on me. He loved singing and he would always be singing in the kitchen. He had a little studio at home and he would always be writing songs and he always supported me as well, saying that you have to do what makes you happy. And he has really great taste in music as well. LITTLE RED WAS RELEASED ON FEBRUARY 10TH.

/ INTERVIEWED BY KIERAN JONES / QMUL / CONTRIBUTOR IMAGE: KATYBOFFICIAL.COM

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live REVIEWS

Cass McCombs brought a jamming, rocking evening to Queen Elizabeth Hall. In a set that incorporated songs not only from his 2013 LP Big Wheel and Others, but also from his eight-album discography, Cass was consistent in reconciling the many disparate sounds of his music into a night of decided alternative rock. He stood with confidence, punching out even his most hushed vocals, and boldly lead his band’s many jams. Despite the importance of the unknowingness and dreamer-like curiosity of his lyrics, there was a pronounced defiance to the performance. Whilst Cass’s music has been sparser, more reserved and generally quieter when I have seen him in the past, tonight saw a fuller, more immediately engaging and lively set. I found myself content to lull back, not really think about what’s going on, letting his music ripple around the room. Circling, repeating riffs were a recurring motif of the show, being protracted into long meditative jam sessions, often involving the rich, resonant tones of a lap steel guitar. It was particularly impressive how he tweaked every song from its recorded original, in terms of tempo, dynamics, and instrumentation, creating a more interesting experience than a straight recital would have provided. In characteristic fashion, Cass remained a man of few words throughout the show, but

the music spoke volumes.

/ TOM LOVE / UCL / CONTRIBUTOR

CONNAN MOCKASIN, SHEPHERD’S BUSH EMPIRE 28.01.14 IMAGE: GET OPINIONATED

IMAGE: CAROLINA FARUOLO

LUDIVICO EINAUDI, HAMMERSMITH APOLLO 22.01.14 IMAGE: LONDON IN STEREO

CASS MCCOMBS, SOUTHBANK CENTRE 13.01.14

There are few occasions where the titanic size of Hammersmith Apollo is justified by the music played within. Fortunately, the works of Ludivico Einaudi make for one of those occasions, as we were treated to a mixture of cacophonous film scores and delicate and heartfelt piano ballads. Einaudi’s music is so frequently accompanied by film that it’s hard not to drift off into an imaginative dreamscape and be swept along by the stirring ambience. Indeed, this is what he does best: infecting the audience with vivid cinematic spectacles with dazzling and hypnotic motifs. At points, it did feel as if Einaudi was trying a little too hard to fill the space by creating the most rousing and impassioned sound possible, and could have done with a little more reserve and patience. However, in a venue like Hammersmith Apollo, I was just excited to witness how far he could go with the sound – which included the intriguing use of some unusual textures such as sub bass, echoed cello and even thumb pianos – marking the new direction Einaudi has taken for his latest album In a Time Lapse. Unfortunately, Einaudi’s stop-off in the UK was for one night only before he continues on his world tour this year. However, given how good the response was to each and every piece, I’m sure he’ll be back again soon.

/ GEORGE MCVICAR / QMUL / MUSIC EDITOR

Connan Mockasin’s performance at Shepherd’s Bush Empire began before the lights were even switched off. As I was at the bar, I suddenly heard the music fade out, and familiar but barely audible whispers and noises echoing around the venue. Without any response from the crowd, I started to think I had finally lost the plot, but this is exactly the sort of game that Mockasin pulls off so well in his music. As strobe lights began to blind the audience and Connan’s peroxide palm tree haircut came to the stage, it all started to fall into place. Before each song, the band created an incredible tension of agonizing silence in the venue before being released by a warbled lick from Connan’s whirling guitar. The centre piece of his 2013 album Caramel, “I’m The Man, That Will Find You”, was particularly impressive as a crowd-pleaser, as audience members tried their best to match his ethereal falsetto howls in the chorus. Connan himself has gained a remarkable stage presence that matches his unsettling and creepy persona on Caramel. It came to a climax at the encore as a cheerleader chanted his name on stage with Connan flinging his Jesus-like robe into the crowd, revealing his Austin Powers-esque physique. Behind me I heard someone say, “I don’t think he’s gay, he’s just letting out his inner Prince” – not a bad analysis, on reflection.

/ GEORGE MCVICAR / QMUL / MUSIC EDITOR

ALBUM REVIEWS ST. VINCENT

7/10

(LOMA VISTA/ REPUBLIC)

Around the fourth album, many bands and artists seem to lose their sense of adventure. Thankfully, it is safe to say that this is not the case for Annie Clark, AKA St. Vincent. Picking up where she left off with the sweet, fuzz-guitardriven chaos of previous album Strange Mercy, things are no less distorted or hectic this time around. The pretty yet wonky opener “Rattlesnake” bounces along with a strange sense of anxious buoyancy, with guitars and vocals dancing in harmony over a crisp, up-tempo groove. Lead single “Birth In Reverse” follows, and once again showcases Clark’s unique guitar style, which is both melodic and abrasive in equal measure. Lyrically, too, this album is just as spiky as the instrumentation, with brutally blunt lines like “Oh what an ordinary day/Take out the garbage, masturbate”. The leftover horns from 2012’s David Byrne collaboration album, Love This Giant, which feature on “Digital Witness” are also a welcome addition. While a track like “Bring Me Your Loves” is lively perhaps to the point of slight alienation, for the most part this record is a truly engaging listen. Although the album may not contain as many hits as her previous work, it must be commended for its inventiveness.

/ KAMRAN KHAN / HEYTHROP / CONTRIBUTOR

actress

wild beasts

st. vincent

GHETTOVILLE

PRESENT TENSE

(WERK DISCS)

(DOMINO)

8/10

Wild Beasts’ fourth album Present Tense has the same arty, idiosyncratic appeal as their previous efforts. The production is slick, showcasing the album’s intricate, contemporary takes on 80s post-punk and electronic rock. “Don’t confuse me for someone beautiful,” Hayden Thorpe trills in his signature countertenor on the lead single, “Wanderlust,” a strong opener for the album with a vibrant electronic sound reminiscent of Radiohead and M83. Tracks like “Sweet Spot” and “A Simple Beautiful Truth” sound like Joy Division at their most upbeat as Thorpe’s falsetto swoops over the synth and drums. The album swerves from the playful to the melancholic: “Daughters” layers falsetto phrases over vocals in a lower register to a moody and menacing effect, and the downtempo tracks toward the end of the album lead into the sweet, buoyant closer, “Palace,” which could almost be a lost Stereophonics track. The album lacks the punchy dance-floor appeal of singles from their earlier albums, such as “Brave Bulging Buoyant Clairvoyants” and “We Still Got the Taste Dancin’ On Our Tongues”, but the band continues to innovate even as it makes nods to other sounds and genres.

Darren Cunningham (AKA Actress) recently put together a very telling selection of musical and cinematic influences for Dazed and Confused magazine, contextualizing the rough, esoteric, electronic music on his latest album, Ghettoville. This album shares similarities with the slow and grainy house currently in vogue, being released by labels such as The Trilogy Tapes. Ghettoville underscores the mutual influence between Cunningham and producers like MGUN and Huerco S. This recent trend certainly owes much to Cunningham’s earlier releases but there is diversity within the record, particularly on the latter half, that goes beyond the vital but uninviting trudge of the opening few tracks. Avoiding the clichés of describing Cunningham’s music in terms of dystopias and bleak urban landscapes is tricky, especially given his admission of taking inspiration from films that explore these territories, such as Metropolis and They Live. An obvious point of reference in Cunningham’s music is Burial. However, while Burial’s first two albums are draped in a bittersweet glow valorising urban environments and inner-city life, Cunningham is shorn of such rose-tinted glasses and presents a somewhat more dank vision.

