pictures of you

imagineLondoninruins.

Desturctionandterrorhavehauntedthiscityprovidingperpectualruinand

s,poetsandarchitectshavebeeninspiredtocreategreatworksof

beautythatdocumentacitybetbytragedy.

ArtisticinterpretationsofLondonaccrossthecenturiesrecordhundredsofdifferent

esofLondonasacityofpageantryandcelebration,picturesofLondon

,gloryandbeautyhavealwaysviedwith

stinkandsufferingfortheattentionofartists.

edupandsatinthecabandIwasnervous,toputit

mildly,cosIwon'tparticularlyfondofheights.I'dsaythefirsttimeIwasreallyquiet

takenwithit,lookingaroundthinkingI'theworld

city,ssitingoverthetopofit,

lookingaround,anditis...

know,ifyoulookattheoldstreetsysteminalmostanywherecertainlythecentryof

London,

smeafeelingofchangebecauthe

stilletheshape

there,andtheshape,presumably,nerationhastriedto

putastamponit.

Thoughouthistory,manyhavetriedtoimpobeautyandorderonLondonstreets,

butthiscityhasdiscoveredtimeaftertimeitstruecharacterliesinitsunplaned,

of

judgementrevisitedagainandagain.

AllovertheThemeswithonefaceinthewind,youwerealmostburnedwithshower

10000housallinoneflame,thenoiandcracklingand

thunderofimpetuousflames,theshriekingofwomenandchildren,thehurryof

people,Thefallsoftowers,hous,andchurcheswaslikehideousstorm.

nsremblingthepictureofTroy.

Londonwasbutisnomore.

s

ectChristopherWren

propodalLondontorivalthegloriesofancientRome,triumphalavenuesandgreat

eart,thenewcathedralofStPaul's,Wrenwouldcreatethefirstdome

tobeeninLondon,itcouldbeanewageofclassicism,ofharmonyandproportion,

ldbethesymbolofa

LOndonreborn,agreatphoenixrinfromtheflames.

Hadwren'splansforthewholecitybeenrealid,thelookofLondonwouldbevery

'

hestreetsofthecityremainnarrow

rintofancientlondondefinesthemapof

nction

islike,it'sthepulofLondon,it''vegottheRoyal

Exchangerightinfrontofyou,you'vegotthebankofEnglanditlfontheleft,and

don'tactuallyeit,envisagethe

Romanreligionsisuppo,crossingthejunctionthere,becauinitiallyitwastheold

ould

sortofhalfshutyoureyes,youcouldetheoldtraders,youknow,theyaregoingto

Lloyd'lecoffeehousinsomeofthebackstreetsthatarestill

canebehindallthewindowsofallbuildingstheretheclerkswith

quillpensbuzzingaway,makinglistsandcharts,justgenerallygetingonwiththe

'sthepul,it'stheheartbeatofLondon,virtuallyinthatlittle

the17'sand18'thcenturies,newstreetsandhoudspreadwrest.

Beyondtheoldcity,rgianLondonof

hasmanyfineopenspacescalledsquares.

eimageoftheThames

wouldbecivilidintheeyesofvenice'tto'spictureof

londonisoneofthebeautifulcityonthewater,

Canelette'delementsofthecityaroundtosuithis

ethedreampicturesof

theirage,commisionedbyLondonerswhoyearnedfortheircitytobethenewVenice.

AlthoughCspentalmostadecadeinthiscity,herarelystrayedfromitsgrand

rtistsinsteadaredrawntothetoilandsweatof

ardenwashometoaraucousmeat,vegetableandflowermarket.

thatsurvivedintothe1970'ritithinkstillremainsherebecauofthepeople.

