Spitalfields

I was back in London for a day last week with work. As I had an early start, I went down the evening before and not being one for sitting around in a hotel room, I decided to get out for a wander. I was staying near Tower Bridge, but rather than stick to the more touristy areas nearby (especially busy at this time of the year) I wandered over to Whitechapel and then over to Spitalfields.

The district was created in the 17th century and became populated with Irish and Huguenot silk weavers. The industry prospered for a while but went into decline, as did the area which became something of a notorious slum. Over time other immigrants moved in, Jewish and then later in the 20th Century there was an influx of Bangladeshi immigrants, who also worked in the local textile industry and made Brick Lane the curry capital of London.

Today, like much of the East End, the area has been gentrified with the old Victorian market and surrounding streets being redeveloped. It’s quite a “buzzing” area at night, centred on the curry houses on Brick Lane, although they seem to be more up-market these days.

I had a good mooch around and took a few photos before heading back to my hotel.

A favourite building of mine is Hawksmoor’s Christ Church. One of the six, eccentric English Baroque churches for which he is best known. I’ll get a look inside one of these days (it’s never open when I’ve been there!)

There’s quite a few streets where the 17th century buildings are still standing, with many having been renovated

Street art too, especially around Brick Lane

After had a good mooch, it was a short walk back to my hotel which was opposite this well known landmark

Street Haunting in Spitalfields

Last Tuesday I was working in the east of London, in Aldgate. After work, I still had 2 and 1/2 hours to kill before my train so, as it was a pleasant afternoon, I decided to have a wander around Spitalfields, a short walk away.

In the 17th and 18th century the area was associated with silk weaving after Huguenots fleeing from persecution in France settled here and brought their skills with them. Later, Irish linen workers settled here. In the Victorian period, following the decline of the silk and linen industries it became something of a notorious slum. There were further waves of Jewish and then Bangladeshi immigrants bringing new cultures and energy to the area. Today, like much of the East End it’s become somewhat gentrified. The old Victorian market and surrounding streets being redeveloped.

It’s an interesting place to walk around, with some historic buildings and modern street art to look at.

For me, the star of the show is Hawksmoor’s magnificent gleaming white Christ Church

one of the six, eccentric English Baroque churches for which he is best known.

There’s an interesting war memorial in the church yard.

Close by, on Commercial Street,  the Fruit and Wool exchange building has been controversially redeveloped against local opposition, over-ruled by the former Mayor of London and current “Clown Secretary”. The white neo-Classical façade has, fortunately, been preserved.

A number of old commercial buildings nearby  have also been preserved

I quite liked this building with it’s neo-Gothic features

and these more modern flats with an Art Deco look

There’s street art dotted around the redeveloped market. Here’s a selection I spotted.

The Spitalfields Goat by Kenny Hunter

A pear and a fig by Ali Grant

Dogman and Rabbitgirl with coffee by Gillie and Marc

Wooden Boat with Seven People by Kalliopi Lemos, features an authentic boat that was used to transport refugees from Turkey to the shores of the Greek islands. The installation aims to reflect Spitalfields’ rich history of providing shelter for successive waves of migrants across the centuries.

I couldn’t find out who had created this “steampunk” motorbike

 

Two Paintings

During our visit to the Courtauld Gallery the week before Christmas, two paintings particularly caught my attention. They were of a couple of my favourite buildings in north London.

The first was this painting of Hawksmoor’s Christ Church in Spitalfields by Leon Kossoff. It’s one of several paintings he created during the 1980’s and 90’s of this beautiful white church designed by the eccentric English Baroque architect.

Christ Church Spitalfields, Early Summer (1992) by Leon Kossof

It’s painted in his characteristic style, like that of his friend Frank Auerbach, with the paint applied very thickly and in a way so that the form of the building and details of the picture can only really be appreciated by standing back.

London is where Kossoff, the son of a Ukrainian immigrant, was born, grew up and worked in the capital, and scenes from the city are one of the main the main themes in his work.

The second work was by Auerbach – born in Berlin of Jewish parentsin 1931 who fled to England in 1939. Although it only showed a small section of the building, again with thick impasto paint which meant it was difficult to perceive detail, I immediately recognised it as the Art Deco former Carreras Cigarette Factory on Mornington Crescent

Carreras Factory at Mornington Crescent (1961) by Frank Auerbach

Spitalfields

Spitalfields Goat

I spotted this sculpture of a goat atop a pile of boxes by  Kenny Hunter near Spitalfields market.  It was the winning entry, selected by local residents, for the Spitalfields Sculpture Prize in 2010.

Christ Church Spitalfields

My mission to visit the Hawksmoor churches in London continues!

Coming out of Aldgate East tube station before visiting the Hannah Höch at the Whitechapel Gallery I could see a church spire protruding above the roofline in the distance. I knew that Hawksmoor’s Christ Church, Spitalfields was not far away. So after I’d finished looking round the exhibition, as I had a couple of hours to spare before my train was due to leave Euston station, I decided to walk the short distance to take a look at the church.

It was dark by now, but the facade was lit up.

The lighting, which left the spire and sides in shadow, gave the church something of a ghostly look. I couldn’t help but remember that Hawksmoor has been linked with mysterious practices and is sometimes known as the “Devil’s Architect”

I thought it was an impressive building. Less quirky than the other examples of his work that I’ve seen. It’s dominated, as is usually the case with Hawksmoor’s churches, by the tall tower with it’s spire., and also by the porico – eight large Tuscan columns supporting a semi-circular pediment.

By the time I arrived the church was closed. I’d have like to have had a look inside. I’ll have to save that for another day.

Only one more Hawksmoor church to go now. Something for my next visit to London.