Babylon

Tuesday night's showing of Babylon at the Albany was the first time I had seen Franco Rosso's fascinating film about reggae, racism and life in south east London in the late seventies.

Transpontine has done an excellent report of the evening and commentary on the film, which I won't attempt to emulate. There's also a great site here that contains a lot of interviews, pictures, reviews and so on of the film.

The showing was particularly interesting for me for two reasons. The first was seeing a film that was so firmly rooted in my own back yard - literally, in some cases! It was strange to see familiar places on the big screen and to imagine what it would have been like at the time having a film crew on the doorstep in Deptford. According to the Babylon website, the filming had to be kept very low key, given the subject matter and the potentially inflammatory nature of some of the scenes.

The second point of interest comes from my relative ignorance about the period. When Leeds, Liverpool and Brixton were rioting, I was studying for my O levels in a small northern town where the ethnic minorities were practically invisible. My political attention was focussed on opposing nuclear power and weapons and championing feminism, and although I was aware that rioting was happening it had very little impact on me. No doubt the events and attitudes were familiar to some - although not the Geezer's experience of growing up at the same time as a black teen in Peckham - but it was sobering to watch the film and imagine how it was for some sections of the community, and what effect that would have had on the areas we live in.

Antiques Roadshow

If you have got an antique in the attic (or perhaps just in a cupboard, as I'm sure the majority of Deptford's residents don't have attics) and you want to know more about it, or you just want to admire Fiona's eyebrows, then pop over the other side of the Creek to the Painted Hall at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich tomorrow for the Antiques Roadshow.

Doors open at 9.30 but if you want to be at the front of the queue, you will probably have to get there well before that time. And let us know how you get on, of course!

Deptford X 2009: Flux

The Guardian online published an article yesterday about the Deptford art scene. It is a positive piece about the increasing number of galleries and artists in the area, despite a scattering of inaccuracies and the fact that the only mention of the Deptford X festival was a link in the sidebar. (I notice that it's also the top listing in the Guardian's Guide this week, which apart from the recommendation, contains no further information or even the website address!).

The festival runs from today until 4 October and offers the chance to visit artists studios all around Deptford, view special exhibitions at a dozen or so local galleries, participate in special events, enjoy film screenings and outdoor installations, and even vote on your favourite artist at one venue.

One thing is certain - if you want to see everything you will need more than just a couple of hours! Luckily the programme is spread over two weekends with many of the venues being accessible or open during the week too, offering a chance for locals in particular to dip in and out over the coming 10 days. Check the programme carefully (you can download it from the website or pick up a copy at any of the galleries or spaces) as the opening times are very varied. Many of the artist studios seem to be only open this weekend, and some of the shows only start next weekend.

A few things you might like to put in your diary:


This year's Deptford X award winner, Patrick Hackett's crazy 'Scape Boat' made of four steel drums, assorted pieces of wood, and sheets of the FT newspaper reporting on significant events in the recent financial crisis can be seen on the lawn in front of the Laban Centre. Believe it or not, he intends to sail this contraption on Deptford Creek on Sunday 4 Oct, at 'around midday'. In theory it should float, he says, although he hasn't trialled the actual vessel yet; find out what happens next Sunday when he launches it from the Creekside Centre. The Ha'penny Hatch footbridge is probably the best spot for a good view, have your video camera to hand!

As part of Fred Aylward's exhibition Before & After at the Albany, there will be a screening of the 1980s classic 'Babylon' at the Albany cafe on Tuesday 29 September at 7.30pm. Billed as 'a potent mix of music and social commentary', it was filmed in and around Deptford featuring actors from the Albany's Combination Theatre Group. It's worth popping into the Albany to see Fred's exhibition even if you can't make the film - fascinating photographs, old programmes and playbills of some of Deptford's former entertainment venues. Some of the venues still exist, albeit in very different guises, but sadly some of the grander ones are gone forever. Suffice it to say that in the 1930s, Deptford Broadway must have had some truly impressive facades, rather than the straggle of grimy and mismatched shopfronts that exist today.

Deptford Marbles' tea and dance event takes place on Saturday 3 October from 3pm till 6pm in front of the mural in New Cross Square. In contrast to the alcoholic liquids more commonly imbibed in the square, Artmongers and Laban dance students will be teaming up for a bit of 'participatory choreography' and some tea and cakes. There is a cake competition on the theme of 'Deptford Spirit', the winner of which will walk away with £50! So get your weighing scales out and have a go!