ThebantersthatgoesonandthexistremarkswhichiLove,IknowIshouln'tsay

great-great-grandmothersheudtollvoiletsonthe

streetsofLondon,liketheoldfashionedonesyoueinmaryPoppins,theoldlady

that'ldhavegoneearlyinthemorningtothe

oldCoventGargen,

myblood,andIjustfeellikeit''elthe

havebeendirty,smelly,

busy,reallyaliveinthe

uting,llingandyouknowtryingtobarterandjustthewholething

musthavebeenabsolutelymagical,really.

AroundCGmarketgrewupaworldoftheaters,brothelsandcoffeehousthat

ifeintherawwastobecomethesubjectmatterof

iesof

paintingsfrom1736entitledFourtimesoftheDay,HpaintsLondonasadividedcity,

wherehighersocietiesrubbedshoulderswithLondon'ns

uentladymadeherwaytochurch,

blivioustothe

,thenotorious

eft,agroupoffashionate

thersideisagroupofwell

ythingthatconnectthetwoworldsisa

gtakesplaceatSadler'sWellsTheatreonthe

familyattemptstoescapethecrushandheatofthecity,have

ended,ironically,y,Hagothtakeusatnightto

tentsmove

htilluminatesagroupof

edprecariously

abovetheirheadsbowlsoffreshbloodonthebarbersurgen'h

renamedtheverystreetsofthecityafterthealchoholicdrinkswerefuellingsuch

ngoftheevilsofginandacelebrationofthehealthy

propertiesofbeer.

While,thereisoneparticularsmellIdon''sthedampnessofthatcomesatthe

endoftheweekatthebackoftherestaurantswhereeverythinghasbeenremoved.

It'sasortof..Idon'tknowhowtodescribeit,'savery

depressingsmellyouknowwhatImean?Idon'tlikedeadrats,Idon'tmindliveones.

somethingaboutdeadrats,Idon'eisnotdoingwhatIthink,

sagoodchancethatisprobably

alwaystellifit'sinthecorner,'shiddenin

thecorner,that'ouldimagin,Ishouldsayit'ber

onceagirlwhoissosickwalkingthrough,shewassobad,

"Hangonaminute,darling,waitingaminute"Igaveherabag,Isayyoudotherest.

vinganargumentwithhis

's

mayhem,youknow,ft

offsteam,andwhenicomeoutnextmorningandtrytoworkoutwhatitwasandwho

rime

anddetritus,mier

'sfunyouarewatchingother

people'sbehavior,cosit'ssuchajob,willtellyouabout

that,youknow,thisandtherefuge,dithardtodoanything

DLONDON,HUMANAWFULWONDEROFGOD.

ATtheendof18thcentury,poetandvisionaryWilliamBlakeprophesiedthecity

rilization,themachine

the

beautifulneo-classicalGeorgiancity,Londonwastobecomeahugesprawling

metroplis.1millioninhabitantsin1800wouldbecome6.5millionacenturylater.

NowthetruestpictureofLondonwouldfindbeautyandinspirationinthemost

mensceneofthecitywasbilledasan

oughtlostforever,itwas

discoveredinAmericain1940,hecity,

allemswondrous,ferent

carrier,thelowmechanic,the

tapster,thepublican,theshopkeeper,thepettyfogger,thecitizen,andcourtierall

eeneverywhererambling,riding,

rolling,rushing,jostling,mixing,bouncing,crackingandcrashinginonevileferment

ofstupidityandcorruption.

Forthelast200years,manyartiststriedtocontainlondoninonevastimageor

dtoexpressmyfasinationwiththecity,it'scontridictions,its

intricacy,itsmassofpeople,alllivingtheirperateandsometimescommunallives.

theislesofslough,tradingestate,Imadelondonintoanislandforanumberof

nisanisland,it'rmsournationalpsyche.

it'sawryjokonlondon'fJoking,domitoryislandtownit'san

ime,animageoforderdecendsintochaos,

makingit,iwastryingtosayhowbewilderingitcanbesometimestoliveintheplace.