/ LANA HUH / KCL / CONTRIBUTOR

/ ROB HEATH / UCL / CONTRIBUTOR

7/10

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DEREK JARMAN

TO MARK 20 YEARS SINCE HIS DEATH, A YEAR-LONG RETROSPECTIVE FOCUSES ON ONE ICONIC ALUMUNUS OF UNIVERSITY OF LONDON, DEREK JARMAN. VISIT JARMAN2014.ORG FOR INFO.

a saint’s legacy

While 2012 was the bicentenary of Charles Dickens and London was awash with commemorations and festivals dedicated to him, 2014 will highlight a far more contemporary and su ersi e fi ure ilmma er painter riter set designer and queer rights activist, Derek Jarman is one of ritain s reatest ma eric s rom the late th century est no n or his e perimental films arman challen ed the status quo of politics, history and sexuality in his works such as ritain s first o ficial pun mo ie Jubilee and his numerous notable collaborations with actress Tilda Swinton, including Caravaggio, Edward II and his final and most e perimental work, Blue

reworking them. So one of the things that the exhibition shows is first one very simple super 8 film, and one very layered one. He’s always doing things like taking one image and blowing it up. Like his version of alchemy where you transform one type of film into another. There’s nothing as cheap as taking a video on your mobile phone and then playing around with it, and I think young artists might respond to that. o did you o a out selectin hat to include The other thing I wanted to focus on was what he learned while he was a student at King’s. He did a general humanities degree but there were some very specific things that he focused on

why do an arts degree? And Jarman came here and did a general humanities degree, and he went to the Slade and did a fine arts degree, and why is that important? Because Derek Jarman produces the incredible work he does. And he wouldn’t have done that if he hadn’t had done these degrees. I think its important for universities to remind themselves, and for King’s to commemorate its really important queer alumni and a really important cultural figure. Also it’s important that spaces like [The Inigo Rooms] exist. It’s tough in the inner city for students, and I’m glad we have these spaces so that students can move from the classroom into the exhibition. IMAGE: RAY DEAN

Commemorating twenty years since Jarman’s death from AIDS-related complications, institutions across London are hosting events throughout the year highlighting Jarman’s contribution to oth the arts and G T acti ism ormer student at King’s College London and the Slade School, Jarman is commemorated at The Inigo Rooms, curated by King’s College London’s Cultural Institute, which is hosting a special exhibition of Jarman’s earlier or s Derek Jarman: Pandemonium (until 9 March) focuses on the artist’s education at King’s and his life along the Thames doc side e ore sat do n with curator Mark Turner, an English professor at King’s, to discuss the exhibit and arman s si nificance t enty years a ter his tra ic passin Why is Derek Jarman such an important fi ure to remem er and commemorate The spirit of him is what I’d like to celebrate: the idea that you don’t have to have a lot of money in order to do some really interesting work. You don’t need to be confined to a single medium and that politics [are] important. People are responding to this figure, who is appealing in many ways. It’s hard to imagine an artist like him nowadays, working completely outside of the systems and structures.

I loved the multi-media aspects of the e hi ition ou ha e the pro ections the booklet and the music provided ia headphones and an MP player t transformed it into a whole experience rather than ust a allery space hat as the inspiration ehind that I wanted to get across his multi-media interests, as he didn’t perceive one [medium] as more important than the other. With the music, I wanted it to be a new take on the museum audio-guide, but a kind of jokey version of that, to have music that you could skip around and to be able to hear Derek. He worked on a lot of pop videos like The Smiths and Pet Shop Boys – music was important to him. His studio friend remembers walking into Derek’s room and he was just blasting medieval chants. So I thought I must have that sense, somehow, that at very high volume you’d be listening to monks and nuns singing at high pitch at you, and there was something about the incantation-y nature of that that is captured in some of the tracks.

“

Who would you say are stepping stones towards Jarman for people unfamiliar with him THERE’S A PARTICULAR VISION OF LONDON Jack Smith, Kenneth Anger, and Maya Derren – he was really interested in the history of I WANTED TO CAPTURE... TO REMIND PEOPLE OF THE WAY experimental film. Also Jean Cocteau is a huge influence on Jarman. This surreal but ART USED TO BE AT THE ABSOLUTE CENTRE OF THIS CITY, What does this exhibit offer that other incredibly beautiful filmmaker, who was also e ents perhaps don t a polymath in the same way Jarman was. WITH ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE, WITH What it tries to celebrate most is his Cocteau was a writer and a set designer and experience of London, and it’s the kind of London that no a poet. And his contemporaries, like John Maybury. I think AMAZING KINDS OF ENERGY longer exists in the same way because it’s all been redeveloped there’s a day at the BFI dedicated to his contemporaries and is too expensive now. There’s a particular vision of London which become very obvious [in his work]. I picked and its on the Jarman2014 website. I wanted to capture, not nostalgically but just to remind people Death Dance because he absolutely loved medieval literature of the way art used to be at the absolute centre of this city, so I wanted something that obviously showed him reworking What is the one thing that you hope visitors take away from with all kinds of people, with amazing kinds of energy. I don’t that. With the other films I wanted to show the complexity of the e hi ition know where it is now, but it’s not at the centre anymore, and I what he does with images and the third super 8 film, Studio The one thing I want people to do [after visiting this exhibition] wanted to gesture back to that kind of London. They lived and Bankside, there was this notion that wherever he lived and is to go and find out more, whether that’s at the BFI because could produce art really cheaply with the materials available worked there was this idea of the home. there’s a big retrospective going on now, or just be curious to them. about Derek Jarman, and about art in that period. Hopefully es there s a i aspect o his educational li e at the e hi it this is what ties it to being at a university – it’s an exhibition I think that relates to what people should arguably be trying Why did you feel this was important? meant to makes you curious. This is not the final word on to do no I think there’s a political point here: we’re both part of a Derek Jarman, it’s “go and find out more”. Yeah, I think that’s coming back to the idea of exploding university at a time when arts and humanities are under fire, / INTERVIEWED BY SNEZHANA KUZMINA / KCL / technologies. I think Jarman would love mobile phones and with resources being cut and with humanities subjects being CONTRIBUTOR things like YouTube, and finding objects and materials and forced to defend themselves. People start questioning

“

the smoke

film

peckham picture houses Pop-up cinema is considered a thing of summer: it’s the season of watching films on rooftops, in gardens or from a hot tub. But as winter drags on, we’re here to remind you of some of London’s alternative screening spaces that are running the year round. The rise of digital projection technology is democratising the exhibition process, with increasing numbers of bars, pubs and coffee shops diversifying into screening films. These alternative establishments are the polar opposites of the megaplexes that most cinemas have become. They may not have the largest screens or the most booming sound, but they’re cheap, cheerful and relaxed, perfect for a spur-of-the-moment trip. Today we’re featuring two venues in Peckham that offer film screenings alongside their usual services. Both show films difficult to find in your average cinema, and are very reasonably priced. For a new (and cheap) film experience, have a look at these two Peckham venues!

