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THE SMOKE EDITORS STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE STUDENTS ARRESTED DURING THE PROTESTS IN DECEMBER.
COVER IMAGE: OSCAR WEBB / POST PROCESSING: EMMA HOPE ALLWOOD / FTP
the smoke FROM THE EDITORS We’re halfway through the academic year, and to us, that’s already exciting in its own right, even without the festivities of Christmas and New Year. December always reminds us that we’ve finished our modules, and although essays might be looming over us, it’s time for a break. We hope this issue comes in handy for the celebrations ahead.
addition to wintry feasts. And don’t forget our ethical gift guide to help you have a conscious Christmas.
WHAT’S INSIDE
If you’re more of a Scrooge, curl up on your sofa and indulge with our Christmas reading guide: Dickens, a tragic Chekhov tale or David Sedaris’ sardonic reflection on this holiday season? Your choice.
4 – FEATURES The Eye: Victoria Ford, writer and a study abroad student at KCL
Celebrating London includes celebrating those who come to visit the metropolis. We’re happy to have interviewed Victoria Ford, a writer and UPenn student currently at King’s College London for a semester. Turn to page 4 to read our feature: she has amazing stories to tell, and a brilliant mind to match.
It’s soon going to be the end of 2013, and that calls for a time of reflection: for our music section, we’ve rounded up the top 20 albums of the year. We’ve got the new Bowie album, M.I.A.’s Matangi, Oneohtrix’s masterpiece, and many more.
If you’re all about that Christmas cheer, our other feature article gives plenty of direction for festive markets, organised by categories such as OTT festivities, arts & crafts and food. On the topic of food, we also have a recipe from our favourite student baker Ruby Tandoh: walnut and clementine sponge puddings with zesty custard make a perfect
We want to thank everyone who has contributed to The Smoke in 2013, and we hope our readers have a lovely Christmas and a great start to the new year.
5 – FEATURES Features Editor Christobel gives you our pick of London’s best Christmas markets 6-7 – MUSIC Contributors choose the top 20 albums of 2013, ft. Bowie, Primal Scream, M.I.A. and others 8 – FASHION Editor Emma visits the Isabella Blow: Fashion Galore! exhibition / British Fashion Awards roundup
See you in 2014!
EMMA & RENA EDITORS-IN-CHIEF
9 – FASHION Not your average gift guide: step away from the high street!
THE SMOKE EDITORS-IN-CHIEF
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Emma Hope Allwood Rena Minegishi thesmoke@london-student.net
10 – ARTS Art as Therapy - from Alain de Botton to Petr Pavlensky / Paul Klee at Tate Modern 11 – ARTS Girl With a Pearl Necklace - CSM student Harriet Williams / Whistler at the Dulwich Picture Gallery
SUB EDITOR Anna Tomlinson
DESIGNER / FASHION EDITOR Emma Hope Allwood fashion@london-student.net
ARCHIVE EDITOR
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12 – FILM Sophie Mawson reviews Escape from Tomorrow / Film Editor Kit visits The Horse Hospital: a cooler ICA? 13 – FILM Interview: KCL Radio’s film buffs Reel Talk
Gaby Laing archive@london-student.net
BOOKS EDITOR 14 – BOOKS Christmas reading for Scrooges / London by Chapter: St Paul’s Cathedral with Oscar Wilde
Elizabeth Metcalfe books@london-student.net
FEATURES EDITOR Christobel Amelia Hastings smokefeatures@london-student.net
FOOD EDITOR Bryony Bowie food@london-student.net
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15 – THEATRE Once More Unto The Breach: Henry V with Jude Law / Ibsen’s Ghosts 16 – FOOD Ruby Tandoh gives us her walnut and clementine sponge pudding recipe / Ever wondered what a Medieval Christmas feast was like?
TRAVEL EDITOR James Hodge travel@london-student.net
THEATRE EDITOR
17 – TRAVEL Travel the world without leaving the Smoke: India in London / Little Britain: Edinburgh
Sarah Fortescue theatre@london-student.net
MUSIC EDITOR George McVicar music@london-student.net
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18 – DAYS & NIGHTS We present London’s best events, 8 December - 19 January
FILM EDITOR Kit Harwood screen@london-student.net
ARTS EDITORS Costanza Beltrami Liza Weber arts@london-student.net
19 – FROM THE ARCHIVES We track down the photographer responsible for snapping a mock execution at Westminster University, 1993
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read this: victoria ford, writer Victoria Ford is a writer and a University of Pennsylvania student, currently studying abroad at King’s. Her nonfiction essays won her a Scholastic Art and Writing Award, which have previously been won by Sylvia Plath, Truman Capote and Joyce Carol Oates. With her poetry, she was chosen for the YoungArts programme, eventually being elected a U.S. Presidential Scholar of the Arts, one of the twenty national honours awarded to talented American youths. Victoria is currently a part the Excelano Project, a spoken word group at UPenn. You obviously have a lot of accomplishments, but do you have a proudest moment? When I was published in the 9th issue of JaiAlai magazine, the editor Peter Cunningham asked me who my favourite poets were, and I told him Larry Levis – Winter Stars is my favourite collection – and Matthew Dickman. When Peter sent me a copy, he said, “I have a surprise for you: I put your poem next to Matthew Dickman’s.” I was like, “that is amazing!” I started reading the editor’s foreword, where he wrote, “Victoria told me that her favourite contemporary poet is Matthew Dickman. So I emailed him her poem.” And I’m reading this foreword, and I’m like “oh my God.” The letter went on to say that Matthew Dickman had written a poem in response to my poem. It was titled “The Golden Ball, after Victoria Newton Ford”. It was so crazy. I just cried. I think the greatest honour you can have as an artist is having an artist you respect dedicate a work of art to you. That conversation between two poets. Matthew Dickman had taken a line from my poem, “we were lonesome for you”, which was about my father, and Dickman wrote a poem about his mother. Dickman and Levis often explore family in their works – I guess that’s where you find the connection with them. Yeah, I focus quite a bit on my family. A poem on my relationship with my mom was the first piece I performed at UPenn. And I think I began finding my voice more when I focused on myself. I wrote a piece called “Self-Defense”, which is about when I was sexually harrassed in elementary school. I used to apologise for it, and I think that’s a problem in our society – “I’m sorry I made you uncomfortable by bringing it up.” The harrassment went on for a year, then one day I snapped – I beat him up, gave him two black eyes. In the poem, I framed that year as a war-zone. It’s about becoming a soldier by way of defending your own body, but also defending your heart when it comes to loving someone; so it’s an evolution from 5th grade me to me trying to love, still having the same idea of protecting myself and my body. That was one of the first poems where I was talking mostly about myself, and it changed the way
I’ve written since. When I started writing that poem, I said, “I’m just going to write about that harrassment.” And as I was writing the poem, I realised it had turn to how I still feel the same way about defense, but in another context. It was one of those poems where I was like, “oh, I did discover something new!”
moments of my life – and it’s also equally powerful when you can see the people being affected, where they can hear it immediately and be affected. I love both; I think both have extremely important places in society. How has your semester in London affected you as a writer?
Does that surprise happen a lot? I always think I know how my poem is going to be, how it’s going to manifest itself. But a lot of the times, I discover something new, having visited it so much. I’m taking the journey as I’m writing about it. I feel a successful poem is able to do that. It doesn’t mean you have to surprise your readers or arrive at an epiphany – I don’t think poetry requires that at all. But if you don’t learn something new about yourself after having written a poem, it’s truly not finished. I think I’m finished working on “SelfDefense”, because every time I read or perform it, I can feel the journey I took. But there’s another poem, “Read This”, which is about wanting to be vulnerable with someone and being scared to do that. There is a point in a poem where I address myself, and then the first part of the poem returns, but it’s revised. It’s about unfolding. So I’m talking about being vulnerable with a person, by being vulnerable with a poem. I wrote it this time last year, took me three months to finish. I was on a plane writing it, and – I think this is how poetry relates to all of life – the woman next to me had this perfume on. It was the perfume I used to wear when I started dating my first boyfriend. I was like, “oh my God, there it is.” Sometimes I feel like the gods of poetry are just there. So I have a line that goes “licking perfume off a woman’s neck in an airport”, and nobody necessarily knows what that means but in the next line I say “it smells just / like the first time you trusted / someone else with your own body.”
It’s affected my thoughts on writing; I want to write on things that affect people at a national level. You should be asking questions until you die. I want to ask more of myself, in my writing, through art. Students in London are inspiring – they’re so independent, and make me recognise the power we have as youth. In Philadelphia, 12 schools were demolished this summer. And strikes happen in America, but you don’t see it nearly as often as you do here. We talk about it on Twitter and on Facebook, but we’re not Amiri Baraka real. I’m at a school that has 7 billion dollars, and it’s two blocks away from one of the schools that was shut down. There are so many arts groups on the Penn campus, and we make two or three thousand dollars a year from our shows. What are we doing with that? Why are we doing that? What are we talking about at our shows, and after we talk about it, what are we doing? Being in London has made me think about: I have this art form I’mw invested in, what do I really want to do with it? I want to impact somebody. I’m not trying to change the world, but I want to have impact on people’s lives. I want to go beyond inspiring: I want to do, to change someone’s day. / INTERVIEWED BY RENA MINEGISHI / KCL / CO-EDITOR
So that’s a time you felt poetry’s ability to connect with your life. I definitely think poetry has the power to do that. Art in general has the power to do that for the artist: self-exploration, introspection. But when you make that into an artwork, so that it’s accessible to others, people can take from that how to face whatever they’re facing in their own lives. That’s why I love spoken word so much – you can share that with people. You can get that with poetry on the page, for sure – I think reading poetry in moments where I am quiet are some of the most affecting
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Students in London are inspiring – they’re so independent, and make me recognise the power we have as youth
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IMAGE: R
ENA MINEG
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MISTLETOE&
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LONDON’S BEST XMAS MARKETS
Fed up of Oxford Street? Hoping to escape queue-jumpers, elbow-jabbers and being sardined in line for an eternity? If meandering through a market with mulled wine in hand appeals more than panic-induced purchases, look no further. Beating the Christmas shopping blues and keeping blood pressure down has never been easier this year with London’s artisan markets. Indoor fairs, outdoor chalets, fetes and festivals are materialising in every quarter of the city as strings of lights begin to throng the streets. Whether you’re fed up of consumerism, stuck for gift ideas or simply in search of an authentic Christmas ambience, The Smoke has short-circuited the wastelands to bring you the best Christmas Markets of 2013.