Also on 3 October you can see The Beastly Beauty at the Deptford Project Space from 2-3pm. This performance 'combines the use of staged fighting with cheerleading and acrobatics to comment on the nature of violence and upend the traditional roles of masculine and feminine and the distinction between highbrow and popular genres of art'.

And for those of you who like a party, the Deptford X Factor takes place at the famous Bunker club (on Deptford Broadway) on Friday 2 October from 10pm till 3am. Admission is £4 or £2 for students, and involves visuals, DJs and bands Toy Toy and Motel Blitz.

Just one small plea to the organisers for next year - with such a variety of venues, events and dates, it would be great to have an 'at a glance' programme with exhibitions shown on a calendar. This would make it so much easier for visitors to find out what's happening on any particular day, and prioritise their time accordingly. It doesn't have to be on the printed programme - you could just put it on the website for people to download as they wish.

Meanwhile here's just a little taster of what you can enjoy in and around Deptford over the next 10 days.

Bags in Deptford

Thanks to Chris for pointing me towards this jolly little story. I had heard a rumour that there had been royal visitors to the 999 Club on Deptford Broadway - my neighbour downstairs, who occasionally drops in there for lunch, was quite excited about the prospect. My neighbour is already very well connected, having met both Camilla AND the Archbishop of Canterbury on separate occasions in Deptford. But I digress.

I rather like the old bag (the one she's holding that is - I don't really have a opinion on Camilla herself) and hope that they are going to be made available to local purchasers.

One bag which will be hitting the streets some time soon is the Deptford X bag which has been designed by Esther Yarnold along with young artists from Addey & Stanhope school. They have also designed a series of vinyl stickers that will be used as waymarkers to point the way to venues or artworks during Deptford X. You can read all about the design process here.

Apparently you will be able to get them from market traders during the festival, which I guess means they are plastic bags rather than reusable cotton ones - a bit of a shame if you ask me. There's always room in my life for another cotton tote, especially one with such a local theme, communicated in such a bright colour!

Deptford X programme is now available

Find the details here - and start planning! (Click on the links on the left hand column)

Looks like another good one!

Blackheath, August bank holiday

Well worth a visit, even if it means walking/cycling up the hill or sitting in traffic on the 53.


Check out the renewable energy set-up, the compost toilets and the straw filters for washing up water.



And I guess this counts as 'low-key' policing these days!

New art bookshop at Bearspace

As the Deptford art scene ratchets up for the start of Deptford X at the end of next month, Bearspace is launching not only a new show, but also an 'art book boutique'.

"On the 3rd September 2009, Charlotte Troy, a freelance publisher and editor, will open CT Pocket: the first arts bookshop in south east London's Deptford. CT Pocket is a mini arts bookshop and will be located inside the contemporary art gallery Bearspace."

Being familiar with the size of the gallery space and from the contents of the press release I can surmise that the bookshop will be boutique not only in the quality of its contents, but also in quantity. This may not be the place to come if you are in search of a specific title - but rather it promises to offer a hand-picked selection of books which could set the reader off on a voyage of discovery, as well as various second-hand books and magazines.

According to the press release, "CT Pocket hopes to alleviate a local thirst for knowledge about contemporary art and aims to be a place for people to find out more and talk about art today."

The bookshop launches on 3 September, 6.30 to 8.30pm and will be open during gallery hours (Wed to Sat, 12.30 till 5pm).

"To launch the venture, curator and writer Hans Ulrich Obrist has hand-picked 15 must-have new titles for any discerning reader, which will be featured and sold at the store. These include Michael Clark's first monograph and Yoko Ono's latest book, Anton's Memory. In addition to this inspiring list, CT Pocket will stock a rigorously edited selection of new and second-hand books (and periodicals) dealing in artist monographs, theory, special editions, music and architecture; each in their own way inspiring, rich in content and meticulously produced. CT Pocket will also host occasional book launches or talks, curated around the guest editor's list of books."

The opening of the bookshop will coincide with the opening of a new exhibition of limited-edition prints 'The kiss of a lifetime' which will run to 12 September. Prints by more than 100 artists will be featured in the event, and the gallery is offering a 15% discount on any prints ordered at the preview on 3 September.