THE PECKHAM PELICAN Accurately self-described as “a nest for unfussy brews, food, and booze”, the Peckham Pelican is a laid back café/bar on Peckham Road, a short walk from Peckham Rye station. On its walls, new local artists are exhibited each month. Regularly featuring new artwork means that the interior is always changing, making the Pelican a worthwhile visit time and time again; each artist also donates one piece to be permanently shown, adding to their ever-growing collection. There’s also an eclectically curated bookshelf, and a wall of mugs to choose from for a cup of tea. But every Monday, the Peckham Pelican closes early to make way for Pelican Pictures, a free film screening. Starting between 7 and 8pm, the evening is a fairly casual affair: the furniture is moved around to make the café into a cinema, and there’s a great comfortable atmosphere. Choose from booze or tea, popcorn or cake, and settle down for a screening of a great film.

THE MONTPELIER, PECKHAM

IMAGE: KIT HARWOOD

On the back of my ticket for The Selfish Giant in the “back room cinema” at the Montpelier, Peckham – which was, in fact, just a little square of paper chopped off a menu – were the last few words of an item from their menu: nuts, Oatcakes: £8.50. During the film in the un-soundproofed back room, I couldn’t help but wonder about this mystery, and often found myself thinking about what could have preceded those nuts. Is it a cheese board? Whoever’s ordering that treat is evidently subsidising the screenings, which at £3.50 are reasonable, and this value is probably the back room’s biggest draw. From what I’ve seen of the schedule they offer an eclectic selection: a range of films that sit somewhere just between the mainstream and the obscure (The Selfish Giant was critically lauded but didn’t get much time at the cinemas, whilst in January the Montpelier screened another critical hit The Great Beauty and landmark Saudi Arabian film Wadjda). The film was excellent, but my experience was a little strange. For one thing, I went on my own. Whilst I usually find going to the cinema alone a wonderful thing, seeing as

there was not a single other person in there, and I got some queer looks when I had to ask the people at the bar to turn the film on, it was a bit much. Also, I had seen the film before, was too stingy to buy a drink, and as the room is just at the back of the pub, had no choice but to listen to a very long and boring conversation about a holiday in Greece that was filtering through the apparently not thick enough walls. (Greece is lovely in January, apparently).

first screening was Jurassic Park. Stewart said their first night was a great experience: “we made special Jurassic Park jelly shots – they were green, with a jellybaby cryogenically frozen inside, and a cornflake on top so it looked like a stegosaurus.” However, they’re now “looking to get away from just doing blockbusters. [They] have a connection with the arts in Camberwell, and so are hoping to put on some sort of art house films.” From the end of February, the format of Pelican Pictures is going to change. Chris, one of the pioneers behind the film night, told us about it: “[the films will] still be free and they’ll still be VHS. However, we’re going to make a bit more of a song and dance about each one and limit ourselves to one special screening [on the last Tuesday of every] month.”

We had a chat with Stewart, one of the managers of the Peckham Pelican, about their regular film night. He told us that Pelican Pictures was borne out of a sizeable collection of VHSes and a passion for film: “we didn’t have much money when we were starting up, but we had a VHS player. We thought ‘here’s an idea that’s a bit novel,’ and we really liked the old school grain.”

“To date we’ve been completely varied in what we’ve shown, but soon we’ll be showing very rare and odd cult films the first of which is going to be Godzilla vs Megalon! Essentially, we’re planning on screening strange stuff that people have never seen before.” This change to the format is a great excuse to go to the Peckham Pelican for a drink and a free screening of something new and exciting. While I loved going to see the classics, I’m intrigued to see what films are in store for the rest of 2014.

Since it started, Pelican Pictures have mainly been showing classic blockbusters – their

/ SOPHIE MAWSON & CAROLINA MCPHAIL / KCL / CONTRIBUTORS

The projector and sound system are of the fine-but-not-really-all-that-great range, essentially. But the room is nice, with pewlike benches and woody, leathery vibes. So I think if you’re a more normal person and don’t go to the pub alone it could make for a lovely evening: it’s always nice to have a drink and talk after a film, and in the Montpelier you don’t have to go far to get your reward for sitting through some arty-farty film about Italy, Saudi Arabia, or Bradford. If you’re in Peckham, and have friends, go.

/ FRANK POLATCH / KCL / CONTRIBUTOR

IMAGE: SOPHIE MAWSON

arts

the smoke

DIALOGUE L IZ A W E B E R A R T S C O -E D IT O R

DIA RM UID KE LL EY IN CO NV ER SA TIO N WI TH AR TIS T

Wednesday 5th February: tube strike. The wind is blowing my second-hand hat from my head as I schlep along King’s Road. At least it’s not apocalyptic, Diarmuid would later say. As well as an exceptional artist, Diarmuid Kelley is a discerning weatherman. I buzz his studio. Scale five flights of stairs. There’s always a pint of milk chilling on the wrought iron chair outside, once painted white, now peeling to a Windsor & Newton cobalt turquoise. Diarmuid is peeling pink masking tape from his studio floor, an impasto with years of dropped paint. I find the four pink points on the floor indicating where I am to sit, and position my chair. Gossip? I tell him I have a date on Friday. Then I break his favourite mug. Coffee spills on the red Persian rug. He says, it’s only coffee. I say it is symbolic. You’ll break his heart. Can you just let your head fall slightly… Oh, do you want another coffee? I’ll replace your mug, Diarmuid. Yes, with one of those plastic tommeetippee ones.

“

I KNOW ARTISTS HAVE TO EAT, BUT I DON’T

LIKE THAT SARAH LUCAS AND DAMIEN HIRST’S GENERATION ATE AT ST. JOHN RESTAURANT.

”

Born in Stirling, Scotland, Diarmuid first lived in a cottage on an estate where his father was the groundskeeper. He has vague memories of the countryside looking out over the heath waiting for my father to come home with a rabbit. Have you ever held a gun? I don’t like them. Guns or rabbits?

Guns. I don’t even like that sword over there very much. But it’s nice to paint. Diarmuid studied Fine Art at Newcastle University. He graduated in 1995. I then took a studio near the infamous Bigg Market for twenty pounds per week, before studying for my Masters at Chelsea College of Art and Design. Sitters were then only three pounds an hour, which reminds me, I owe you ten from last time. Do you think you’ll ever return to Newcastle? It would be hard. I am sad in a way about having ever had to move to London. What did you bring with you to the South? The window of the Wendy house. I picked it up from a lorry skip outside the college. can ne er find anything in the s ips in London. In Newcastle architectural salvage was not a big deal. People would throw away all sorts of interesting things. Umm. That chair. This chair. What do you miss of the North? Newcastle is at a distance from London so as to give you enough perspective. You don’t get caught up in the glamour of the art scene. Healthy really. You’re not all about previews and “I met Patrick aulfield last night BBC Radio 3 gabbles in the background. I don’t like Rachmaninoff. Too Hollywood. OK, take a break. You’ve started to look human. Your favourite actress? Carole Lombard, a comedy actress in the thirties ee the film Nothing’s Sacred.

the smoke

arts I stretch my legs. Check out the festering peaches. The peaches are insane, Diarmuid. At a certain point they stop festering. They just become dry matter. Like rocks. Talking of rocks, I redecorated my room in the Lake District the slate grey of your studio, and that green, and that grey (pointing to the sofa and the floor respectively). I think I want to be you. No, you have taste. If there is a colour scheme, it is classic.

We hung out at the Bookhouse, a sort of leftwing bookshop serving the best coffee and walnut cake. And today? Today I’m having lunch at the Stockpot. A café serving school dinners. I am building an artistic movement around the Stockpot. I know artists have to eat, but I don’t like that Sarah Lucas and Damien Hirst’s generation ate at St. John Restaurant. I am going to do a bit of work on your mouth now. So… BBC Radio 3 does the talking.