WINTER WONDERLAND. IMAGE: JIM MARKS
BEST FOR…O.T.T. FESTIVITIES: HYDE PARK WINTER WONDERLAND WHERE? Hyde Park, W2 2UH. WHEN? 22 November - 5 January 2014 ENTRY FEE: Free Every year a section of Hyde Park is transformed into the famous Winter Wonderland. Replete with a bustling Christmas market, fairground rides, a circus and an ice rink, this seasonal spectacular has become a favourite with Londoners for its diversity and is now celebrating its seventh year. The Christmas market features 200 traditional wooden chalets filled with an array of crafts and food. Free entry means anyone can soak up the festive atmosphere, but spending money is strongly encouraged. KINGSTON CHRISTMAS MARKET WHERE? Kingston upon Thames, Memorial Gardens WHEN? 14 November - 5 January 2014 ENTRY FEE? Free Kingston’s Memorial Gardens will be transformed into a traditional Christmas market featuring magical white wooden chalets filled with all manner of handmade crafts and food. Sample gingerbread, mulled wine and roasted chestnuts while being serenaded by local carol choirs and brass bands playing all your Christmas favourites. This market is sure to be a feast for the senses.
BEST FOR…UNIQUE ARTS & CRAFTS: BOUTIQUE CHRISTMAS MARKET WHERE? Kew Gardens, TW9 3AB WHEN? 28 November - 4 January 2014 ENTRY FEE: Free Christmas at Kew Gardens offers a special festive retreat for those seeking a calmer atmosphere. The Christmas market is a creative partnership between We Make London and local talented designers and makers. The hand-selected array of gifts and treats are housed within the traditional wooden chalets, and if you’re tired of shopping, take an illuminated trail through the wonders of the gardens.
MORE LONDON CHRISTMAS MARKET WHERE? More London Riverside, SE1 2DB WHEN? 11-15 December ENTRY FEE? Free
CHRISTMAS CHOCOLATE FESTIVAL WHERE? Southbank Centre, SE1 8XX WHEN? 13, 14, 15 December ENTRY FEE? Free
More London has collaborated with Shepherds Markets to focus on bringing a specifically local and personal feel to the Christmas Market, which includes fashion, food and handmade gifts. Festive entertainment adds to the ambience, ranging from the London Baptist Carol Singers to a Bucking Rodeo Reindeer.
The London Chocolate Festival is a must for any mortal with a sweet tooth. The Southbank Centre is hosting the festival’s 11th celebration of all artisan confectionary and has a truly scrumptious line-up of events. Highlights include Valrhona Chocolate Afternoon Tea based on Joanne Harris’ international best-selling novel Chocolat and the chance to learn how to make salted caramel pecan brownies with Rachel’s Kitchen.
CRAFTY FOX CHRISTMAS MARKET WHERE? The Bussey Building, SE15 WHEN? 14 December ENTRY FEE? Free The Crafty Fox Market is bringing its Christmas themed fair to the CLF Art Café in Peckham to inject a true bohemian essence into the festive season. Over 70 traders will be showcasing their beautiful handmade wares so you can guarantee a one-off gift. This market comes with a big dose of creativity so expect to get stuck into some craft workshops: screen-printing, perhaps, or learning the art of letterpress. Mulled wine will be served and a local DJ will be providing some laid-back festive cheer.
BEST FOR…FOOD: REAL FOOD CHRISTMAS MARKET WHERE? Southbank Centre, SE1 8XX WHEN? 19, 20, 21, 22 December ENTRY FEE? Free Another one right by the Southbank Centre, the weekly Real Food Market takes on a dusting of festive stardust in the days running up to Yuletide. This gastronomic Christmas Market showcases a diverse array of seasonal produce plus all the favourite Christmas specialities. Students shouldn’t be put off by the thought that the cuisine might come with a price tag to match: food is high quality but affordable. Be sure to take advantage of the try-before-you-buy policy too, free samples never go amiss.
BEST FOR…VINTAGE & RETRO: THE MID CENTURY CHRISTMAS MARKET WHERE? Hammersmith Club, W6 9DH WHEN? 14 December ENTRY FEE? £2 For one day only, the Hammersmith Club plays hosts to the Mid Century Christmas Market, a new fair celebrating all things vintage and retro, in particular gems from the 40s and 50s. For ladies who love the glamour of times past, there will be bygone treasures a-plenty as well as beverages served in antique china and the chance to be beautified in true pin-up girl style. DJs from London’s best rockabilly clubs will be on hand to accompany your day with some special festive tunes. POP UP VINTAGE CHRISTMAS MARKET WHERE? Old Spitalfields, E1 6EW WHEN? 21 December ENTRY FEE? Free Head East for a generous helping of creativity as Old Spitalfields Market hosts a vintage extravaganza. Bargain hunters will not want to miss the well-known antiques and collectibles fair, which will receive a sparkling makeover on the last Saturday before Christmas. Hunt down the perfect party outfit, pick up some last minute treasures or pamper yourself with some vintage styling – retail therapy with a twist.
/ CHRISTOBEL AMELIA HASTINGS / KCL / FEATURES EDITOR
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CLASS O
LOOKING FOR AN IPOD UPDATE? WE ASKED OUR CONTRIBUTORS TO WRITE ABOUT THEIR FAVOURITE ALBUMS OF THE YEAR. BY: GEORGE MCVICAR, M
DAVID BOWIE / THE NEXT DAY
THE KNIFE / SHAKING THE HABITUAL
ONEOHTRIX POINT NEVER / R PLUS SEVEN
CONNAN MOCKASIN / CARAMEL
JULIA HOLTER / LOUD CITY SONG
This year, the legendary chameleon David Bowie released his first album in over ten years. Firing off with a gunshot snare, The Next Day propels forward into what could be considered his pre-emptive, self-reflective obituary. Meditating on his life in Berlin, and the stylistic changes he underwent throughout his career, Bowie tethers the album to both his former and present days: his youth and his old age. With songs like “Where Are We Now?” and “The Stars (Are Out Tonight)”, the album serves as one of his most complex achievements yet. /KJ
Shaking the Habitual took us everywhere from tribal jams to apocalyptic raves and barelyaudible intervals of ambient noise. At 96 minutes, this is a mammoth work, and one that only the brave would undergo. Nevertheless, the dazzling conceptual imagination behind it keeps the listener fascinated from start to finish. Elements from their solo work – Fever Ray and Oni Ayhun – are echoed vividly throughout, allowing their own individual styles to bounce off one another in a playful and creative manner. This album was a commitment to the band’s creative vision, and it paid off enormously. /GM
Oneohtrix Point Never returned with a record that was just as boundary-pushing, innovative and inspiring as his 2011 release, Replica. Turning towards a more artificial, cleaner sound, this album sounded more akin to the likes of James Ferraro and the recent Night Slugs releases. There are also some intriguing timbres throughout, including organs, choir voices and traditional Chinese instruments, giving it a uniquely religious feel. Make no mistake: OPN is far from finished broadening his creative scope. Just how far he can expand it is anyone’s guess. /GM
In Mockasin’s own words: “The concept is that it’s an album.” On Caramel, heavy breathing blends with slurred babbling and obscure metaphor. Over hazy electronic waves, voices drenched in reverb chant “C-O-N-N-A-N!” like cheerleaders from a narcissistic fantasy. Mckasin’s crooning is intercepted by bursts of pisstake giggles, as if recorded in a bedroom packed with schoolgirls on sugar-highs. Like surreal daydreams, Caramel’s meanderings are occasionally unsettling (see: Mockasin’s 70s porn ‘tache), but Mockasin knows we’ll be hungry for more. / KB
A year after the acclaimed Ekstasis, Los Angeles based singer and multi-instrumentalist Julia Holter returned with her brilliant third album Loud City Song. The record projects the looming tension between solitary self-searching and a city full of anonymous faces. Holter says the record “revolves around the search for truth and love amidst a culture that can be alienating in its superficiality.” The album retains the home-recorded intimacy and warmth of her previous records, but Holter creates something jazzier and more playful here, rising above the chaotic thrall of the city. / NS
GROUPER / THE MAN WHO DIED IN HIS BOAT
DAFT PUNK / RANDOM ACCESS MEMORIES
TIM HECKER / VIRGINS
DJ RASHAD / DOUBLE CUP
MY BLOODY VALENTINE / MBV
Liz Harris’s latest effort brings together another collection of understated, melancholic songs that express a haunting and beautiful intimacy. Many of the songs feel inchoate, shimmering before fading back into claustrophobic sound. The album tells the tale of Harris’ teenage experience of encountering an unmanned boat washing up ashore: the lyrics seem indecipherable, but the song creates in us a startling and unsettling experience. The record ebbs and flows along in this mysterious and morbid way, transmitting a sense of indescribable wonder. / NS
Daft Punk’s new direction offers a refreshing mix of their trademark sound with the world of 70’s discotheques. The album has so much to offer, from the funky instrumental passages, to subdued nostalgic vocoders and even some brave ballad-like moments. With so many styles and genres being paid sincere homage, it’s hard to believe just how cohesive the whole album sounds. But in the same way that Nile Rodgers created permanent grooves lasting well into the 21st century, so too will we doubtless be dancing along to “Get Lucky” in the nightclubs of the future. / KJ
Virgins saw Hecker opting for a darker, more foreboding vision. Hecker seamlessly blends digital drones with organic sounds: we hear emotions of fear and desire filtered through distorted and mechanical textures. “Virginal II” showcases a build of seesawing horrormovie-like tension that leads to a dazzling burst of noise. “Amps, Drugs, Harmonium” presents a distressing anticlimax, “Radiance” highlights a lonesome clarinet fading fast into the gloom. Virgins is Hecker at his most affecting and best, full of insistent urgency that dissipates unfulfilled into bleak oblivion. / NS
Double Cup is testimony to Rashad’s dedication to exploring new textures of sound, as he incorporates elements of breakbeat, trap and techno. The lead single “I Don’t Give A Fuck” proved to be one of the year’s biggest, bringing something entirely new to the genre. There are also some unexpected four-to-the-floor moments, such as “Acid Bit” an oddball juke-techno hybrid with Addison Groove. The album even swerves into jungle, with amen breaks peppered throughout - juke and jungle are a long overdue pairing, and typical of Rashad’s mastery. It works astonishingly well. / GM
Following an album as acclaimed as 1991’s Loveless is no easy task. With 22 years of silence, during which time singer Kevin Shields, in his own words, “went crazy”, the band had everything against them. Nevertheless, m b v is a real achievement, luring us once again into their luscious walls of sound. In particular, “She Found Now” and “Only Tomorrow” open the album up like an embrace from an old friend, showing us that despite My Bloody Valentine’s long absence, their sound is still as welcoming and seductive as ever. We might love this more than Loveless. / GM
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MUSIC EDITOR / KIERAN JONES / KRISSY BEE/ NEELIYA DE SILVA / RUBY CLYDE / KAMRAN KHAN / CECILE FISCHER / ROB HEATH / UMBER GHAURI
GOLDFRAPP / TALES OF US
LAUREL HALO / CHANCE OF RAIN
VAMPIRE WEEKEND / MODERN VAMPIRES OF THE CITY
Departing from the conventional electronic-pop of Supernature, Goldfrapp’s latest album is a return to the orchestral weirdness of their earlier work. Will Gregory creates classically influenced soundscapes that swell and fade, led by the huge range, power, and tenderness of Alison Goldfrapp’s voice. The album tells the engaging stories of nine characters, but the concept doesn’t distract from the beautiful and delicate songs. Goldfrapp cites Scott Walker and Patricia Highsmith as influences, which gives you an idea of the elegant darkness that characterises this album. / RC
Chance of Rain was a significant style-shift for electronic heroine Laurel Halo. Experimenting with more organic sounds, Halo took us to a side of her music we didn’t know existed. At times, the raw energy and manic cross-rhythms of the drums feel like listening to a Shackleton album, unlike 2012’s Quarantine. Lead single “Ainnome” is particularly innovative, marrying a bold song structure with James Blake-style chords and intricate drum-machine patterns. It’s rare for someone with only two albums to cultivate a genuinely unique sound, but in this regard, Laurel Halo has triumphed. / GM
PRIMAL SCREAM / MORE LIGHT