Theinfiniteamountsofstoriesandlivesandhistoriesthat,tenmillionpeopleinacity

experience.

theearlyclerkpopulationarefastpouringintothecity,middleagedmenwho

salariesarebynomeansincreadinthesameproportionastheirfamiliesplods

ntlywithnoobjectinviewbutcountinghou,knowingby

sightalmosteverybodytheymeetorovertake,fortheyhaveenthemeverymorning,

sundayexcepted,duringthelast20yearsbutspeakingwithnoone.

ARESEMBLANCEOFSODOMEORTHELASTDAY

oNthe16thOct1834,ainitwasas

heastonishedpeople,therewas

bookinhand,he

becameobsdwiththeevent,

efore,outofdestruction

wouldariasymboloflondon'mKentimaginedthehousof

icalbuilding,symbolicoforderandharmony,

'snosuppri,

thatoncemore,rlesBarrie'sintricateGothic

revivaldesignwasfaremoresuitedtoametropolisthatwasbecomingovermore

chaoticanddark.

Thestreetsoflondon,tobebeheldintheveryheightoftheirgloryshouldbeenon

adark,dullmurkywinter'eheavy,lazymistwhichhangsoverevery

objectmakesthegaslamplooksbrighter,andthebrilliantlylightedshopsmore

splendid,fromthecontrasttheyprenttothedarknessaround.

Londonisaveryquietplaceatnight,veryethereal,Wewillhaveourfavoritespots,

't

obviouslydriveacabforeightornighthourscontinuously,andyouhavetofinda

sasmallchurchcalledStMaria'schurchinBatterachurch

road,ecormorants,agulls,terns,

ethelargeplanesgoingoveron

irisnonoiatall,it'sjustlikealittlepartofthe

countryside,watchtheriverslowlygopastlikeit

musthavedownformillionsofyears.

Whentheeveningmistclothestheriversidewithpoetry...Tallchimneysbecome

campanili,wholecityhangingin

anpainterJamesMcNeilWhister,face

omanyartists,his

pictureof19thcenturylondonwasofacitycloakedandimpenetrable.

Afoggydayinlondontown,hemorningwith

moggypea-souperswereacombinationof

-soupers

fog,allthegrimeandgloryofVictorian

ate

1950s,Claude

theraphilosopher,Carl

Max,whohadamissiontoexpopoverty,y

tthefog,

'sregularmassiveblocksbecome

et,thesmoggyconditionsmadelondon

,rceoftheacridsmogwasthefactories

ofwhitechapel,stepney,ingconditionsin

thisnor

mesis

sowonderful,becauthemistisalwayschangingit'sshapesandcolors,alwaysmake

itslightmysterious,andbuildingpalaceofcloudoutofparliamenthouswiththeir

emistcollabratewithnightandrain,themasterpieceis

eethedirtytatteredchildren,withbrighteyesandanglefaces,i

wasfilledwithappreciation,avethem,

squalorofEastEndcollidedwiththebeautyoffogbound

ThemesinLondon'sdocks,amoungtheturnof20'scentury,becomethebusiest,

'the

riveratnightandinthemorning,yousquintandcloyoureyestoallthetower

theriverfrontagehasn'tchangedatallin

retchofThemesfromLondonBridgetotheAlbert

Docksrecallesajunglebytheconfud,variedandimpenetrableaspectofthe

dethedepthoflondon'sinfinitelyvaried,

vigorous,Conradwasaafaringman,andknewthegrimlife

ouldnotdenytheromance

etalksabouttheThemesdocks,beautyisavainword,but

romancehaslivedtoolongupontherivernottohavethrownamantleofglamouron

ercanbeaveryspecialplaceatanytimeoftheday,butatthemid

ofwinter,whenit'sapitchnight,whenthereisfog,andamisthangingontheriver,it

limefeelingofwondermixedwithfeardrew

'acitythat

hingthatwouldbecomeknown

asHitchcockian,dread,apprehension,excitmentandthrillwascontainedintheworld

ofthelondonfog.