I like that Diarmuid listens to BBC Radio 3 instead of Classic FM. This man - I think it is Donald Macleod - has the nicest voice on Radio 3. I think they should all sound like him. Just lift your chin slightly. A little bit more. Little bit more.

We should quit while we’re ahead. I’ve managed to keep more of the graininess. This is my new thing. George isn’t happy about it. Why is George not happy? George has been sitting for two years, and now he has to start again.

Other than at Offer Waterman & Co, where would you like to see your work hanging? There’s a space off Bond Street in Haunch of enison ard, hich has par uet oor

Diarmuid is, at times, painfully particular. This is what makes him an exceptional artist. And someone I feel privileged to call a fascinating friend.

Gallery you most like to visit? Kettle’s Yard, in Cambridge. In London, the Serpentine.

He turns my portrait upside down in front of the gilt mirror and says, Christian Bale looks like Josh Brolin’s dad in the mid-seventies. Diarmuid, this time, I’m afraid you’ve lost me.

Your favourite young artist? Photographer Jeff Wall. He’s not young. OK. I like the guy who paints his housing estate. He had a show at the South London allery e uses irfi it paint enamel paints that you buy in tiny pots). I used to use them as a model maker when I made planes as a small boy.

I later Google Josh Brolin’s dad. His name is James Brolin and he looks remarkably like Christian Bale.

/ INTERVIEWED BY LIZA WEBER / KCL / ARTS CO-EDITOR

I’ve always seen you with a dog. In the countryside, yes. An Irish wolfhound. They come and go. You don’t have to take them anywhere. I like Whippets. They don’t do all that much.

DIARMUID KELLEY. ALL CATS ARE GREY 24 January - 28 February 2014

In your student days where did you go to do not all that much?

Nearest tube: South Kensington / Sloane Square

Offer Waterman & Co 11 Langton Street, London, SW10 OJL

arts

the smoke

SENSING SPACES:

architecture reimagined

Wherever you are, you’re in a constructed space. The design of gardens, houses, and skyscrapers all dictate a particular impression on their inhabitants. The newest exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts, Sensing Spaces: Architecture Reimagined, challenges our relationships with our surroundings. In the exhibition, seven international architects transform the Royal Academy’s neoclassical galleries into various architectural installations heightening our awareness of space. Starting out at the Annenberg Courtyard, Alvaro Siza, a Portuguese architect, has erected primitive yellow columns, which interact with the RA’s existing classical façade. For the first time, you notice the amount of space and the monumental impact of the grand entrance to the Royal Academy. The shadows of Siza’s columns alert our eyes to the small pockets of sunshine throughout the open-air courtyard. Light becomes a primary element in architectural design, especially as it changes with the viewer’s position within the gallery space and depending on the time of day. The architects here involve their spectators – we are no longer innocent bystanders. According to the ancient Chinese philosopher Lao Zi, “what is important is what is contained, not the container.” Rather than filling the galleries with paintings, sculptures or photography, the spaces contain arguably

the most important element: the viewer. Fingerprints shine the wooden handrails in the Pezo von Ellrichshausen installation; colourful straws (inserted by viewers) decorate Diébédo Francis Kéré’s igloo-like house; the viewer is invited to be the co-creator of the architecture. One of the installations, by Kengo Kuma, completely transforms the gallery space: gone are the confines of time and reality. The room is dark and cool with a hushed ambiance. The floor is sprinkled with holes that have small tea lights shining through. From each hole grows thin pieces of hinoki wood (Japanese cypress tree): each strand of wood weaves together with its neighbours. There is a conversation between the pieces of bamboo, a tapestry of voids. The void, or “ma” in Japanese, is for Kuma the most important part of Japanese architecture. Seeing the volume of space produced by the invisible space in the room at once creates a room without limits. The “old” interiors of the Royal Academy are transformed into modern playgrounds. Touching the art, contributing to the structure and reimagining our own presence within the space, however, culminates when we leave the show. Leaving the Royal Academy, London, a city full of diverse architecture, becomes our living, breathing container.

/ AIMEE RUBENSTEEN / COURTAULD / CONTRIBUTOR

IMAGES: JAMES HARRIS

INTERACT: DECONSTRUCTING SPECTATORSHIP THE 11TH BIENNIAL EXHIBITION AT THE COURTAULD explores interactive art Interact: Deconstructing Spectatorship is, by nature, a complex exhibition. The 11th biennial exhibition at the Courtauld Institute is an anomaly in the art world, having been entirely conceived and curated by students. Even attending the show may prove difficult unless you’re lucky enough to work or study at the Courtauld, although there is a set program of days when the exhibition will be open to the public, including family days and talks by the artists. Rather, as a working space, the exhibition demands that we, its viewers, interact with the artworks in places where we would otherwise be forbidden from entering. This isn’t a traditional gallery space, which seems to have helped the curating team create an exhibition in which the viewer was able to connect with the works exhibited. Whilst interactive art is currently very popular, Courtauld’s East Wing team were anxious not to be accused of turning Somerset House into a children’s playground. Instead they wanted to go past the sensory to present works that communicate with the viewer conceptually. Alicia Stockley, third year student and co-curator of the show with Elizabeth de Bertier, explains that this dynamic asked of them to confine the exhibition within four main rooms, where each room is an individual artistic response to the umbrella term “Interact”. The first room, “Identity”, contains artworks sourced as possible themes for the exhibition. Before deciding on

Interact, the organising team also considered making contemporary Chinese art their theme. It is obvious that this future generation of art historians, critics and curators are unwilling to remain within the boundaries of Western art. The inclusion in the East Wing exhibition of Hiding in the City: Family Portrait by Liu Bolin (background) reveals just this. Created by an artist who lived through the Cultural Revolution, the work is very much a political product. Bolin’s exploration of Chinese identity is informed by the demolition of hundreds of buildings in the Suo Jia Cun district enforced by the Chinese Government in 2005. Forcing the viewer to look beyond the surface, the camouflaged figures featured in Bolin’s artwork reflect this power play and question the anonymity of contemporary culture. Felix Gonzalez Torres’s Untitled (Ross), on display in the exhibition’s second room, named “Sensation”, is a favourite for many of the East Wing team. Presenting a 175-pound heap of sweets (the weight of his partner Ross Laycock, who died from AIDS in 1991), Gonzales Torres invites the viewer to both witness and participate in his lover’s disappearance. Viewers are encouraged to eat the sweets, the gradual decrease parallelling Laycock’s figure becoming more emaciated. The rooms “Vision” and “Reflection” are a testament to the future, as students have here included young artists such as Emilie Pugh. Her Anatomy of Thought (2013)

questions our narrow and constructed conception of art: by layering incense-burnt and painted translucent gampi papers, Pugh rejects the traditional paper and ink. Some of the artists in the exhibition are still students. Among them is Lilian Ptáček, creator of one of the exhibition’s best-loved artworks, Bite Size (After Lunch). Inhabited by five living goldfish, this fish tank questions the status of vision and interaction in art, whilst also challenging the artistic use of live animals. The hands-on aspects of curating an exhibition visibly caught this year’s East Wing curators by surprise. Curator Alicia now sees her role as largely complete; yet, when the subject of the peeling latex on Regina Silveira’s vinyl Octopus work is brought up, she rolls her eyes. “I know,” she says, “I’ll have to go around with a hairdryer to fix it soon.” The piece itself was cut out and painstakingly installed over four days by students. Student curators and artists themselves learned the practical aspects of creating an exhibition – lessons which they then hoped to carry over into the displays and works themselves. Beyond the exhibition’s educational prowess, the East Wing biennial combines the old with the new, merges Western art with Eastern and displays interactive art without turning the gallery into a theme park.