WOODKID / THE GOLDEN AGE
DJ KOZE / AMYGDALA
Psychedelics, ambience, revolution: these are the three words that define Primal Scream’s latest album. The album kicks off with a political analysis of the time, singing “21st century slaves, a peasant underclass”. Musically speaking, the album takes a hedonistic approach with songs such as “River of Pain” and “Relativity” taking you on a tour through experimental self-indulgence. You’re happy to do it too; despite the 26 years the band has been together, these songs are still fascinating, gripping, and fresh. Primal Scream still fight the mainstream, and we love them for it. / KJ
Woodkid may have a voice that takes some getting used to, but getting through to the songs on The Golden Age is certainly a worthwhile endeavour. There is immense power and yet a kind of peace in songs like “Boat Song”, which inventively uses an orchestra, the strings enveloping his delicate yet steady vocal. As the album progresses, there is a sense of growth, as if he’s telling a story – which may have something to do with his background in film. We should all be grateful that he decided to take the stage; his music is bold and poetic, and I cannot wait to see what he has for us next. / CF
This year we saw DJ Koze’s minimalist techno masterpiece Amygdala, his first solo effort in 9 years. The album glides through in a swirling kaleidoscopic haze, building up effortlessly cool soundscapes and cruising along with a knowing smirk as dazzling sounds glimmer and radiate before us. Koze gives an insouciant and playful charm to the record, bringing in collaborators including Caribou, Matthew Dear and Apparat. Even when he brings up a line like “we’re all sensitive people/ with so much to give”, there’s something so whimsical about it that it feels exactly right. / NS
This album saw the band at their most vulnerable, washing away the quirkiness of their previous work, and allowing Ezra Koenig’s newfound approach to songwriting to stand on its own legs. Fortunately, Vampire Weekend have the nous to remain captivating, and Rostam Batmanglij’s production adapts wonderfully to their new direction. Batmanglij writes, “there’s something hanging out there that’s a little bit dark and I think that’s reflective of the world.” Given how colourful 2010’s Contra was, this was a big step, but we can be happy that they took it. / KK
DEERHUNTER / MONOMANIA
ATOMS FOR PEACE / AMOK
Deerhunter’s return to their garage rock aesthetic was a welcome one. 2010’s Halcyon Digest was undoubtedly brilliant, but felt like the final manifesto for the sound that they had been cultivating for so long. Regarding the influences on the album, singer Bradford Cox reflected, “old music resonates with me, new music doesn’t”. This attitude informs the album, with songs such as “Pensacola” borrowing heavily from the American bluesrock tradition. Furthermore, the focus on song writing brought a more personal and sincere feel that is articulated more precisely than any of Cox’s previous work. / GM
Although a supergroup, Atoms for Peace don’t sound like a pastiche. Led by Thom Yorke’s endlessly beautiful voice, the group have crafted a sound that is very much their own. The songs are dance-floor-ready (a strange, introspective dance floor – the only kind I know) yet still moving and melodic. Testament to this is just how brilliantly the songs translate to acoustic performance; check out Yorke’s performance of “Ingenue” on Jonathan Ross. An incredibly strong album from start to finish, the multi-layered complexity of AMOK keeps the listener coming back for more. / RC
GNOD / PRESENTS… DWELLINGS AND DRUSS
M.I.A. / MATANGI
My Gnod epiphany happened after discovering them through an article in The Quietus. The writer describes his own epiphany with the band: a realisation that all the rules he applies when judging music can now be thrown out the window. Presents... Dwelling and Druss is their most rhythmically energetic work, their first release on prolific Irish label Trensmat – a home for everything from dank drone to berserk electro. Amongst a spate of noise and drone musicians “going techno” and vice versa, Gnod stand out. / RH
Heady and dark, this is an album of its time. Ever the innovator, M.I.A. unapologetically mixes desi, dance, and hip-hop, creating entrancing yet enthralling breaks, especially displayed in the eponymous track. M.I.A. demands you listen to her captivating verses, which are imbued with politics and exploration of racial identity. In “Boom Skit”, M.I.A. takes a jab at the American music industry: “brown girl, brown girl/turn your shit down/you know America don’t wanna hear your sound.” This is a harsh album – and the best M.I.A. has produced yet. / UG
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a new exhibition at somerset house documents the life of this london style icon. but does it sweep some details under the rug? – their work features heavily in the exhibition. Though both designers are celebrated for their high fashion appeal (and price tags to match), the exhibition shows their humble beginnings in the 1990s and the hand Blow had in guiding their careers. The archive garments from their early collections are a rare and welcome sight.
“This exhibition is, to me, a bittersweet event. Isabella Blow made our world more vivid, trailing colour with every pace she took. It is a sorrier place for her absence.” - Daphne Guinness Known for her original wardrobe, love of outlandish headwear and a permanently lipsticked pout, Isabella Blow – part-mentor, part-fashion editor, and partpersonality – was one of Britain’s last true eccentrics. In 2013, where social media has taken self-fashioning to the next level and the over-proliferation of imagery, it’s hard to imagine anyone rivaling Blow’s style and authenticity. Isabella Blow: Fashion Galore! is a new exhibition at Somerset House which charts her life, work and influence in the British fashion industry until her death in 2007. It is an important exhibition, and one that almost didn’t happen at all, as Blow’s family came close to auctioning her wardrobe to pay her death duties. Thankfully Daphne Guinness, close friend and fashion legend in her own right, bought it all. Several years later, it has been gathered into a stunning exhibition. Born Isabella Delves Broughton in 1958, Blow’s birth to high society parents was heralded by an announcement in the Evening Standard. However, her upbringing was decidedly unglamorous. Unable to live in the highmaintenance main house of their estate, Doddington Hall, due to financial constraints, her family instead inhabited a small house in the grounds. Blow recalls in one of the exhibition’s videos that they ate cheap food, and her father refused to turn the heating on. After working menial jobs around London, she gained entry into the fashion world by interning for Anna Wintour at US Vogue. The rest is history. Unsurprisingly, as Blow was best known for her relationships with young British designers Philip Treacy and Alexander McQueen – whose MA collection she famously bought and paid for in weekly installments
The exhibition is full of wonderful anecdotes: from the time Andy Warhol spotted her wearing odd shoes in New York City and invited her to dinner, to her marching Hussein Chalayan down to see Mrs. B. at Browns boutique with his 1993 BA collection. This isn’t a show about the luxuries of fashion, the sky-high prices and stylish parties. It’s about one woman’s imagination, her nurturing spirit and her boundless creativity. Designed by award-winning architectural firm Carmody Groarke, it is also a visual feast: mannequins pose in alcoves full of curiosities, from taxidermy to a two-foottall fairytale castle hat. Placed at the forefront are the clothes, all exact outfits worn by the woman herself, and presented on mannequins custom-made by renowned set designer Shona Heath.
struggles. In the years leading up to her death, Blow, famously candid about her mental health and planned suicide, would tell friends that she felt abandoned by those whose careers her hand had helped to nurture, as well as by the magazines she had worked for. There is little mention of this in Fashion Galore! and it feels somewhat like the elephant – or giant Swarovski crystalencrusted lobster – in the room. Speaking in an interview with SHOWStudio, photographer Nick Knight’s online broadcasting company, Guinness voices her concerns about ending the exhibition in a negative light. As you walk past heavy black curtains displaying a faded image of Blow, back to the camera, and into the last space, the final piece puts Guinness’s fears to rest. Shot at Doddington Hall with models clad in the outfits exhibited, the film by Ruth Hobgen is the perfect note to end the exhibition on. Celebratory, affirming. Blow’s spirit immortalised. / EMMA HOPE ALLWOOD / KCL / CO-EDITOR
Near the end of the exhibition, two rows of blackclad mannequins in screened crates form a kind of walkway, drawing the viewer down towards a sculpture of a fountain made up of flashing lights. Those The exhibition is who know Blow’s history may full of wonderful understand this as a kind of visual anecdotes: the metaphor. And indeed, as you time Andy Warhol descend the stairs at the end of the spotted her walkway, the text guiding you turns wearing odd shoes sombre: ‘’After Isabella’s untimely in New York City death by her own hand...”
“
and invited her to
dinner As a project which may act to bring a sense of closure to the friends who loved her, it is clear that those behind the exhibition did not wish to dwell on Blow’s years of darkness – her battle with infertility, diagnosis with bipolar disorder and ovarian cancer, and her intensifying depression are not addressed. Blow attempted to take her own life several times before she succeeded, passing away on May 7th, 2007.
”
Despite the exhibition’s many successes, one can’t help but wonder if it suffers for skimming over her personal
TITLE IMAGE: ISABELLA BLOW, © MARIO TESTINO. RIGHT IMAGE: ISABELLA BLOW AT THE AMERICAN EMBASSY, 1998 © ROXANNE LOWIT
The British Fashion Awards, held this year on Monday 2 December at the London Coliseum in Westminster, celebrated some of the world’s most stylish people. Whether or not you reckon Harry Styles was deserving of his British Style Award, some of the UK’s best designers were honoured, including worthy candidates Christopher Kane and Simone Rocha. Others, such as Terry and Tricia Jones and Kate Moss were recognised, with Miuccia Prada winning the new International Designer award.
WOMENSWEAR DESIGNER OF THE YEAR Christopher Kane MENSWEAR DESIGNER OF THE YEAR - Burberry INTERNATIONAL DESIGNER OF THE YEAR Miuccia Prada for Prada DESIGNER BRAND OF THE YEAR - Burberry ACCESSORY DESIGNER OF THE YEAR - Nicholas Kirkwood EMERGING WOMENSWEAR DESIGNER - Simone Rocha EMERGING MENSWEAR DESIGNER - Agi & Sam NEW ESTABLISHMENT DESIGNER - JW Anderson
MODEL OF THE YEAR - Edie Campbell RED CARPET AWARD - Erdem ISABELLA BLOW AWARD FOR FASHION CREATOR - Lady Amanda Harlech BRITISH STYLE AWARD BROUGHT TO YOU BY VODAFONE (VOTED BY THE PUBLIC) - Harry Styles SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARD - Kate Moss SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARD - Suzy Menkes OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FASHION Terry and Tricia Jones, founders of i-D
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fashion
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O TY
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G A R E
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ASTRONAUT TEE BY RAPANUI MADE IN A WIND-POWERED,
gift guide
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SECOND SKIN JEAN BY MONKEE GENES SKINNY JEANS IN SOIL ASSOCIATION CERTIFIED ORGANIC COTTON. £60 FROM MONKEEGENES.COM
ABC TOTES BY ALPHABET BAGS MADE IN THE UK FROM NATURAL COTTON. £13 FROM ALPHABETBAGS.CO.UK
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POM-POM BEANIE BY AMERICAN APPAREL WHILST WE DON’T CONDONE THEIR SLEAZEBALL CEO, AMERICAN APPAREL ARE SWEATSHOP-FREE, MAKING GOODS IN THE USA WITH FAIR WAGES FOR WORKERS. £18 FROM AMERICAN APPAREL
It’s unavoidable:
Christmas is a time of consumption, whether it be shopping, copious amounts of Quality Street or TV. Instead of heading straight to the high street for your Christmas presents this year, we wanted to give readers a few slightly more ‘ethical’ alternatives. These companies aren’t perfect (OK, maybe apart from Rapanui with their wind-powered factories) and we aren’t trying to go all UKIP “Made in Britain” on you, but we think it’s important to give a little thought to where things come from.