HellisacitymuchlikeLondon,eatvisionofthe

elondonasa

blasted,ruined,biblicalcitybecamefashionableinthe19thcentury,asiflondonhad

atlasttakenitsplaceamongstthegreatcitiesofantiquity.

London,asapocryphalasBabylon,orNinevehorancientRome

WehaveoneortwonightsinWhitechapel,dulyattendedbypoliceinplainclothes.

Weexplorethedocks,wevisitedthenightrefuges,wejourneyedupanddownthe

llone

once,'

yougotnowheretogolikemeforinstance,I'n'tttle

anywhere,ingthenighti'dwalk,ifIgotnowheretogo,i"d

nightisn'tthatlong,andit'ethesuncome

out,thethingsthatpeoplewho

areshuttingtheirdoorsatnightandhavetogotoworkinthemorning,don'

theimages,artistGrustaveDorecreatedapictureof19thcenturyLondonandits

c,tightlypacked,smoky,aplaceofpovertywherethedisoppesd,

newlyarrived,centdiscovery

inthecellarofanoldschoolinHockneyveralyearsago,revealaverydifferent

andproudpictureofLondon'ctionof2000piecesglassplate

negativesdatingfromthe1860s,rastwith

GustaveDore'astend,theareimagesofhope,ofdreams,playfulandfrivolous.

ushthehairdownabitthere,

you'gonakeepyourhatson？youalwayskeepiton?

're

areborninHackney,workin

Hackney,weareudtothisbigcommunity,it'ding

you''shaveyourelaxalittlebit,shallwe?Idon'tthinkI

'refartoovaried,fartoomany

ethicgroups,differenttypesofpeople,

veryriousthere,that'sbetter,ifthereisoneconsistancyatall,itwould

bethefactthatthey'refarmorepeoplepassing

throughthearea,ontheirwaytootherplacesorttlinghere,butgenerallyhavenot

helate20scenturydawned,theearliestimageoflondon

capturedonmovingfilmrevealafast-pacedcity,'tyou

heardthelatestthinginrhyme,it'sadreamandit'

hm

andspeedoftheincreasinglymechgonizedcitywastoinspirethepainterChristopher

thelondonascrowdedinterconnectedstructure,thebrainofthe

outthe20scentury,Londonisacitycoughtthepastandthefuture.

Manyofartistsfoundinspirationsfromthebuildingsandconditionssorroundedand

wereinspiredbytheimergingmordencity,andimaginedwhatit

rectorGustonCaribetuspeicaleffectsto

estoryof

entorturnsitsgazetoahigh-techbut

hauntingly,theHousofParliament,wasadornedwithGermanyeagles,presumably

followinganinvasionofbritain.

In1940,havelittleunderstandingthelifeof

renowordstodescribethethingsthat'

courageofpeople,theflashandroarofgunsrollingonstreets,thestenchoftheair

3or4hours,peoplemustgetupandgotowork,asthoughtheyhada

fullnight'srest,freefromthegumbleofguns,andwondersthatcomewhenthey

HenryMoordescendedbellow

rraneanworldoflondonersmorefearful

ything

atalllikethosheltersthatIcanthinkofwastheholdofslaveship,fromafricato

America,hundredsofhundredspeoplewhohavethingsdonetothemthattheywere

eabitlikethechorusinaGreekdramatellusabout

theviolencethatwedon',thelondonerscomeoozingout

oftheground,tired,red0-eyed,em

redinthe

desolateruinsofmyoldsquare,red-bricks,allwhite

powder,somethinglikeabuilders'rt,andbrokenwindows,sightersall

re,thiswasanopportunityto

houtthehistoryofLondon,the

yas1852,aplantoreconstructthe

CrystlePalaceas1000-feettowermighthavegivenustheworld'sfirstskyscraper.