/ MOLLIE WITCOMBE / COURTAULD / CONTRIBUTOR

the smoke

fashion

Clockwise L-R: Isolated eroes in ata le backpack, £15, ASOS; Comme des Garçons Play T-shirt, £72, Dover treet Mar et Pin Fur Coat, £34.99, Missguided; JuJu white heeled jelly shoes, £25, ASOS

Clockwise L-R: Fjällräven Kånken rucksack, £65, Oi Polloi; bobble hat, £6.99, New Look; wool coat, £69.99, Zara; vintage Levis, £varies, Blitz; New Balance, trainers, £55, Schuh

Home to the new Central Saint Martins campus, Granary Square is turning up the volume for north west London, often forgotten in the fashion stakes. Loud colours and prints aren’t afraid to clash, with oo y lo er ideas amplified y contrastin te tures Psychedelics are chosen over practicality; for these students, dressing is an art, and they are a blank canvas for street style. Clothes are customised with creativity and altered to make them unique. This student can be found in St. Pancras Gardens photographing a friend modelling their own designs.

OK, WE ADMIT IT. THESE ARE PLACES LONDONERS LOVE TO HATE: PLACES WHERE EVERYONE PROBABLY TAKES THEIR #SOCIALMEDIAPRESENCE A BIT TOO SERIOUSLY, GENTRIFICATION IS RIFE AND BEING A STRUGGLING ARTIST OFTEN MEANS DOING A GEORGE ORWELL AND ELECTING TO BE “POOR” FOR A BIT, JUST TO SEE WHAT IT’S LIKE. THAT BEING SAID, YOU CAN’T FAULT THESE LONDON RESIDENTS ON STYLE. BUT WHAT DEFINES THE AREAS? EMILY MONTFORD INVESTIGATES

The horeditch irl mi es fashion with practicality. er ardro e re ects the busy lifestyle that artistic city girls lead, and comfort is key. ou on t find her ithout some ell worn vintage Levis from Brick Lane staple Blitz, or a pair of New Balances for running around in. She manages to avoid the “only shops in Topshop” vibe and instead sources select pieces from the high street. She can be found blogging about recent purchases in Leila’s Shop between lectures, or listening to new releases in Rough Trade East.

The Peckham girl’s look is that classic Clueless preppy meets Sporty Spice, with 90s and 00s street vibes. Adding a heel updates this outfit rom trac to town, and monochrome bases for bright colours keeps the look fresh. Accessorise with scrunchies and hoop earrings, and that essential leather backpack. Peckham girl can be found with friends at ran s ca e or catchin a film at Pec hamPle

L-R: Padded tote bag, £75, Y-3; MA-1 bomber jacket, £125, Alpha Industries; Vagabond Dioon sandals, £65, Asos

Black is always the new black in Dalston, where street style is bold in silhouette yet understated in colour. Taking cues from industrial goth (chunky boots, mesh), sportswear (anything with Nasir Mazhar stamped on it is hot property) and avant garde (long shirts, Rick Owens vibes) the Dalston look forms a alance that re ects the local culture the ashion conscious attitude blends with the artistic culture that defines the area Dalston locals can e ound at the Doomed Gallery, checking out digital portrait photography.

Clockwise L-R: Nike Air orce s fice French Connection backpack, £75, ASOS; gold-plated earrings, £15, American Apparel; Victoria roll neck crop top, £4, Boohoo; plaid circle skirt, £48, American Apparel

/ EMILY MONTFORD / KCL / CONTRIBUTOR

books

the smoke

BE INDEPENDENT After stumbling upon a map of London’s independent bookshops, The Smoke realised how much we missed running our hands along the spines of books before we committed to buy, something sadly lost in the Amazon age. Supremely peaceful and in need of some love, we hope that this series encourages you to visit this ever-shrinking breed, the independent bookshop. In our second independent bookshops feature, contributor Alainna Georgiou takes us on a tour of Muswell Hill Bookshop. This cosy bookshop has been at the heart of the Muswell Hill community for nearly thirty years now. Situated within walking distance of the historic Alexandra Palace, this bookshop has a little something for everyone. Filled to the ceiling with a variety of novels, travel books and reference books, Muswell Hill Bookshop is definitely worth a visit. Upon entering the double-fronted shop you are greeted with a table piled high with the latest literary releases, inviting hours of browsing. It’s easy to find recent, popular reads amongst the many books that fill the shelves. The shop also holds a vast cabinet of classics – great for any student making a last minute bid to get all those required reading texts (we’ve all been there!). If you wander

OUR GUIDE TO INDIE BOOKSHOPS

deeper into the recess of the shop you will discover shelves upon shelves of specialist books on photography, art, religion and crafts. And if you’re looking for something in particular, all you need to do is ask a friendly member of staff, as the shop offers a great ordering-in service. As well as their vast collection of books, Muswell Hill Bookshop also often have a beautiful range of calendars, diaries and stationery available – perfect gifts for book lovers. Their occasional fiction sales and special offers means that supporting this independent bookshop can be achieved on a reasonable budget – always an advantage! A nugget of independent bookshop gold, Muswell Hill Bookshop is perfectly situated amongst a cosmopolitan hub of coffee shops, charity shops and restaurants. The shop has a real community feel, with its noticeboard featuring local news. Perhaps the best quality of the bookshop, however, is its events calendar. It is especially worthwhile to keep an eye on their schedule, as the shop often hosts readings and signings by prominent authors and poets. Most recently, local writer and radio presenter Michael Rosen appeared at the bookshop for a reading and signing session.

So if you’re looking for a bookshop in a great area, with knowledgeable staff and a wide range of books on offer, head straight to Muswell Hill.

/ ALAINNA GEORGIOU / QMUL / CONTRIBUTOR

IMAGE: MUSWELL HILL BOOKSHOP

IF YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE INDEPENDENT BOOKSHOP AND WANT TO WRITE A FEW WORDS ON IT, DROP ELIZABETH AN EMAIL AT BOOKS@LONDONSTUDENT.NET

READING LITERATURE, STUDYING SCIENCE A STUDENT AT THE ROYAL VETINARY COLLEGE DETAILS HER ESCAPES FROM ANIMAL FARM INTO THE WORLD OF LITERATURE The rush hour scramble through King’s Cross station fills me with a gut-stretching sense of doubt. Dodging huge suitcases and inhaling the breakfasts of travellers, having not had time for my own, I wonder whether I made the right choice in studying veterinary medicine. It’s mornings like this when I wish I was studying literature. Having very few friends studying English Literature, it is difficult not to be envious of what I imagine their daily routines to be: ten o’ clock alarm calls, characterthemed parties, and evenings spent resting against a tree with a battered, spinebroken book in hand whilst the sun sets, Brideshead Revisited style. Of course, I fail to acknowledge the actual reality: the stacks of essays, the late nights required to meet deadlines, and the possibility of becoming fraught with literature. I decided to study veterinary medicine for many reasons, but reading is still a great pastime for me. It’s a way of unwinding and discovering other cultures, lifestyles and opinions, of altering your own perceptions. I can detect a good book when the plot kicks in and I am left feeling excited and inspired. I’m looking for the perfect balance of enjoyment and information to help justify the

amount of time I spend reading, or to at least justify reading a book instead of my revision notes. Like most students I find it difficult to juggle a social life with an overbearing study schedule. What I find more difficult, however, is how to explain to friends that I’d like to stay in one night simply to read. It doesn’t always meet with the most understanding of responses.