HAVE A CONSCIOUS CHRISTMAS!
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10
the smoke
art as therapy?
PETR PAVLENSKY STAGES HIS PROTEST IN MOSCOW’S RED SQUARE IN NOVEMBER At first glance, there appear to be few similarities between the cultural guru Alain de Botton, founder of the School of Life (a London-based centre offering courses on how to “live wisely and well”) and artist Petr Pavlensky, whose self-mutilatory act of nailing his scrotum to the cobbles of Moscow’s Red Square (above) recently attracted headlines. Reading any of de Botton’s books gives me an enormous sense of well-being. On the other hand, reading about Pavlensky’s protest – let alone watching the video – makes me wince. However, both de Botton and Pavlensky are attempting to illustrate art’s ability to successfully tackle social issues. The underlying message of de Botton’s latest book Art as Therapy is simple: art can make us better people. The book’s method is just as straightforward: it highlights the woes in society, illustrates how art can address them and proposes a new method for engaging with art to tackle the problems head-on. As a
result, the book reads like a manifesto, with de Botton developing the insightful observations of his previous books into more strategic advice and instructions. Do not be fooled into thinking this is flimsy self-help rubbish, though. In seven sections, the writer presents art’s key psychological functions: expressing “hope” and “sorrow,” and fostering “remembering,” “rebalancing,” “self-understanding,” “growth” and “appreciation.” In each section, De Botton offers concrete advice against everyday unease and unhappiness. Thus, the book as a whole is a pragmatic challenge to the existing relationship of art, individuals and society. For example, de Botton takes aim at the Tate’s current acquisitions policy suggesting that it should instead “aim always to educate the British soul” and “collect works that meet the psychological needs of the nation.” He suggests that the arts should engage with
arts
people throughout society, which in turn will hopefully lead people to appreciate the beauty of their surroundings and not have to rely on artists to memorialise them. From this argument comes the book’s final and boldest proposition, that the “true aspiration of art should be to reduce the need for it.” These are undoubtedly strong and somewhat fantastical ideas. Yet de Botton’s eloquence turns them into convincing, almost common-sense conclusions.
Pavlensy’s social criticism is not unparalleled in contemporary art. Ai Weiwei’s artwork “Sunflower Seeds” similarly challenges the passivity of the masses. Displayed on a truly gigantic scale at Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall, it addressed an equally international audience. With or without violence, many contemporary artists indeed choose art as the means to tackle their idea of societal imbalances, which is precisely what de Botton is suggesting art can do.
Pavlensky thought he had only one way to air his views on Russian society – to hammer a nail through his scrotum (his art has previously involved sewing his lips shut in support of Pussy Riot, and enmeshing himself in barbed wire outside a government building). He said that his latest act is a metaphor for “apathy, political indifference and fatalism in modern Russian society.” De Botton argues that art needs to address exactly these social problems; Pavlensky does this by grabbing worldwide media attention. Some may consider him as no more than an attention seeker, but others on an international level may see the truth behind Pavlensky’s concerns and feel compelled to act.
Art as Therapy left me feeling optimistic and I couldn’t quite explain why. I think it is because we are enormously fortunate to live in a society where we can raise our concerns, and not have to rely on Damien Hirst nailing his balls to the pavement outside Big Ben for the government to sit up and listen. Pavlensky’s actions were enormously courageous, but it is a sad indictment of his society that he felt this was his only choice. If de Botton’s theory about art being therapy is correct, then hopefully Pavlensky’s actions will help to bring about the change he deems so important. / HARRY LAUGHLAND / COURTAULD / CONTRIBUTOR
PAUL KLEE MAKING VISIBLE TATE MODERN UNTIL 9 MARCH 2014 £13.10 STUDENTS This showcase takes its title from Klee’s 1920 essay “Creative Confession”, where he states, “art does not reproduce the visible, it makes visible.” Klee was a hybrid cubist, symbolist, expressionist and surrealist. His work is, arguably, less imposing and more gentle and poetic than that of other greats of his generation such as Kandinsky and Franz Marc. The exhibition aims to bring Klee’s stature to the forefront. Klee’s intricate watercolours and paintings are, for the first time, exhibited in chronological order; evolution was something the artist always intended. Klee either planned a work with utmost care and precision, or just pointed a pencil whimsically at a piece of paper. Even though the quest for an aesthetic equilibrium between shape and colour lay always at the heart of his creations, the final result remained unknown until the very end. In his lecture notes, he described the process as thus: “A line comes into being. It goes out for a walk, so to speak, aimlessly and for the sake of the walk.”
Whilst teaching at the Bauhaus school in Weimar and Dessau throughout the 1920s as one of the early expressionist group Der Blaue Reiter (The Blue Rider), Klee’s artistic concern was wrapped up in colours, so much so he that proclaimed: “Colour possesses me. I don’t have to pursue it. It will possess me always, I know it. That is the meaning of this happy hour: Colour and I are one.” But both Klee and his contemporaries were soon confronted with history when the Nazi regime labelled their work “degenerate”. From this point forward, his art became a mess of violent scribbles. Klee’s 1933 selfportrait “Struck from the List” betrays a fragile state of mind. After fleeing to Bern, Switzerland, Klee was diagnosed with scleroderma, a chronic autoimmune disease, and had little time left to live. Despite this physical hardship, he kept painting – with superhuman strength, Klee produced a flurry of pieces; “Insula Dulcamara” sees a helpless man vying with a demonic snake through spring powder colours juxtaposed with harsh, heavy black lines. At once spiritual and harrowing, Klee’s dialogue within his works on life and death is all-encompassing. “Angstausbruch
PAUL KLEE AGAINST “FIRE AT FULL MOON”, 1933. MUSEUM FOLKWANG, GERMANY III” (Outbreak of Fear III), located in the final room of the exhibition, sees bodies disarticulated and dismembered, in what seems a metaphor for the artist’s anxiety at nearing the end of his life. The journey throughout this exhibition is rather challenging. With 17 rooms taking us from 1912 to Klee’s death in 1940, it is a little hard to stay focused and to keep the
enthusiasm alive. It is at times more of a lecture than a show, aimed perhaps more towards the Klee enthusiast than the average gallery-goer. Despite this, Klee’s use of colour, his ingenuity and his determination in the face of political and personal struggle makes for an important – if a little exhausting – retrospective. / CARL LOCKEY / KCL / CONTRIBUTOR
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girl with a pearl necklace Try typing “pearls are…” on Google, and you’ll get suggestions such as: “a girl’s best friend”, “timeless” and “always appropriate,” highlighting the value of pearls as aesthetic as well as historical objects. The V&A’s current exhibition Pearls seemingly reinforces this stereotype, yet its collaboration with Central Saint Martins college also poses some challenges. Can pearls be young, critical, and contemporary? We ask Harriett Williams (BA Jewellery), whose neon pearl necklace is on sale in the V&A’s shop. Do you own a set of pearls? My mum has a set – expensive and quite traditional. I did not personally have any before the project, I had never worked with them before. Collaborating with the exhibition was a great way to find out about their history and production. What about the production of pearls? Pearls are usually cultured: taken from a natural living shell in which the process of pearl production has artificially been triggered. Before the development of modern pearl culturing, it was necessary to look through thousands of mollusc shells to find a few wellstructured pearls. This is why pearls have historically been associated with wealth. Cultured pearls are cheaper, and of course there are various imitations.
Although deceivingly similar, their materials are different to work with. I used cultured pearls to engage with the question of “value”. So what is the story of your project? As part of our course we collaborated with the V&A. We received a brief from them asking us to respond to their new exhibition Pearls. All took part in the initial stages and three people were eventually selected to sell their pieces in the V&A shop. From that point on the project was no longer related with Central Saint Martins but with us as artists, independent of CSM. I believe the aim of the collaboration was to dispel the idea that pearls are only a traditional material. With their associations with royalty, pearls are a statement of wealth, yet they should also be seen as modern and accessible. They are ultimately timeless – just like the Little Black Dress. How have you made pearls modern? I was concerned with pearls’ representation of wealth. In the olden days nobility used to wear as many strings of them as physically possible. I found this piling-up of pearls particularly frustrating, and so wanted to tarnish them – to paint over their mass of whiteness. I decided to
leave the central pearl in my necklace completely white. It is the one pearl the viewer should focus on. I don’t want anyone to buy my piece as solely a statement of wealth. At the same time, I ask the purchaser to evaluate whether artistic design is more important than the raw value of the material. Having decided to paint over the pearls’ original colour, I figured the paint had to represent something. I looked at them under a microscope – you just can’t realise how coloured they are, they look white but they are so brightly coloured! I found this brilliant so decided to reveal it through paint. I also got paint that glows in the dark, it’s an added detail which I thought may look quite nice, making the necklace really special.
The V&A pays for the labour, which for the workload is significant, what with everything being handmade. I use the traditional way of stringing pearls, tying knots in between each, so as to prevent them from rolling off. What was the process like before your item went on sale? I had to present the V&A with three saleable samples so that they could test the health and safety. Some paint may not dry properly and flake on people’s skin, causing an allergic reaction. There were three prototypes before the piece was eventually commercialised.
So you’ll never lose this set of pearls. But how else are they accessible? My choice to use cultured pearls obviously implies the materials were expensive – yet this was necessary to make my point. In comparison with the pearls, the strings and paint were negligible.
What do you think of the exhibition? The exhibition is historically focused, with incredibly valuable pieces. For example, the tear-shaped pearl earring that Charles I wore when he as decapitated is on show. However, my interests are very contemporary, and I would personally like to see more contemporary pieces. Modern designers are using pearls in innovative ways, but the exhibition unfortunately overlooks this. Pearls are timeless, so let’s adapt them to our time.
Each necklace is unique, for I paint them using a spattering technique – a technique which enabled me to paint several at a time.
