This article was part of a digital recording project I've participated in with other students from the University of Westminster, in partnership with the Museum of London
27 June 2013
‘You can spread your soul over a paddy
field, you can whisper to a mango tree, you can feel the earth between your
toes and know that this is the place, the place where it begins and ends.’
Monica Ali, Brick Lane (2004)
This quotation from Bangladeshi author
Monica Ali, to my mind, perfectly epitomises the multicultural mood of Bricklane, its nearby alleys, hues, smells and noises. Formerly established as a farmer’s
market in the seventeenth century, the marketplace has been transformed by
successive waves of Bangladeshi immigrants. As many Londoners would tell you,
almost anything can be found on Bricklane, from antiques, vintage records and
clothes to a wide range of international cuisine. Fancied by art students and
bargain hunters, it is renowned for its street artworks by Banksy and D*Face.
Bricklane Market runs every Sunday from 9
am to 5 pm. It is divided in several sections such as the Sunday UpMarket, the
Backyard and the Vintage Market, the Tea Rooms and the Boiler House Food Hall. We
mostly stayed on the main street but allowed ourselves to enter some of these
arcades like the Backyard Market and the Food Hall, now operating as showcases
for emergent designers and organic food tasting.
The element which struck Clarisa and I was
the huge size of the market, which partly accounts for the length of our
recording. When we got to the Hanbury Street crossing, we realised that the northern
end of the street was invaded with stalls and covered warehouses converted into
halls.
We decided to go at the busiest
moment of the day, that is, lunchtime. Bricklane Market was decidedly more diverse
in terms of customers; most of them were tourists, notably from French,
Hispanic and Asian origins. Despite its bustle, I had the feeling that it was
quieter than the Flower Market: to attract customers, stallholders would directly
come towards you and value face-to-face exchange rather than shout to offer
their best deals.
The main difficulty we experienced was to
capture a full conversation. We did not wish to stand too close to customers
for fear of appearing intrusive. When we approached stalls, sellers thought we
wanted to purchase some goods. They gave us strange looks while we shook our
heads in refusal. Still, I really appreciated this silent mode of communication,
as we had to express where we wanted to go by signs, something that completely
contrasted with the agitation of the street.
13 August 2013
‘Cherry, cherry!’ yells one
of the fruit and veg stallholders at the crossing of Bethnal Green Road and
Shoreditch High Street.
We started our journey at 1.30 where many
bike riders come to a halt to enjoy the atmosphere of Brick Lane market, its
display and products. The Shoreditch part is by far one of the strangest
marketplaces we have ever experienced, but in a way, it perfectly embodies the
eccentric mood of London. On Bethnal Green Road, two car parks have been
converted into a series of stalls presenting anything you can possibly find in
the supermarket at discount prices: toiletries, batteries, cooking devices or
stationary. We even spotted bike wheels and coffee beans sacks waiting to be
purchased.
A variety of musical styles was
registered, either to keep sellers company or performed by street bands: early
fifties rock’n’roll, contemporary RnB, drum’n’bass and folk. The cosmopolitan
dimension was well represented as you had the impression that countries from
all continents had gathered on this Sunday afternoon to produce a mosaic of
accents and languages. Japanese, Bangladeshi or Afghan sellers would greet you
with a smile to ask you how you were. A Spanish man approached a cook serving
empanadas in his native language, but she replied that unfortunately, she was
Italian. It was amusing to observe French people and detect their nationality
from the start, just by looking at their clothes.
As we elbowed our way through the main
road, it was so crowded that sometimes we could barely move. Around the
Backyard Market, we noticed a couple of stalls we hadn’t seen before, such as
an artist cutting your face’s silhouette on paper in the Victorian style. Many customers
were trying on vintage cameras. Once more, it was loud and busy. As a whole,
the audience seemed more relaxed and vibrant than in other markets we have
visited.
Yep, Brick Lane is
definitely one of the most diverse places of London in terms of population,
cuisine and goods.
Camden, capital of punk rock. Whenever I think
of the market, I remember with emotion the wall reading The Clash played here in 1977, destroyed by the flames five years
ago. In a sense, the band’s song ‘London Burning’ was prophetic.
Many will tell you that Camden has become very
touristy, that it isn’t what it used to be. What is certain is that it is a very
busy place. It is listed as one of the most famous destinations in London, with
an average of 100,000 visitors each weekend. Originally opened on Sundays only
- the main trading day - the market extended its hours on Saturdays. If you are
looking for Goth clothes, Doc Martens, or a T-shirt showing the name of your
favourite rock band, this is the place to be! You can also buy fast food to eat
near the canal, scooter-seating style. 
In a sense, locals are right. The markets are
invaded by shoppers and sellers from all over the world, looking for the best
deal. Those are described as some type of cheap ladies’ paradise. I guess that
forty years ago, it was more associated to bohemian or alternative lifestyles. Never
mind. To me, Camden will always resonate with the sounds of electric guitars –
as those heard on a shop in the Lock Village - suffused by this typically English
independent-minded mood. In Camden, you can wear anything, be anyone, display
your piercings and flamboyant hairstyles. No one will stare. Or rather, you’ll
be welcomed. 