I often feel that I have to make a choice: to read to educate myself scientifically and improve my chances of getting a higher grade, or to read sprawling novels for pleasure. In some ways this isn’t necessarily the case. After being thrown around by Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment, I came across the more lighthearted Bird Sense: What It’s Like to Be a Bird? by Tim Birkhead. It’s nonfiction but feels like fiction. It’s informal and yet formative with beautiful ecological examples of the brilliant abilities of birds. I certainly enjoyed reading it and perhaps there is a possibility that it could go on to improve my marks.

On the other hand, a good (or bad) book naturally needs a discussion. This is incredibly difficult on a course that doesn’t specifically ask for reading non-scientific literature. Great discussions are not rare at the Royal Veterinary College but they are bound to be animal-related in some way. Therefore, finding a discussion about a book means leaving the security of other vet students. It can be difficult trying to remember what topics are sociably acceptable when talking to “non-vet” people before heading to a book or poetry reading. Certainly there will always be Internet reviews, blogs and literature magazines to enrich my reading, but it requires time and effort to keep on top of it all.

Listening to the poet Ruth Padel at King’s College London in October last year as part of their Arts and Humanities festival is another example. She was a wonderful host. I listened to a selection of her poems combining science and poetry, and I found myself analysing what she was saying, debating its accuracy against my own knowledge. Similarly, Ted Hughes’ collection of animal poems and James Herriot’s veterinary adventures cover experiences with description and imagery, passing on an understanding that I can relate to and gain from.

As far as a hobby or a “social life” goes, the costs of reading are minimal: the time spent on it is ultimately optional and the mystery of what you will gain is part of the excitement. As Neil Gaiman described in his lecture last year at the Barbican, “you get to feel things, visit places and worlds you would never otherwise know… and when you return to your own world, you’re going to be slightly changed.”

/ REBECCA WALSH / ROYAL VETERINARY COLLEGE / CONTRIBUTOR

theatre

the smoke

ON THE FRINGE: TIM KEY, COMEDIAN

IMAGE: TOM BEARD

Tim Key is a comedian, writer and performance poet whose Fringe festival shows have brought him widespread critical acclaim. He is a regular on BBC Radio 4, starred in Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa and is back with another show, Single White Slut. I hear your new standup, Single White Slut, sold out in the first venue and had to move to a second. Yeah, it sold out in Soho and now we’re taking it to the Arcola tent, which is great. Me and Tom Basden did Freeze (our double act) there in 2011 and really enjoyed it. It feels like it fits the show, that’s the thing – it’s kind of unglamorous, in a really good way. What are you most happy about with this new show? The show came about from doing things a bit differently last year, deciding to go to Edinburgh very late, so it feels like it’s more thrown together – in a good way – it feels like there’s more fun to be had inside the show for me. There’s nothing overly scientific about it and there’s a lot of freedom. And some quite fruity surprises. It feels distinct from the last two. I have kind of a soft spot for it, I think. Your stand-up performances are often built around audience participation – or at least a lot of interaction with the audience. Has that ever gone badly for you? Yeah, I guess so: it’s like my interaction with people in real life. There are going to be

times when it doesn’t quite work… it doesn’t quite come off for you because of how you are – it’s the same on stage I think. I can’t say I feel particularly hard done-by – I have very nice audiences and they’re good at meeting me halfway. But obviously sometimes it works better than other times. Me and Alex Horne did a show in 2003 and he’s pretty peerless in terms of having a relationship with his audience – very nice and very enjoyable to watch – but once he gave a guy some milk to hold and that didn’t go down very well at all. Just goes to show sometimes it’s not meant to be. Sometimes you interact with someone and, well, they don’t like it. o you studied ussian in he field and ended up in Cambridge Footlights, how did that happen? Well, I finished in Sheffield and returned home to Cambridgeshire. I needed to apply for jobs, and I wanted to do some acting. I picked up a student newspaper and auditioned for Cambridge Footlights for a pantomime, despite not being a student. On the back of that I auditioned for something else that they took to Edinburgh. You make heavy use of Russian music in your shows. In what ways do you think your interest in Russia and Russian have affected your comedy? It sort of hung on in there, I think. Sometimes I willfully try and throw a bit of Russian in. I sort of see it as using my degree. I have a sort of residual fondness for Russia that I

think just subconsciously finds its way into my shows. You’ve done quite a few Radio 4 documentaries about Russian history and Russian culture. Yeah, they do all seem to be about Russia! Someone asked me to do a Radio 4 documentary about the first lines in Russian novels about five years ago. I think one reason I ended up doing more of the documentaries is that I quite liked that first one. It was an interesting thing to do. You’ve got to do other things, and I quite like doing the odd Radio 4 documentary. I’m lucky – the first one went quite well so I keep getting the opportunity to do another. As well as the documentaries, you’ve worked in stand-up, TV, radio comedy, theatre and writing. Do you have a preferred medium? Often your preferred medium is whatever you’re not doing at that time… if you’re trying to do a documentary, then you think “I’d rather just be walking on stage.” But then if you’re about to walk on stage, you’re almost definitely thinking, “I’d rather be making a documentary,” because there’s no immediate threat of an audience. But, apart from those kind of bleak moments when you’re scared, I think it is nice to do a load of different things. I suppose as a rule the hardest stuff is often that which you want to avoid, but it’s also

the most rewarding. I actually find all of it quite difficult, though. To make a film would be quite difficult, and I’m sure if I managed to finish one that would be quite rewarding! ell there as the short film you did ith Tom Basden in 2007: The One and Only Herb McGuire Plays Wallis Island. That was a really enjoyable project. Basden had been asked to do it by a director called James Griffiths. Fortunately he and I were tinkering away on it at the time. The director kind of grabbed us by the scruffs of our necks, was very enthusiastic and put a lot of time and energy behind it. That was four days in Aberystwyth with our own stuff and it was very enjoyable…. working with Basden is a delight and this director James is brilliant, so that’s right up there as one of my favourite things. Then we got nominated for a BAFTA for it, and Basden had a piss next to Andy Serkis, so... it really worked out. Ticked a lot of boxes. o short film is the ind o thin you d li e to do? Well, I’d like to do more. Me and Tom obviously like to work together loads, so we’re always playing away on stage or thrashing stuff out. Single White Slut is in the Arcola Tent 10th-20th March.

/ INTERVIEWED BY SAM GAUS / UCL / CONTRIBUTOR

food

the smoke

RECIPE

IMAGE: SAMTHEFOODFAN.COM

pitt queue co: worth the wait? A couple of days ago, I emerged from Oxford Circus station to a bleak and blustery evening. Winding my way in and out of the bustling shoppers on Carnaby Street, I turned a corner and instantly knew that I had arrived at Pitt Cue Co. A long line of people, cowering into their scarves and stamping their feet in the cold, ran down the pavement. As I took my place at the very, very end, I heard the horrified whispers of “two hours”, “two hours until we get inside?”, “my god, two hours?!”

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dropped out of the queue in front of us. Elated with success, we ordered two highly potent bourbon-based cocktails and got down to examining our menus. But, search as we may, no ribs were to be found under the Meat section. My worst nightmare had been realised – this was one of those places where the menu changed, constantly in flux, inhabiting a liminal space between meats, if you will. What had been ribs yesterday was smoked Cornish lamb rump and onglet steak today.