/ INTERVIEWED BY COSTANZA BELTRAMI / COURTAULD / ARTS EDITOR
AN AMERICAN IN LONDON: WHISTLER AND THE THAMES DULWICH PICTURE GALLERY UNTIL 12 JANUARY 2014 STUDENTS £6 James McNeill Whistler’s mother fondly wrote in a letter how her son, on glimpsing the “rare transparency” of the Thames, “was so inspired to begin a picture [that he] rushed upstairs to his studio, carrying an easel and brushes”. It is his very fascination with the Thames, its “marvellous tangle of rigging, yardarms and rope” (Baudelaire) and the people that congregated along it, that is the focus of Dulwich Picture Gallery’s most recent exhibition. An American in London: Whistler and the Thames looks at the time that the Massachusetts-born artist spent living in London
NOCTURNE: BLUE AND GOLD - OLD BATTERSEA BRIDGE, 1872/73 (DETAIL)
between 1859 and 1879. The exhibition doesn’t really consider the impact of Whistler being an “American in London”, but it succeeds in taking us on not only on a tour of the metropolis but also on a comprehensive journey through his artistic development. We now tend to characterise Whistler’s aesthetic through his splendid 1870s Nocturnes, with their lashings of translucent paint, subtle and murky colour palette and blurred subjects. The exhibition challenges this somewhat, and we see a distinct progression from his realistic etchings and linographs to his more impressionistic Nocturnes. In 1871 sixteen of Whistler’s etchings of the Thames were published, and it is these that form the first part of the exhibition. Composed of fine, angular lines and crosshatching, these etchings provide a detailed topographical study of London, portraying industrial areas such as “Limehouse” (1859), “Black Lion Wharf” (1859) and “Old Hungerford Bridge” (1861). “Black Lion Wharf” in particular conveys specific buildings in almost architectural detail. In “The Lime-Burner” (1859), the lines and layers of shading capture the atmosphere of the industrial metropolis. As the exhibition progresses the etchings become less detailed. In “Vauxhall Bridge” (1861) the ship and river seemingly morph into one another. Whistler’s oil paintings illustrate his interest in capturing the fluidity of the city, and in “Battersea Reach” (ca. 1863), the collision of brown, grey and white brushstrokes convey instability and movement. It is far from the precise lines in his early etchings. In Battersea Reach from “Lindsey House” (1864/70) Whistler’s two styles
co-exist; we see both the detail of the women’s dresses in the foreground and the convergence of river and sky in the murky background. By the 1870s, it could be said that Whistler’s paintings were no longer topographical. In Nocturne: “Blue and Silver Battersea Reach” (1872/75), it is hard to pin the factories and chimneys lurking in the background to a specific location with objects bleeding into one another in the dark paint. Even in “Nocturne: Blue and Gold - Old Battersea Bridge”, 1872/73 (left), it is difficult to determine the location without the painting’s title. The small human figure is almost enveloped by the grey-blue river and the blurred buildings on the skyline are speckled with dots of yellow paint. It is perhaps for this reason why Whistler was asked, “Do you say that this is a correct representation of Battersea Bridge?” in the famous 1878 John Ruskin-Whistler trial, in which Whistler sued art critic Ruskin for declaring him to be a fraud “flinging a pot of paint in the public’s face.” We see how Whistler sought to capture the indistinct experience of the city. The inclusion of contemporary maps and photographs throughout the exhibition could be seen as an oversimplification of Whistler’s work, but it certainly helps us to visualise Whistler’s London. By structuring the exhibition chronologically, curators Margaret F. MacDonald and Patricia de Montfort guide us through Whistler’s aesthetic development. His visible change in technique conveys the intricacies of modern London, or, as Henry James once named it, the “murky modern Babylon”. / ELIZABETH METCALFE / KCL / BOOKS EDITOR
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film
the smoke
STRAIGHT FROM THE HORSE’S MOUTH:
films at the horse hospital
NO ESCAPE FROM THE
EXPECTED
The first night of the London Underground Film Festival saw the screening of Escape From Tomorrow, a psychological horror about a man’s disturbing experiences and visions on a family holiday in Walt Disney World. The film had received a lot of hype due to its production: director Randy Moore shot the film almost entirely at Walt Disney World in Florida and Disneyland in California without getting permission from the Walt Disney Company. As the company is notorious for not allowing such types of filming inside their parks, Moore, along with the cast and crew, used various guerrilla-filming techniques in order to keep the production a secret. Though Moore isn’t the first person to have filmed in the Disney parks without permission, the making of a feature film entirely in secret is particularly impressive, and the success of its making is due to extensive pre-production and planning. The cast rehearsed tirelessly so that they wouldn’t have to shoot too many takes, and the crew planned the filming schedule around the sun in order to ensure they wouldn’t require lighting equipment.
“
The film was just a selection of tropes strung together with uninteresting shots and dialogue
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Though the production was interesting and unique, the originality ended when the film actually began. The story set-up is one we’ve all heard some variation of before: male protagonist loses his job and keeps it a secret from his nagging wife as he doesn’t want to ruin their holiday with their children (how noble of him). Whilst the film takes a surrealist turn (above), the plot is still fairly run of the mill, with the introduction of two pretty young French girls who catch the protagonist’s eye. Though at times it made for interesting viewing, being set in Walt Disney World was only really essential to the plot when it was “revealed” that the Disney princesses were prostitutes selling themselves to Asian businessmen - another aspect of the film that, aside from being morally questionable, is also stereotypical.
Due to the method of production, it is understandable that Moore was limited in terms of filming – shooting in secret hardly gives one room to show multiple characters in depth, and so focusing on one person made practical sense. However, yet another feature film showing us the straight white male’s point of view as he fantasises about teenage girls is hardly a breath of fresh air. Though it may have been the director’s intention to portray the main character as pitiful due to his pathetic obsessions, shots focusing on sexual body parts of the young girls in short-shorts and, in one scene, actually eating bananas seductively, made the film uncomfortable to watch. Whilst it’s true that many films contain sexism or sexist tropes, Escape From Tomorrow was just so utterly boring that it was impossible to miss them. After having such high expectations, Escape From Tomorrow was a big disappointment. In mainstream cinema we are constantly attacked with regurgitated plots and ideas, and I had expected the London Underground Film Festival to be a sanctuary from such a hell; a place in which the chosen films are subversive and go against the grain. Unfortunately, however, the film was just a selection of tropes strung together with uninteresting shots and dialogue. Even shooting the film in black and white wasn’t enough to fool anybody into thinking that it was actually original.
Those of you currently or previously entrenched in the sprawling student-opolis of the Bloomsbury area might be familiar with the local Curzon, rather pompously titled the “Renoir”. Located just off Russell Square, it’s seemingly the only cinema in an area with five Prets to every resident. Despite describing itself as “the first choice for any art house fan”, the films on display really aren’t any different from those you’ll find booked elsewhere (films showing at time of writing: Gravity, Le Week-End, The Selfish Giant). To top it all off, there’s something completely charmless about the venue, though this may be down to its location in the so-weird-it’s-worth-a-visit Brunswick Centre. I’ve held a personal grudge against the cinema ever since I arrived in a screening to find that the space was being cooled by one enormously loud room fan, a cardinal sin in cinephilia. So what options do the cinema-goers of Bloomsbury have? You could always walk down to Leicester Square, where you’ll find the legendary Prince Charles Cinema as well as the mega-multiplex Odeons and Vues. But what if you are on the lookout for somewhere a bit closer, a bit stranger? The Horse Hospital is nestled into a mews behind Russell Square tube station, probably known to certain segments of the student population as “that street where you can probably have a wee without anybody causing a fuss” (not true, watch out for the landlord of the Friend at Hand). At some point on your approach you realise that the name is not some avant-garde affectation, but that it really was a horse hospital. You make your way down a series of ramps into a cavernous screening area, still retaining the original pillars complete with iron tethering rings. The cinema itself is more like a screening
room, with chairs in rows throughout the space, though the front row spots are exceedingly comfortable. One word of advice: bring a jumper or jacket – the place’s heating is not stellar. Drinks are available, but the bar is not the classy watering hole most art venues seem to aspire to. When I asked what beers were on offer I got a simple, surly answer - “Beer”. The Horse Hospital presents talks, screenings and exhibitions and has been described as the “anti-ICA”. In an interview with the Evening Standard the artist-filmmaker Oliver Payne argued that “the Horse Hospital is infinitely cooler because it comes from an organic mindset and doesn’t concern itself with any cosmetic bullshit. It doesn’t give a fuck, it just shows what it wants. Not like the ICA.”
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The name is not some avant-garde affectation, it really was a horse hospital
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Go to The Horse Hospital for a slice of the avant-garde in antiquated Bloomsbury. Events are announced at thehorsehospital. com and are usually on the cheap side. At the time of writing, presentations include an exhibition of portraits of hobo kings and queens, a poetry-music collaboration featuring Jeremy Reed and a presentation by the “Erotic Film Society” of the work of the queer porn director Amory Peart.
/ KIT HARWOOD / KCL / FILM EDITOR
/ SOPHIE MAWSON / KCL / CONTRIBUTOR
IMAGE VIA: THE HORSE HOSPITAL
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13
reel talk
At 3pm every Tuesday, tune in to KCL Radio to hear Reel Talk, self-described as “the best non-authority of film in London,” and hosted by Peter Flynn with co-conspirators Snezhana Kuzmina and Adam Brodie. The Smoke caught up with them in The Lyceum for a chat about how things were going.
When you get into the studio you can express yourself however you like. Often that is in very stupid ways. It’s nice to have an outlet like that.
What’s the general format and what can people expect when tuning in?
ADAM: There’s no such thing as highbrow and lowbrow, it’s a ridiculous concept. If you do enough craft and your message comes through regardless then it’s a good movie. The Fast and The Furious 6 is one of the best movies that came out this year!
SNEZHANA: I listened one of the ones you did without me and you said, “now she’s gone we can talk about blokey stuff ”. As if I’m holding you back.
PETER: I think we’re all fascinated by the idea of tastelessness and the idea that lowbrow never means dumb. These are ideas that aren’t touched on by more respected circles but that’s exactly why we enjoy them.
What are your personal highlights?
PETER: We’re essentially a weekly report of three people’s exposure to the film world in a very subjective way. We do reviews and news but there’s also a lot of personality to it, we’re very clearly a group of friends who have a rapport. SNEZHANA: I’ve had a friend say we’re like three giggling Mark Kermodes, which is quite the claim. ADAM: I’m just a sock puppet; Peter operates me when he needs a contrarian opinion. PETER: In each episode we’ll have films of the week and that’ll move into news, which ranges from interesting little debate topics to really stupid stuff coming out of Hollywood that we can just riff off. I’ve been told we do tear stuff apart. There have been times when there’s been a real tension between our opinions. SNEZHANA: It gets heated. The show isn’t set in stone yet. It’s a baby; we’ve only had a few episodes.
SNEZHANA: We’re also fans of the “so bad it’s good” genre.
SNEZHANA: Jason Statham.
PETER: Zhana has the most classiness to bring but ignores it at every chance she gets. The couple of episodes we’ve done without you, I’ve really missed your presence. You’re the oil on the wheels.