,adesignofmomumentaltowerin

1918,anewdesignwaspropodforSelfridgesdepartment

wellianplanpropodtotransformLondon's

1956,thePaulCathydralwasstillthetallestbuildinginLondon.

Thatyear,thegovementsuspendedthe1888londonbuildingact,restricting

theheightofbuildingsto100feet,theheightofafiremen'isionwould

transformthecity'orderofnewmodernismwasnottoeverytaste.

ForthepoetJohnBenjemin,itwasn'hepast.

SnowfallsinthebuffetofAldersgateStation,soothangsinthetunnelincloudsof

yofLondon,beforeyournextdecration,letyoursteepledforestof

silence,witheverystreetadeadstreet,alleyand

courtyardemptyandcobbledmews,TilltingletangthebellofStMildred'sbread

street,summonedthermontastertohighboxviews,andneighberingtowersand

spireletsjoinedtheringingwithansweringechoesfromheavycommercialwalls,till

allaredrownedasthesailingwentsingingontheroaringfloodofa12voicedpeel

,thesteam

andthegaslight,thelostgeneration,thenewwhitecliffsofthecityarebuiltinvain.

Overthenextfewdecades,muchofthe18thand19thcenturylondonareunder

locks,housingestates,ringroads,andhighwaystransformlondon

JJ

restories,possiblilities,

vingthroughtheterrainofinnerurban

sprawl,fdualcarriagewaysandpetrol

stations,merascrouchedover

fficsignalspresidedlikesmall-mindeddeities,overtheir

tiredefenofthelandscapewaswaitingforacrimetobe

mylifetoliveover,Iwouldstilldothesamethingsagain.I

merieswilleverremain,Iwill

illstrolldownthelaneweonceknew,

ifIhadmylifetoliveoveragain.I'malondoner,andiwasborninBlackfriarsin

andhelpedtobuildThemesmead,ocome

downhereandehim,likeonaFriday,andthenmydaughtermoveddownhere.

Theniudtocomedownhereeveryweekendtoeher,anditwaslovely,really

'tthinkit'swereinthepaddlingpool,likeit,

butit'sjustdeteriorating.I''swhereI'd

liketolive.

Overthelasthalfcentury,Londonhasbecomeacityoftowers,towerstoliveinand

emore,anewsymboloflondonwouldrioutofthe

momentofdestructionattheoldhardcity.A15yearsoldgirlwasoneofthetwo

bombfellintoacarpackedoutsidearawfobanksintheStMaryAxeareaofthecity.

thebiggestbombverplantedonlondonmainlancaudmillionsofpoundsworth

sareshattered

BalticExchangewasbeyondrepair,andsomething

echNormanFilster'sbuildingat30StMary

Axe,ecome

abeaconfortheage,thelatestimageofacityeverchanging.I'velivedintheareaof

Petticoatlaneallmylife,andhaslovedlivinginthearea,ensomanythingscoming

andgoing,andhavegrownupalongsideofwhat'sgoingon.I'veenmanychanges

hat,Imeanthecityis

thelifebloodandwhat'sgoingoninthiscity,inthisofficeblocks...somepeople

mightrefertothemasmonstrosities,elikemylf,thattake

me,iswhatbeinga

londoner'sallabout.

Knowingthatyouarecomingintoworkandbeconfrontedwiththissuchviewis

olovetalkingmywifetothe

placesthatI'dbeentothathe'dheardmetalkabout,theGherkinandwibbly-whobbly

bridge,costhatwashernature,treet,

virtuallyeverysquareofpavementhasgotanimprintofmywifeonit,andsoitmake

everydrivinginlondonvirtuallyaspiritualexperience,nd

london,'vegotreallymodernbuidingsnexttoveryvery

oldonesthatsurvivdfromthecondworldwar,w,all

itsaysaboutwhoweareas

oesn'tmeanyoucan'tfind

yourwayoutofit.