Although it was only 6pm And then, a ray of hope! and the kitchen had been Bring that Under Extras’we found open for a mere half an special friend our saving grace – hour, this came as little who doesn’t surprise to me. For one, mind seeing you caramelised ribs. The whole affair soon became Pitt Cue Co has jumped with barbecue a veritable meat-orgy, as on the infuriating nosauce dripping we dived variously into reservations bandwagon from your chin ribs, rump and steak. In that seems to be a all cases, the meat was prerequisite for any “trendy” exquisite, tender and juicy: food joint these days. Add to this the fact that the tiny establishment the knife slicing through it like butter. Of seats just thirty people at any given time, course, I’m all about getting each food and you can see why the queue isn’t groups into my diet, so there was bone your average fifteen-minute procedure. marrow mash to take the edge off. This And yet, despite this, Pitt Cue Co is so may sound a little wrong, but it’s right on radically good that most meat-lovers are so many levels: rich, creamy and utterly willing to suffer the indignity of waiting moreish. in line – if only to get their hands on the famed pork St Louis ribs, dark-crusted Pitt Cue Co is essentially one of those and cooked to melt-in-the-mouth places where it is impossible to a) talk about the food without falling into perfection. outrageous clichés, and b) eat without It was this precise image that I cemented accumulating a whole pile of sticky firmly in my mind as I put up my umbrella, napkins by the side of your plate. A word popped on my gloves, and settled down to the wise, this is not a first-date – nor to stick out the wait. Luckily, there will even a second-date – restaurant. Bring always be those diners who are less that special friend who doesn’t mind committed than you, and in just over seeing you with barbecue sauce dripping an hour my friend and I found ourselves from your chin. seated at the counter by the window, / AMANDEEP BAINS / KCL / somewhat cramped but thankful CONTRIBUTOR nonetheless that so many people had

IMAGE: BRYONY BOWIE

BURNT BUTTER BISCUITS cheap and easy, the perfect bad weather pick-me-up It’s the time of year: cold, wet and generally miserable outside. But fighting this year’s February blues doesn’t have to be difficult: these burnt butter biscuits require a grand total of four ingredients, and take mere minutes to make. They’re also easy enough that, if necessary, they can be made at ridiculous-o’clock for emergency essay fuel. They’re warm, buttery and melt-in-the-mouth, and the perfect accompaniment to a cup of tea.

INGREDIENTS Makes 12-15 biscuits 100g butter 100g caster sugar 150g self-raising flour 1 egg 1. Preheat your oven to 180°C. Melt the butter in saucepan, and keep on the heat until it turns a golden brown colour, starting to catch and burn at the bottom. Set aside for 5 minutes; meanwhile weigh out the other ingredients and beat the egg. 2. Cream together the melted butter and sugar, then mix in the egg. Stir in the flour until there are no white streaks and you’ve formed smooth dough. 3. Take small amounts of the dough and roll into balls (put your index finger against your thumb knuckle: about that size), then place onto a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper. They’ll spread out a fair bit, so limit it to 6 per tray to avoid ending up with one giant biscuit. 4. Use the back of a fork to flatten the dough slightly. Then, bake them for 12-15 minutes or until golden. 5. Sprinkle with caster sugar, and let cool and harden on a wire rack. Dunk in cups of tea to your heart’s content. / BRYONY BOWIE / ROYAL HOLLOWAY / FOOD EDITOR

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travel

the smoke

How To

little britain

#3 CUBA

Travel The World

WITHOUT LEAVING THE BIG SMOKE

WALES

IN THIS SERIES, THE SMOKE EXPLORES DESTINATIONS ACROSS THE UK Wales is much like a second home to me. Every year of my childhood my family took off to Snowdonia in the chilly month of October to stay in a cottage in a picturesque little village on the side of a valley. It didn’t take me long to understand why my parents loved it so much. Wales is a breathtakingly beautiful country with its boundless forests and its towering peaks; it’s a rambler’s dream and an action-seeker’s paradise. As a student in London, however, you might think the cold windy hills of Wales are a world away from the normal scholarly Mediterranean destinations such as Ayia Napa or Ibiza, and you would be right – but a holiday in Wales offers much more than your usual pre-packaged shrinkwrapped getaway.

FLORIDITA This is a slightly upmarket foray into Cuban food, located on Soho’s Wardour Street. It’s noisy and busy even from the outside, with bright neon signage. Loud Buena Vista Social Club style music pounds from the speakers in the darkly lit restaurant area. With live bands every night and a mean rum collection in the downstairs Rum Shack, Floridita is a great way to experience the luxury that Cuban culture has to offer.

CUBANA This Cuban-Latino restaurant/bar in Waterloo is great for happy hour drinks. The pitchers of fresh strawberry mojitos are more than a little tempting at two for £16, and the spicy crab cakes with lime and mango salsa are just one of the notable tapas on offer. Everyone must try our adopted national dish, Pollo Criollo, chicken with black beans, rice and plantain. On Friday and Saturday nights the bar transforms into a dark and hot salsa and son bar, with live bands playing until 3am.

If as a kid you ran off the beaten path, or you like a long walk before a hearty pub meal or find yourself engrossed in Countryfile on a Sunday night, then Wales might be as enticing for you as it has always been for me. From the award-winning westerly coastline of Pembrokeshire through the rugged depths of Snowdonia and onto the beautiful island of Anglesey, history has carefully scattered and placed bounteous amounts of castles, old relics, fragile villages and coastlines, old goat paths and mountain trails, and magnificent wildlife and countryside to explore. It is difficult to capture the stunning natural splendour and inner beauty of a place like this on paper.

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Wales has been throwing great festivals since the original Eisteddfod in 1176, and now all the seasons are aplenty with festivals

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THE BUFFALO BAR This independent bar and entertainment venue in Islington becomes the number one salsa venue in London on a Monday night. Salsa Caribe, a promoting/salsa-instructing outfit runs a club night in tandem with salsa classes, a far cry from classes above a pub in Southend. They play Afro-Cuban music in an unpretentious and genuine atmosphere, ideal for those who wish to experience a little Latin heat as they learn. Starting at 7.30pm with the club open until 4am, classes are just £7 every Monday.

SADLER’S WELLS London’s premier dance theatre often hosts some of Cuba’s most promising dance talents. The Cuban National Ballet performed at the venue last year to rave reviews. It is always worth keeping an eye on their What’s On page to see what’s coming next.

/ INDIGO ELLIS / KCL / CONTRIBUTOR IMAGES: CUBANA

Hostel culture is as strong here as anywhere in Europe with well reviewed Youth Hostel Association hostels and camping barns in all the major cities and far out into the sticks. Betws-y-Coed Youth Hostel in the heart of Snowdonia and Caerhafod Lodge on the western tip of Pembrokeshire are both fantastic hostels recommended for students. You won’t have to sacrifice anything with a student holiday in Wales – room prices are cheap, the ale is strong and whether you’re a hiker or not, the locations are all beautiful. However, most travellers and holiday goers do visit Wales for its fresh air and open spaces. With thousands of miles of hiking paths, an abundance of rock climbing facilities and thousands of miles of winding roads and downhill trails and centres for the budding cyclist, Wales provides the finest outdoor experience to any action-seeking students. Coed y Brenin forest with its breathtaking scenery, miles of purpose-built mountain biking trails and fantastic facilities are a prime location for any thrill seeker. So you’re on your way home from a walk, you’re covered in mud, freezing cold and are in desperate search of a

IMAGE: PETE BUCKLEY

watering hole for the night. Home to plenty of fantastic pubs, festivals and great nights out, Wales offers both sides of this holiday dilemma, and if you look in the right places it becomes a cultural oasis flourishing out from its own unique character. Swansea has a fantastic vibe. A city full of great bars, clubs and pubs, it boasts many great places for a night of drinking and dancing, from Revolution to Morgans Champagne Bar. If you’re looking for a weekend of music, comedy and culture then look no further. Wales has been throwing great festivals since the original Eisteddfod in 1176, and now all the seasons are aplenty with festivals, both big and small, from the intimate Green Man music festival (below) hosting Ben Howard for its headline act, the great Laugharne annual arts weekend with previous headline performers such as The Clash and Patti Smith, the food festival circuit heavyweight Llangollen Food and Drink or the original festival of Welsh culture, the Eisteddfod, attracting around 150,000 visitors per year. Welsh culture can be found in abundance in its festivals, its language and its people, and when the rain begins to patter on the window, there is no better place to find yourself than in a warm and merry Welsh pub. A cycling trip, a stag weekend or a festival hunt in this little corner of the world may not be as raving as a few nights in Ibiza, but it is more captivating, with heaps of culture, fascinating history, stunning natural beauty, in the palm of your hand. A holiday in Wales will not be one you will forget in a hurry.