PETER: We got more feminine without you!
ADAM: Zhana’s babe allocation system.
ADAM: Exactly, one of my favourite meditations on age and the rediscovery of your joie-de-vivre involves Elvis killing a mummy. [Bubba Ho-Tep, 2002]
PETER: Adam being replaced by Sweep. Adam’s mic wasn’t working for the first few minutes of the podcast; luckily he hadn’t spoken much so when I edited it, I replaced the gaps with soundbites of Sweep from Sooty and Sweep.
Would you describe yourselves as having specialities?
SNEZHANA: It’s always a pleasure! There you go, nice and democratic. No wait, Adam’s terrible joke!
PETER: It won’t take you long if you listen to an episode to realise what everybody’s tastes are. Adam’s thing is unity, character depth and character arc whereas I’m a bit more... this could turn into a fight so quickly. I think I’m an advocate for feeling a film rather than reading it.
PETER: Were talking about the Australian sequel to Titanic and Adam suggested it be called Titanic 2: Crikey. We didn’t know if that was meant to be a joke or not. What does the future hold for the show? ADAM: I think we should really SEO our interface and synergise with the marketspace.
PETER: We’re not even at ten! It’s not an objective, thumbs up/thumbs down show. It’s a dialogue between three friends.
SNEZHANA: I’m advertising on my OkCupid profile.
SNEZHANA: We all really like online video reviewers like Nostalgia Chick and Red Letter Media, and I think that informs the show.
PETER: I’m interested in getting some more regular features going. Obviously we have the films of the week section and the news section but one week we did three scenes each and that really scared us. We think that could be a great slot in every show with a new category every week.
Peter and Snezhana, you’re film students. A lot of the stuff discussed on the show doesn’t seem to be typically academic material. [Examples: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and The Fast and The Furious.] Do you make an effort to avoid the highbrow?
YOU CAN LISTEN TO REEL TALK EVERY TUESDAY AT 3 PM ON KCL RADIO, GET IT AS A PODCAST FROM ITUNES.
SNEZHANA: I like arthouse but I also really like trashy action films, which also defies expectations of me as a girl, I guess.
/ INTERVIEWED BY KIT HARWOOD / KCL / FILM EDITOR
PETER: As a film student I think this is an antidote.
SNEZHANA PETER
ADAM IMAGES: KIT HARWOOD
14
books
the smoke
CHRISTMAS READING FOR SCROOGES “The garishness of the great rolling ribbon of Oxford Street has its fascination”, remarks Virginia Woolf in her essays on London life. As the Christmas lights begin to shine, we may be reminded of Woolf’s London where “everything glitters and twinkles”. But it must be said that the thronging crowd of shoppers sounds rather more charming on the page than it is in reality. Why venture out into the cold streets of the capital at Christmas when you can experience it so vividly in a book? If you prefer to enjoy a spot of pessimistic isolation at Christmas, there is plenty of reading material out there to chill your icy seasonal socks.
chilling images of “bitter cold” and “gloomy landscapes, rustling and shuddering in the blast”.
But Christmas reading is more about short stories than novels. A famous example is Hans Christian Anderson’s The Little Match Girl, a tragic tale about a young street urchin who dies alone on the streets. It reminds us, in a similar vein to Dickens, about those who are oppressed, silent and often forgotten at Christmas. Anton Chekhov is renowned for his short stories, but At Christmas Time offers little in the way of seasonal cheer; it’s more a tale of familial relations with undertones of domestic violence.
When I think of festive reading, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens is the first book that springs to mind. Without Dickens, we wouldn’t have Scrooge, the archetypal Christmas party-pooper, and there would be no “Bah! Humbug!” or “misanthropic ice” to make us shiver by the fire. This Christmas tale is the perfect blend of grumpy scepticism and heart-warming sentiment. Whilst we can all in some sense identify with Scrooge’s stony solitude, we are relieved that he eventually succumbs to the cheer of his family and friends (even if he does need to be threatened to extremity by ghosts first!). Dickens himself was preoccupied with the Christmas season and its tendency to remind us of the past, so if you have exhausted this classic story, Dickens wrote a number of other Christmas novellas that you might like to indulge in. His series of five festive tales include The Chimes, The Cricket on the Hearth and The Battle of Life. The last of these, The Haunted Man, is another ghostly tale containing
unrelenting festive TV – and have a little solitary quiet time.
If that sounds a bit dreary, Leo Tolstoy’s Papa Panov’s Special Christmas is a more cheerful read. Admittedly, it’s aimed at children, but if anyone asks you can say you’re reading Tolstoy and they will probably be impressed. It’s also worth sampling some seasonal poetry: Carol Ann Duffy has reworked a number of festive classics, offering a new take on a familiar story: “Mrs Scrooge”, “Another Night Before Christmas” and “Wenceslas: A Christmas Poem”. FEELING SCROOGE-LIKE? From an old edition of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol
Humourist writer David Sedaris has some cracking Christmas anecdotes. The collection Holidays on Ice is a hilarious selection of devastating and humiliating essays about Christmas. My favourite is an account of working as an elf in a supermarket display: “My elf name is Crumpet. We were allowed to choose our own names and given permission to change them according to our outlook on the snowy world.” This book is perfect for those moments when you need to escape the family – not to mention the
If you find yourself feeling rather more Bah Humbug than Joy to the World this Christmas, a decent book is the best way to escape from the London bustle. For me, the charm that Woolf saw in Oxford Street has long disappeared. I would recommend setting up camp by the fire, the radiator, or the electric heater and escaping into another world. Or if, like Dickens, you are haunted by the past, dig out your old childhood picture books and wait for Father Christmas to arrive. / HARRIET THOMPSON / KCL / CONTRIBUTOR
LONDON BY CHAPTER, #3 This issue, we saunter down to St Paul’s Cathedral alongside Oscar Wilde’s poem “Impression Du Matin”.
Impression Du Matin, Oscar Wilde The yellow fog came creeping down The bridges, till the houses’ walls Seemed changed to shadows and St Paul’s Loomed like a bubble o’er the town. Then suddenly arose the clang Of waking life; the streets were stirred With country waggons: and a bird Flew to the glistening roofs and sang.
St Paul’s Cathedral “loomed like a bubble o’er the town.” I think it is worth dwelling on this clause alone. Its humorous tone is not entirely surprising coming from Wilde, and yet it is out of kilter with the more sombre imagery throughout this poem. We look up at St Paul’s, like a child at Christmas enraptured by a bauble sparkling on a branch. Today the relevance of the church ever atrophies, and perhaps Christmas is the only time when wooden pews and chilly rafters are vaguely enticing. Wilde’s poem depicts a London in which the influence of the church was far greater. After all, it was in the prosperous nineteenth century that
St Paul’s was renovated, following Queen Victoria’s comment that the cathedral was “most dreary, dingy and un-devotional”. It was a massive undertaking, including stained glass and mosaic work and a reordering scheme that opened the building into a conducive space for largescale worship. Despite this opulence, the cathedral hovers, light and weightless, dwarfing our capital into a mere “town”. It hovers over the poem too, as is alluded to in the title: “Matin” is not only morning, but also a nod to the more spiritual “Matins” (the concluding morning service of the monastic night-time liturgy). The rituals seem to be carried on the thick smog of incense out of the great doors of the floating St Paul’s, and into the organic river, washing it in a murky hue that nonetheless speaks harmony. I doubt Matins is a sell-out these days, but for Wilde, the Matins effect seems to infiltrate into the societal consciousness; it is something of a cockerel cry that stirs the streets into waking life – waking life that is in chime with the concluding act of the liturgy. / FLORA NEVILLE / KCL / CONTRIBUTOR
PERSEPHONE BOOKS GIVEAWAY Nestled amongst the dreamy cafés and luxe clothes shops on Bloomsbury’s Lambs Conduit Street is Persephone Books. With its duck egg grey frontage and book-crammed shelves, you’re tempted into a world remembering the forgotten female writers of the inter-war period. The majority of the 104 books Persephone have published are by neglected – albeit brilliant – female authors. In style, they range from simple hilarious anecdotes of what women got up to in wartime to the daringly immodest. There is even the odd 1930s cookbook! Literary excellence and visual appeal are of equal importance to the founder Nicola Beauman: all books have trademark thick grey covers, but the scrumptious fabric-design endpapers are specific to each book, conveying both the book’s date and mood. Persephone Books is a real gem if you’re in search of Christmas gifts and the hugely knowledgeable staff can be sure to steer you the most precisely perfect book. We have 1 copy of The Persephone Book of Short Stories to give away - if you’d like to be in with a chance of winning it, drop us an email at books@ london-student.net by 1 January 2014. / ELIZABETH METCALFE / KCL / BOOKS EDITOR
theatre
the smoke
15
ONCE MORE UNTO THE BREACH Henry V is the final production for the Michael Grandage season at the Noel Coward theatre. With three outstanding shows preceding it, it had a lot to live up to – but the best has been saved until last. Never before have I experienced such an electric atmosphere at the theatre. From teenagers to more seasoned theatregoers, crowds filled the Noel Coward with excited murmurs of anticipation for Jude Law’s interpretation of Shakespeare’s most revered monarch. With a performance that left the audience speechless, he delivered a courageous yet comical, and possibly most importantly considerate, portrayal of King Henry. Law delivers a mature, resilient Henry, without arrogance. He is playful amongst his comrades, remorseful and visibly moved during the play’s powerful St Crispin’s Day speech, and charming when wooing Princess Catherine. The ease with which he adjusts between each mood is impressive, and provides an excellent example to his fellow actors – who are also required to display duality in their performances due to multiple doubling-up of contrasting parts. Most notable were Ben Lloyd-
Hughes as the regretful traitor Lord Scroop and the arrogant Dauphin; Ashley Zhangazha as an engaging Chorus and ill-fated Boy; and the delightfully humorous Ron Cook as the lecherous, cowardly Pistol – he may only play a single character, but capturing multiple personality flaws must be immensely challenging. Producing Henry V is a notoriously ambitious task. The play tackles the intricacies of the controversies of war, and can be interpreted in a number of ways. The choice between depicting a heroic defeat, a tragic loss, or a tricky combination of the two rests almost exclusively with the director, so Grandage’s ability to strike a perfect balance was particularly moving. This production succeeds in applauding Henry’s leadership and courage, while emphasising and
challenging the brutality of war by mourning its fallen men. This interpretation was set in the early 15th century, so the inclusion of a modern-day Chorus was particularly poignant. The choice to cast this narrator as a contemporary figure clad in a Union Jack t-shirt prompted continuous reminders that the atrocities of war, and the harsh challenges faced by those affected by it, are as present today as in 1412.
