east london – Later Than You Think

Canary Wharf’s Winter Lights Festival has become a firm fixture in the post-festive calendars of many Londoners – providing as it does a welcome opportunity to wrap up against the cold and enjoy a rare dose of the outdoors in these dark deep winter days.

Twenty-six installations are spread over the (current) entirety of the Wharf, mostly outdoors (a few are inside shopping malls). Some are limited to a visual spectacle while others are more interactive. Most works make innovative use of the architectural and developed natural landscapes of the Wharf’s estate, sometimes in ways that utilise existing features– as with Neon Tree and Light Bench in Canada Square Park, and Liquid Sound (by Entertainment Effects) (with colour and soundtrack) in Cabot Square – providing a lively backdrop for Old Flo. In other instances installations can seem (deliberately I suspect) at odds with the immediate environment – the web of globes of Affinity (by Amigo and Amigo and SITU2) in Montgomery Square appear to have landed from another world and are a good introduction to the immersive nature of many of the exhibits.

There is no overall theme for the 2020 Lights – some such as Lactolight (by Lactolight) at Westferry Circus incorporating 7,000+ recycled milk bottles and with an aim to raise awareness of single use plastic do reference the 2019 emphasis on sustainability – but if anything this year’s diversity of topic makes a welcome change and enhances the experience. Several works are permanent residents in the Wharf – these include Lightbench (by LBO Lightbank) in Canada Square and BIT.FALL (by Julius Popp) at Chancellors Passage. Others such as Sasha Trees (by Adam Decolight) are repeat ‘visitors’ in a new location this year at Bank Street Park.

Now in its sixth year -,and as winners of [d]arc awards (https://darcawards.com/) for the 2017 and 2019 Festivals – the ‘Lights’ increasingly has a reputation to both live up to, and surpass. While not quite in the league of the breakout year of 2017, the 2020 Lights does not disappoint and for me three works particularly stand out in a strong field.

The Clew (by Ottotto), literally circling the bridge at Cubitt Steps, is a stunning vision, combining as it does encirclement of the bridge, the opportunity to travel through the installation, and mesmerising reflections from a range of viewpoints, offering a new perspective on the Wharf itself. A must-visit for photographers!

The Clew – Cubitt Steps

Absorbed by Light (by Gali May Lucas) at Cabot Square is an arresting sight. Three ghostly seated figures each obviously absorbed, and illuminated by, the light from their mobiles. A thought-provoking work making clever use of place, activity and light – literally reflecting our own lives back to us.

Detail from Absorbed by Light – Cabot Square

Squiggle (by Angus Muir Design) is one of the larger scale works and makes excellent use of the space, in Jubilee Park, appearing to flow with the flora. When viewed from the side in a slightly surreal twist it is also (to me at least) somewhat reminiscent of the cover for Joy Division’s ‘Unknown Pleasures’.

Squiggle – Jubilee Park

With extended opening hours for this year the Winter Lights Festival ends on Saturday 25^th January. As ever get there if you can!

All images and text © Later Than You Think 2020

Attending the Writeidea Festival this year for the first time in a while, I was reassured to see how strong it is. The programme is eclectic, mixing some big names (Chris Difford, Viv Albertine, the Gentle Author), with the less well known.

Most of my writing tends to be longer, or as one recent review recipient tactfully put it, ‘very detailed’. So in the interests of brevity this is a very brief taster of Writeidea 2018, reflecting both my interests and heritage – and what I could logistically fit into a visit on Saturday 17^th.November.

Like Melanie McGrath, I come from the second generation east end diaspora of Essex, and having enjoyed her talk a few years back on the writing of ‘Silvertown’, ‘Pie and Mash down the Roman Road’ was a must. Readings from her latest work, brought the Roman Road and its inhabitants – from eel magnate George Kelly to ‘Auntie Ginger’ – vividly to life. McGrath also treated us to a history of the truly global dish that is Pie and Mash via the ancient history of Bow and Stratford. A palpable affection for the east end life of old (not that old actually) as it was lived, is the essence of McGrath’s work. Her public acknowledgement of the debt to those whose experiences contributed to the book, was a salutary reminder that many of the last witnesses to a way of life largely still to be documented are leaving us, and time is of the essence in ensuring their history is known.

Three of my grandparents carried Huguenot surnames of varying lineage and I am always interested to learn more about my Huguenot heritage. Joyce Hampton’s ‘The Story of the Huguenots: A unique legacy’ did not disappoint. Hampton describes the persecution suffered by the Huguenots in France, their emigration and determination to overcome subsequent challenges with an emotion that is quite raw. She is also passionate in her belief that their wide ranging legacy for contemporary life (including everything from annuity calculations to Reading Glasses) deserves wider recognition. As the first ‘refugees’, we still have much to learn from the Huguenot experience, and Joyce Hampton’s work is a valuable contribution to this.

Rounding off the day with ‘The Life and Times of Mr Pussy’, couldn’t have been better. In a departure from his established work on the life of the East End, the Gentle Author shared an intimate portrayal of his life with a loved feline companion. The Gentle Author understands cats, and their world. But beyond this he also demonstrates true insight into the complex relationships between human and animal and the extent to which these underpin, mark and define the milestones of our lives, carrying us through everything from the everyday to bereavement. Mr Pussy, would I think be proud.

In the last decade Writeidea has, grown in scope and reputation, but retains at its heart a direct relationship with the historical context and multilayered cultural heritage of east London. This is its core strength. Embedding the festival in a location not known for literary activity, and (through Arts Council Sponsorship) maintaining free entry, delivers an inclusivity which is both welcome, and sadly far from the norm.

Here’s to the next 10 years.

Writeidea Festival 2018 continues on Sunday 18th November at the Whitechapel Idea Store.

See here for further information