/ PETER MOULDING / BIRKBECK / CONTRIBUTOR

IMAGE: GREEN MAN

EVENTS

the smoke

days and nights THE DUKE MITCHELL FILM CLUB: SHAW BROTHERS TRIBUTE 24 February, 7pm Phoenix Artist Club Free

KINO/FILM: SOVIET POSTERS OF THE SILENT FILM Until 29 March GRAD Free

FREYA ROY

GIORGIO DE CHIRICO

RICHARD HAMILTON

Until 19 April Estorick Collection £3.50

Until 26 May Tate Modern £11.30

ASSEMBLY: SURFACE TENSION

FASHIONED AT CRAFT CENTRAL

17 February, 7-9pm Tate Britain £4

25 British talents present wearable artworks Until 21 February Craft Central Free

WISH YOU HAD BEEN THERE A screening of the documentary film on the seminal avant-garde composer and disco producer Arthur Russell 18 February, 6.30pm Open School East Free

KODE 9, DJ RASHAD, SCRATCHA DVA Three legends from the Hyperdub imprint celebrate the label’s 10th anniversary 18 February, 9pm Corisca Studios £5

RYUICHI SAKAMOTO + TAYLOR DEUPREE A set of noise and prepared piano 20 February, 7.30pm St John-at-Hackney £15

INTERNATIONAL FASHION SHOWCASE Exhibiting design talents from 30 countries Until 21 February 180 The Strand Free

WHIRLYGIG CINEMA: MUSIC VIDEOS

A 17-y-o jazz-inspired singer songwriter, the next big thing 5 March, 7pm 1 March, 3.30pm Hackney Attic Proud Camden £5 Free

DVS1

RICH MIX READERS

3 hours of pounding techno from one of the world’s greatest 28 February Corsica Studios £12

Reading group with a twist: instead of reading beforehand, read aloud and discuss a poem/short story together Every Monday from 3 March, 7pm Rich Mix Free

EXPLODING CINEMA CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL 21-23 February The Old Truman Brewery £16.50

THE SLEEPING BEAUTY, BY THE ROYAL BALLET 22 February – 9 April Royal Opera House From £5

POETRY SLAM WITH A.F HARROLD AND BRIAN CONAGHAN A night of poetry, comedy and chaotic wordplay 24 February, 6.30pm The Water Poet pub £6

TIM KEY: SINGLE WHITE SLUT 24 February – 8 March Soho Theatre £15

JAWDANCE London’s beloved poetry open mic 26 February, 7.30pm Rich Mix Free

28 February, 7pm Open screening of video/films with no restriction on genre Peckham Liberal Club £5

WE ARE DINING CAMPAIGN A culinary celebration with demonstrations, competitions and giveaways Until 28 February Westfield London Free

THE ROMANTICS AND DREAMS

DARREN JOHNSTON: ZERO POINT The choreographer blurs bounaries of dance, theatre and visual arts 8 March, 4pm Barbican Free

HAPPY DAYS GREAT SPITALFIELDS PANCAKE RACE Grab three friends, a frying pan and a good costume for some pancake flipping fun 4 March, 12.30pm The Old Truman Brewery Free

ARTISTS’ FILM CLUB: 6 March, 6:45pm ICA £5

CHURCH 3RD BIRTHDAY

An afternoon of poetry readings, including works by Shelley, Byron and other Romantic poets Keats House, Hampstead 1 March, 3pm Free

Church celebrate 3 years of success with Redshape, Dauwd and Rumah 7 March Corsica Studios £8

An evening of poetry readings by 21 of Faber Academy’s new poets, introduced by Jo Shapcott and Daljit Nagra The Troubadour 3 March, 8pm £7

Poetry readings by the five Poets Laureate: Carol Ann Duffy, Liz Lochhead, Gillian Clarke, Paula Meehan and Sinead Morrisey Queen Elizabeth Hall 7 March, 6.30pm £12

Beckett’s surreal masterpiece Until 8 March Young Vic Theatre £10

GEOGRAPHIES OF CONTAMINATION Until 19 March DRAF Free

STREET FEAST The beloved food traders, bars, DJs returns with a new venue Every Fri & Sat until 21-22 March Hawker House Free before 7pm, £3 after

THE MISTRESS CONTRACT Until 22 March Royal Court Theatre £10

W W A DIALOGUE WITH NATURE: ROMANTIC LANDSCAPE FROM BRITAIN AND GERMANY Until 27 April Courtauld Gallery Free

the smoke

IMAGE: PHILLIP MEECH

FROM THE ARCHIVES

6 FEBRUARY 1992

Twenty-two years ago at Goldsmiths College, two students contemplate life, the universe and everything amidst discarded coffee cups and cigarettes, oversized hats and chunky boots: a typical students’ union. Though we have to admit it, Goldsmiths students were always the coolest.

I learned about how to shoot to a brief on a tight deadline, which was very different to the types of projects we were given on the degree course. Several other people from London Student at that time also went on to become photographers, journalists, editors and even went into TV presenting.

Philip Meech captured these two students pleasingly in series. His current projects are a far cry from the student union, with models sporting the likes of Prada and Yves Saint Laurent; however, his photojournalism retains the same gentle subtlety evoked by this pair. We spoke to him about his experiences of working at London Student.

What are your memories of being a student in London at the time? Things were very different back then – none of us had mobile phones, and the internet was in its infancy – I had just about heard of email, but had never actually used it!

Firstly, what did you study, and where? I was actually a student at the University of Westminster, Harrow campus, studying photography, film and video. A few of us photographers approached London Student to propose a collaboration and we ended up as regular contributors, even though we were from a different University [Westminster is not part of the University of London]. In fact I think I spent more time at ULU than at my own SU. What was it like working on London Student? It was great working with other like-minded people who were serious about getting into journalism, and I think the experience I gained in doing this played a big part in helping me land a job on a national newspaper when I graduated (I worked at the Independent for 7 years).

Do your recall anything in particular about this shot? I can’t remember much about the specifics of the story that I shot the picture for – just that they needed shots taken in Goldsmith’s SU. I do remember that I bumped into an old classmate from secondary school who was studying there! How has your career developed since your time at London Student? I have been a photographer since graduating – after spending a number of years as a press photographer and photojournalist, I have now moved into shooting fashion, with regular trips to Milan and Paris – you can see a little biography on my website: www.philipmeech.com

/ INTERVIEWED BY GABY LAING / KCL / ARCHIVE EDITOR

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