IMAGE: JOHAN PERSSON
The Battle of Agincourt is what Henry V is centred on. The Noel Coward theatre is a deceptively small space. This combination puzzled me from the outset; how would one of the most famous battles in history be presented on such a small stage? The genius of Michael Ashcroft and Christopher Oram (the show’s Movement Director and Set Designer) made sure no physical conflict was shown on stage (aside from the
distressing and unexpected slaughter of Boy), but utilised the remarkably simple set and the talent of the strong cast to provide enough tools for the horrific task at hand to be left to the imagination. From the roars of soldiers and harsh glows of burning destruction of battlefield scenes, to the warm hues and celebratory patriotic scores of the palace of the King of France, every part of this production was an aural and aesthetic delight. The constant inclusion of red, white and blue as vivid symbolism for the nationalistic pride of both sides was visually stunning and mentally engaging in equal measure. This exceptional production marks the end of the Michael Grandage season, famed for its generous allocation of £10 tickets and the involvement of its A-list stars. This excellent season will be sorely missed, but the standard it has set, and its impact upon the new audiences, will ensure its legacy remains long after Henry leaves.
/ SARAH FORTESCUE / CSSD / THEATRE EDITOR
GHOSTS IBSEN’S PLAY AT THE ALMEIDA - TRANSFERS TO TRAFALGAR STUDIOS ON 17 DECEMBER Knowing only that love, betrayal and death were the themes of Henrik Ibsen’s Ghosts, I was utterly blown away by every aspect of Richard Eyre’s adaptation. From the acting to the design, this play exceeded my expectations in every way. Set in the late 1800s, Ghosts is not for the faint-hearted. Helene Alving (Lesley Manville) is on the brink of opening an orphanage and dedicates it to her deceased husband when she reveals to the man she has secretly loved for years (Will Keens’ Pastor Manders) that her marriage was built upon lies. This relief at finally expressing the horrors of her marriage and revealing her hidden love comes at a time when hope for the future finally seems possible for the troubled Helene - yet as fate would have it, the recent arrival of her only son, the promiscuous Oswald Alving (Jack Lowden), brings with it its own traumatic secret. Intertwined is the lingering ghostly presence of the adulterous Captain Alving through the unexpected love child of Regina Engstrand (Charlene McKenna), the endearing, strong-willed and bright housemaid who becomes an integral part of the play.
This one act play was gripping from the moment Engstrand stepped on stage until the painful and heart-felt ending. As exciting and engaging as the play is, Lesley Manville as Helene Alving undoubtedly stole the show. Enveloping the audience in the wave of pain and emotion that Helene endures, Manville’s performance pulls on every heartstring, particularly in the final scene. Lowden and Manville collaboratively leave the audience stunned by leaving little to the imagination as they portray the slow demise of a cocky young socialite begging for the release of death from his hysterical mother. Eyre pitches this scene at the most appropriate but engaging level, leaving the traumatic ending to imagination whilst increasing the pain, tension and anticipation to breaking point. This penultimate scene left me speechless, and was expertly performed by two truly talented actors, who are exceptional assets to this superbly intense play. With a production of such intensity, occasional comic relief is always appreciated. Luckily it was provided by the ridiculous and audacious opinions from Will Keens’ Pastor Manders; I found myself unwillingly amused by his
WILL KEEN, JACK LOWDEN & LESLEY MANVILLE. IMAGE: HUGO GLENDINNING
pomposity and out-dated remarks. It is hard to believe that this character can be played in any other way, as the words and mannerisms seemed to flow naturally to Keens, particularly in his relationship with Manville; their chemistry was both electric and tormenting. Particular acclamation should be awarded to Tim Hatley for the overall design of the production. Mirroring the layers and complexities of the characters and plot, Hatley’s set portrays the scale of a mansion through three semi-opaque screens dividing the main set of the drawing room, the dining room, the conservatory and the garden. This ingenious yet simple approach invites the audience to imagine the
goings-on of the house prior to any real action. However intrigued I was about seeing this play, that intrigue cannot be compared to the extraordinary experience of witnessing the production. From the ridiculous Pastor Manders to the heart-wrenching death scene, every aspect of this production aspired to and reached perfection. The news of its forthcoming transfer to Trafalgar Studios is very welcome; I for one shall certainly be taking advantage of its extended run, and would encourage others to do the same. / LYDIA CRANG / CSSD / CONTRIBUTOR
16
food
the smoke
IMAGE: EMMA HOPE ALLWOOD
ILLUSTRATION: ANDY BARDEL
RECIPE
MEDIEVAL CHRISTMAS So the grandparents are coming, your cousins are arriving any minute and… bloody hell! The turkey is still raw, the sausages are frozen and it looks like dinner will be served sometime in January.
pig for the larder, one small pig, a swan, two hens and eight rabbits. Even peasants, in some localities, enjoyed a Christmas feast. At the peasants’ feast at North Curry in Somerset in 1314, each man of the hundred present should have received two white loaves, as much ale as they could drink, a mess of beef, bacon with mustard, another mess of chicken, cheese, and candles “to burn out while they sit and drink”.
Christmas can be a seriously stressful time of year, especially for those doing the cooking. Compare this, however, to the knot of worry that must’ve been felt by a medieval lord who knew the If none of the above entices your king was coming to tea. Consider that tastebuds for Christmas 2013, why not the inner circle of the court attending consider a “grete pye”? This would to the king included most departments have been no ordinary steak and of the royal household, as well as their kidney or chicken and mushroom, associates, staff, followers and other mind! “Take faire yonge beef, hangers-on, which would And suet of a fatte beste… likely have numbered Then take Capons, Hennes, some hundreds strong. It On Christmas Day Mallardes, Connynges… quickly becomes clear 1347, Sir Hamon take wodekokkes, that it wouldn’t just le Strange and teles, grete briddes…” be the king’s portion his household all closed within the lord would have to consumed one a pastry “Coffyn”. provide for! big pig, one small Maggie Black tells us pig, a swan, two that no Christmas feast Yes, all right, so the lord hens and eight was complete without a himself wouldn’t have to rabbits pie and, although these do any of the preparation sometimes contained or cooking, but as the royal a wide variety of meats, quite often court ate its way on procession around the royal palaces of the realm, the lord’s only two or three different kinds were suggested – lending itself perfectly to reputation was on the line. an impressive modern interpretation. Many people will be roasting a fat Spices were not uncommon: one recipe turkey with all the trimmings this for a pie includes salt and pepper, year; golden roast potatoes, crispy cloves, mace, cinnamon and saffron. bacon, juicy chipolata sausages, sweet Tempted? Well, if it is to be a ‘grete parsnips, sprouts with creamy, jewelpye’ for Christmas this year, heed like chestnuts, and more. If this were this warning! As Maggie Black says in fourteenth-century England however, her Medieval Cookbook: “let it bake you wouldn’t be eating turkey, and enough; but beware when you close it you can forget about the whole skinthat there’s no saffron near the edges on / skin-off roasting debate around – or it will never bake properly”, and it the potatoes. Neither of those were will be raw turkey and frozen sausages available, as they arrived in England after all… from lands as yet “undiscovered”. What to eat instead then? Goose? Beef, ham / EDWARD KIRBY / KCL / or bacon? Swan? Perhaps not the latter CONTRIBUTOR these days…
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An example. On Christmas Day 1347 at Hunstanton, Norfolk, Sir Hamon le Strange and his household consumed bread, two gallons of wine, one big
Many thanks to The Time Traveller’s Guide To Medieval England by Ian Mortimer and Medieval Cookbook by Maggie Black.
WALNUT & CLEMENTINE SPONGE PUDDINGS WITH ZESTY CUSTARD Despite the greyish school dinner versions, sickly supermarket substitutes and a few traumatic experiments with “microwave mug cakes”, I can still think of nothing that comforts me more than sponge and custard. It’s a typically, unashamedly British innovation in stodge. These baked sponge puddings use ground walnuts in place of some of the flour to lend them a rich, nutty flavour. If you can’t find clementines, use orange zest instead, but don’t be tempted to leave the zest out altogether – it really brings these puddings to life.
INGREDIENTS For the sponges: For the custard: 100g walnut pieces 3 egg yolks 100g plain flour 40g caster sugar 1.5 tsp. baking powder zest 1 clementine 60g butter (room temp) 300ml full fat milk pinch salt 50g soft (light) brown sugar 4 x individual metal pudding moulds 50g caster sugar 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract zest 2 clementines 75ml full fat milk 1 large egg 1. Preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan). Line the bottoms of the tins with circles of greaseproof paper, and grease the tins with butter. 2. Toast the walnuts for ten minutes, keeping an eye on them to make sure they don’t burn. Once toasted, blitz half the walnuts in a food processor or coffee grinder until ground powdery. Be careful not to process them too much, as this will release the oil in the nuts and make the mixture clump. Chop the remaining walnuts into smallish pieces. 3. Combine the flour, ground walnuts, baking powder and salt. 4. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugars together, then beat in the egg. Add the zest and combine, then add the flour/ground walnut mix and the milk alternately until all combined. Add the chopped walnut pieces. 5. Spoon the mixture into the pudding moulds so they’re just about twothirds full (take care not to overfill, as the mixture will rise in the oven) and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. 6. Meanwhile, heat the milk for the custard. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a bowl until pale and fluffy. When the milk is scalding, slowly pour it into the bowl with the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Decant the mixture back into the saucepan and heat very gently, stirring continuously. When the mixture is thickened enough to coat back of a spoon, turn off the heat and stir in the zest. 7. Serve the puddings while still warm with some the custard.
IMAG
E:
TAN RUBY
DOH
/ RUBY TANDOH / UCL / CONTRIBUTOR
travel
the smoke
How To
#2 INDIA
Travel The World
17
little britain
IN THIS SERIES, THE SMOKE EXPLORES DESTINATIONS ACROSS THE UK
WITHOUT LEAVING THE BIG SMOKE Edinburgh reeks of magic. Walking around the city can feel like being in an Escher. Stairways lead up to dark alleyways and disappear into gloom. The walls of passages seem to close in on you as you follow them like veins to plunge further into the heart of the city. Intricate silhouettes of gothic spires and chimney pots are backed by everchanging skies of blooming and swelling clouds.
NEASDEN TEMPLE DOME. IMAGE: HERRY LAWSON
LAHORE KEBAB HOUSE The place to go for authentic Punjabi curries in London (technically, the Pakistani part). The original is nestled down a side street just off bustling Commercial Road and offers a welcome alternative to the commercialised harassment of Brick Lane. Whilst not known for their service or interior design, their simple and delicious menu is reasonably priced and superbly cooked. The Murgh Channa (available Wednesday to Sunday only) and the Chilli Naan are both must-haves. The family-run business have just opened another restaurant in Streatham; both locations are open 7 days a week. lahore-kebabhouse.com SOUTHALL Southall in west London, often also called Little India, is home to nearly 40,000 people of Indian and Pakistani heritage. Little India is rich with South Asian culture, and a perfect example of London’s status as the world’s most multicultural city. One of a handful of places in England to have a bi-lingual railway station sign (in English and Punjabi), Southall Broadway is the only street where you can find everything Indian you could want. Food, spices, clothes, jewellery, restaurants and take-away, its Broadway is a unique cultural experience. visitsouthall.co.uk THE VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM The V&A in South Kensington boasts one of the largest collections of Indian art. Sculptures, paintings, textiles, armour and metalwork dominate the museum’s Nehru Gallery, charting the 16th to 19th centuries. More impressive still is the Jainism collection. One of the three major religions of early India, it has been continuously practiced since around the middle of the first millennium BC, with 2% of India’s population currently practicing Jains. The V&A offers free entry and flexible opening hours – there is no excuse to miss out on discovering India’s rich and varied past. vam.ac.uk
Edinburgh suits the rain and whilst you’re exploring the twisting alleyways and cobbled streets the buildings change colour with the moisture. There’s never just one way to get anywhere. If you’re adventurous you can dive into the warren of alleys and stairwells rather than sticking to the main streets; this is a venture that often proves surprisingly fruitful and close to the crow’s flight. The city is worth a good wander around and it’s small enough to do so. Get lost in it – you can see where the inspiration for Harry Potter’s Grand Staircase came from as you trek up and down the town to find yourself emerging from closes in surprising new spots.