The opening of this bookshop is excellent news, and adds to the presence of the new Arch Materials shop, strengthening the reputation of Deptford as a great place for artists to work and live.

The Dame goes stateside

*See you later in the month*

Thames cycle path; Erith and beyond

Another favourite cycle ride of mine is the Thames footpath/cycle path in any direction from Deptford. We are lucky to be able to access the north side easily through the foot tunnel at Greenwich (although be warned, this is going to be out of action from next month for a total of 18 months!) and so we can go east or west on either the north or south banks. Each route is very different, and my personal favourite, for all its industrial grime, is the route eastwards from Deptford to Erith and beyond.

One of the things I like the most about this route is that it offers more than 10 miles of riverside cycle route with only a few very short detours or crossings of roads. It is ideal for nervous/beginner cyclists and a great route if you want to chill out without motor vehicles. And at this time of the year, a fantastic place to go for hedgerow fruits!

After leaving Greenwich behind, there's the long quiet stretch around the peninsula, followed by the even quieter path leading to the Thames Barrier. Although it's not very bike friendly (ie lots of steps) it's worth a stop at the cafe for a cheap toastie and cup of tea, and a great view of the barrier itself.

After a very short stretch of road, cut back through the new housing to the river again, and you will find more quiet footpaths and slightly shabby urban landscaping before the Woolwich Ferry hoves into view.

Here you have to cross the ferry approach road (traffic usually at a standstill) and cut round the back of the leisure centre to the ambitious but badly-maintained landscaping on Woolwich waterfront. It always amazes me that the Greenwich Council is so lax about looking after this sward of public space - especially given that it's right on the doorstep of the council's home! But I'm sure many of my readers will respond that nothing about Greenwich Council amazes them any more...



A little further on at Woolwich Arsenal you will pass this group of chaps - Assembly, by sculptor Peter Burke - at a point where you can either detour inland to the Firepower museum or just have a mooch round the site and check out some of the impressive old buildings.



From this point on, it's basically river-front apartments interspersed with overgrown wasteland and older housing stock for the next few miles. The path changes from concrete to gravel and back again several times, and it's here that you start to get the best hedgerow fruits.



Plenty of blackberries, lots of elderberries (but you'd best be quick) and if you get beyond Crossness and its shiny neighbour, the soaring Abbey Wood Pumping Station, you will even hit a rich vein of sloes! (Right next to the golf practice range).

If your legs start getting tired, there are plenty of routes leading off the riverside track towards rail stations at Abbey Wood, Plumstead, Belvedere, Erith and even Dartford - so you can jump on a train straight back to Deptford if you like. Or just do what I did and turn around - it's always shorter on the way back and fascinating to see the route from the other direction!

East London line phase 2 - Surrey Canal Road station

Anyone living in Deptford/New Cross surrounds can't fail to know about the East London Line extension - the ELL stations at New Cross and New Cross Gate have been closed for phase one works for so long now, I've forgotten when it all started! However, the intention is that when work completes in June next year, we'll have a direct link north to Dalston Junction and south to Crystal Palace and West Croydon.

Earlier this year, the go-ahead was given for the second phase - and you can see on the map that the second phase, shown by the blue line, will offer a link to west London, bypassing the congested central London terminals. This would all come under the remit of the London Overground network, part of TFL.

As it stands on the map, not a great benefit for our area, given that you would have to either go up to Surrey Quays or drag along to Queens Road Peckham to access this line. What the map doesn't show is that TFL was also considering a station at Surrey Canal Road, which would do a lot to improve access for residents in New Cross and Deptford and would also offer additional capacity for future developments in the area.

But although the Department for Transport offered £7 million towards the estimated £10 million cost of building the station, TFL is claiming that the station does not offer 'value for money' and that it does not have the funding to build it.

Obviously it is important for publicly-funded organisations to assess all proposed capital works on value for money, but it is not clear what form this takes, and what aspects of the project and its benefits have been taken into account.

Some people, myself included, think that it would make sense to build this new station at the same time as you are building the line - if it was later found to be 'value for money' to build a station at this location, it would be a lot more expensive and inconvenient to have to build it retrospectively.

In order to try and put pressure on TFL to think again/on the DfT to plug the funding gap a campaign group has been set up along with an online petition.

For more information about the campaign, click here.