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There’s never just one way to get anywhere. If you’re adventurous you can dive into the warren of alleys and stairwells rather than sticking to the main streets
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Plan your journey around cosy stop-offs to take a break from the cold. There are loads of pubs where Scots’ chat burbles and fine pints await. The Dirty Dick on Rose Street feels like somebody’s ancient living room; the Dagda and the Brass Monkey can both get pretty squishy but gleam with brass fixtures and have a good feel. The Blue Blazer has a host of tasty beers on offer and good ciders on tap. Bennet’s Bar is a real old man pub right over the road from a fun BYOB Indian street food restaurant called Tuk Tuk in Tollcross. All of these places are easily en-route,
and all this pubbing can be interspersed with some sightseeing. Get yourself up the Crags, the formidable cliffs that hang off the front of Arthur’s Seat which you can head up to from close to the meadows near the University or from Holyrood Park (the monarchy still has a seat here in Edinburgh). The view is incredible and it feels “fresh,” to say the least. Invigorating. Refreshing... Cold; but it is so worth it. From up here you can see the puzzle of Edinburgh from a bird’s-eye view and beyond it to Fife in the North and then down the coast to the fishing towns of North Berwick and Dunbar. The rock in the sea to the South is the Bass Rock - a volcanic plug that popped out of the top of North Berwick Law millions of years ago, and is now home to a host of gannets and puffins. Once you’re good and wind-scoured, get yourself indoors. Sink a pint and crack some chat with people. The people of Edinburgh are warm, witty and usually game for shooting the breeze. Or, if you like art, go check out the Dean and the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art. Right over the road from each other in fancy Stockbridge, they both have good free permanent collections. The Dean building itself is fun. One room is home to Vulcan - a huge metal man who seems to bursting out of the building like Alice in Wonderland post-cake. There’s also a great creepy graveyard round the back of the Dean where you can find Victorian Egyptologists, thinkers, musicians and a whomping-willowesque tree. Wind your way home along the Water of Leith through Dean Village and on to Leith itself, traditional home of Trainspotting but now significantly less sketchy and filled with fishy food palaces. Party-wise, Edinburgh’s a fairly acoustic place, although there seems to be a big Scottish ska and dub presence, usually found lurking around the Bongo club. If you want a big party, though, head to Glasgow, which is dead close to be fair. Edinburgh is much more about mystery, magic, darkness and light; gothic towers and spindly skylines. Auld Reekie should be explored. / CHARLOTTE ORMSTON / BIRKBECK / CONTRIBUTOR
NEASDEN TEMPLE Also known as Neasden Mandir in northwest London, it is the first and largest traditional Hindu Mandir outside of India. Worth visiting just due to its sheer size and beauty; it also provides an in-depth look into Hinduism. You really will feel like you’ve stepped into Rajasthan. The arti ceremony, which is on every day at 11:45AM, is an awe-inspiring highlight to your visit. It is an ancient Hindu offering made by waving lit wicks before the sacred images, accompanied by a musical prayer. The temple is open daily 9am-5pm. londonmandir.baps.org / INDIGO ELLIS / KCL / CONTRIBUTOR EDINBURGH CASTLE. IMAGE: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
18
EVENTS
the smoke
days and nights MARIKA HACKMAN
THE HOST AND THE CLOUD
DIE HARD TRILOGY
Folk songs as delicate as they are haunting The Lexington 11 December, 7:30pm £7.50
Rio Cinema 12 December, 6pm Free
Prince Charles Cinema 14 December, 1:45pm £17.50 Member, £20 Non-Member (Student Membership £5)
VIVIAN MAIER
POP ART DESIGN
ISABELLA BLOW: FASHION GALORE!
Beetles+Huxley Until 23 December Free
Barbican Art Gallery Until 9 February 2014 £10
Somerset House Until 2 March 2014 £10, £6.25 on Mondays
OUR CURATED PICK OF LONDON’S BEST EVENTS OVER THE NEXT THREE WEEKS DEDICATED TO… THE FORGOTTEN FRIENDSHIPS, HIDDEN STORIES AND LOST LOVES IN SECOND-HAND BOOKS EXHIBITION Exhibition to mark the publication of W B Gooderham’s Dedicated To… Foyles, Charing Cross Road 9 December - 30 December, 9.30am Free
CEREMONY FOR FORGETTING @ HAPPY REDOUBT A ritual to “free yourself from the shackles of technology” based in a post-apocalyptic interactive “encampment” Inigo Rooms, Somerset House 11 December, 6.45pm Free
THE LAST MARCH The story of England’s proudest and most foolhardy adventurer, Captain Scott, in his life-ordeath race against the merciless Norwegian explorer Amundsen Southwark Playhouse 11 December - 4 January £10 previews
KINO LONDON London’s Open-Mic Film Night Electrowerkz 12 December, 7:30pm £4, £3 with flyer
BLEED PRESENTS… BEFORE MY EYES VI Featuring Demdike Stare, Raime, Blackest Ever Black The Waiting Room 12 December, 8pm £5
BLOC PRESENTS: CLARK, SURGEON, TRUSS Autumn Street Studio 14 December, 11pm £17
CRAIG RICHARDS, ART DEPARTMENT, BEN KLOCK, ROBERT HOOD, DJ SPRINKLES Fabric 14 December, 11pm £15
SOUNDSTREAM B2B PROSUMER Osgut Ton legends play a one-off b2b set of disco-edits and techhouse jams Autumn Street Studio 20 December, 11pm £17
Abney Hall, Stoke Newington 21 - 22 December Free
PANRUCKER’S PARTYTIME! Bristol-based comedian Simon Panrucker brings a cockle-warming evening of comedy, videos, music, fun and games to London Hackney Attic 22 December £5
BOXPARK CHRISTMAS MARKET
GHOSTS Trafalgar Studios 17 December - 3 March from £10
AN EVENING WITH GOODIEPAL
ICA 18 December, 7pm £5
JUKHEE KWON Kwon exhibits her pieces made from recycled books October Art Gallery Until 1 February 2014 Free
HACKNEY FLEA MARKET
Get those last minute gifts here! Boxpark Pop-Up Mall, Shoreditch 22 December Free
ARTISTS’ FILM CLUB: URSULA MAYER SELECTS
BRAND NEW ANCIENTS Poet and spoken word artist Kate Tempest delivers an everyday epic over an exhilarating live score played by tuba, cello, violin, drums and electronics Young Vic 3 January £12
One-man music-machine draws on electronica, computer technology, spoken-word and cultural theory Café OTO 22 December, 8pm £7
T.S ELIOT PRIZE READINGS 2014 Poetry readings from the poets shortlisted for the 2013 Prize Royal Festival Hall 12 January £7.50
ASSEMBLY: REGENERATION 1 Tate Britain 12 January, 3pm £4
SKATE AT SOMERSET HOUSE Ice skating on one of London’s best outdoor rinks Somerset House Courtyard Until 5 January 2014 £8.50
AN AMERICAN IN LONDON: WHISTLER AND THE THAMES Dulwich Picture Gallery Until 12 January 2014 £6
JORDAN WOLFSON: RASPBERRY POSER Chisenhale Gallery Until 2 February 2014 Free
HENRY V Starring Jude Law and Ben LloydHughes Noel Coward Theatre Until 15 February 2014 Day tickets from £10
PAUL KLEE: MAKING VISIBLE Tate Modern Until 9 March 2014 £13.10 for students
BODY LANGUAGE Saatchi Gallery Until 16 March 2014 Free
CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY Roald Dahl’s deliciously dark tale of Charlie Bucket and the mysterious Willy Wonka comes to life Theatre Royal Drury Lane £25
© SAM FAULKNER
FROM THE ARCHIVES
the smoke
With Halloween well and truly over and Christmas around
of A-List celebrities, as well as advertising campaigns for
I spent huge amounts of time working for London Student,
the corner, this macabre photo from November 1993 might
The Body Shop and Nestlé. We spoke to him about his
far more than I did studying. I have always loved London and
not be the most obvious feature for this issue’s archive
experiences of working at London Student.
continue to live here.
University”, was taken by Sam Faulkner. It shows the
Firstly, what did you study, and where?
Now photography is your career, what is it like to come
president of the Westminster University Students’ Union,
I was at King’s studying Philosophy.
across a photo like this that you forgot existed?
section. The photo, titled “Mock execution, Westminster
Lisa Robson, embodying the NUS as she is placed in a
I have absolutely no recollection of the shoot at all.
model electric chair, her masked executions towering over
What was it like working on London Student?
But seeing the picture and reading the article from the
her.
I loved working at London Student. I guess it is a little
archive make me certain it is one that I took. I don’t think
different now, in those days we used to have to spend hours
anyone would confuse it with any of my better work. It
The Union was facing funding cuts, and the protesters
in the darkroom processing and printing our images. So there
has a graininess to it that really marks it out from digital
sought attention-grabbing ways of illustrating what life
was a real camaraderie amongst the photographers, as well
photography. I have very mixed feelings about the passing
would be like without it, including blacking out the building
as the odd dispute about who left the darkroom in such as
from film to digital. I love the speed and creativity that digital
for a whole day, and shutting down the bar for one minute
mess.
offer but I do feel that shooting film instills a discipline and
(we wonder how much outrage even a minute without the
deeper understanding that may be missing if you only ever
bar caused). Twenty years on, ULU is facing similar threats
The second year I worked on the paper, it had a major
of abolition, and a referendum is currently in place to see
redesign to a broadsheet with a tabloid features section. It
what the future might hold for ULU.
was probably one of the last papers anywhere in the world
In those days I had a very slap-dash attitude to archiving
that went from tabloid to broadsheet. However illogical that
and looking after my negatives. I bet there are loads more
Photographer Sam Faulkner has since worked for
might have been, it did mean that photography was given
pictures that I can’t remember taking.
publications such as Sunday Times Magazine, Vanity Fair,
huge importance and recognition.
Vogue and Newsweek. His acclaimed projects include
What are your memories of being a student in London at
Behind the Scenes, a peripheral look at the presentation
the time?
shoot digital.
/ INTERVIEWED BY GABY LAING / KCL / ARCHIVE EDITOR
19
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