Hamburg – The City of hidden treasures.

By Judy Griffiths

I never hear travellers say 'I really want to visit Hamburg!'. It's all about Berlin or Munich or Frankfurt, and so Hamburg remains rather allusive to many tourists, which is pretty damn shocking really considering the beauty and diversity of Germany's second largest city.

Hamburg is often referred to as the 'Gateway to the world', in the days of marine travel you could get almost anywhere from Hamburg's port, which today is the second largest in Europe. After the time I have spent in Hamburg however, I think 'City of Hidden Treasures' would be a much more fitting slogan for this great Hanseatic city. Once you've delved into the fiery heart of Hamburg, you might never want to leave... so screw this gateway to the world business.

Hamburg's famous harbour at sunset

There are so many reasons to visit Hamburg. Firstly, there's the major tourist sites such as the grand Rathaus Town Hall, the beautiful old warehouse district Speicherstadt and the impressive St. Michaelis church. Then there's the water; lakes, canals, the river and the harbour. In the centre of the city sit two stunning lakes that people flock to when the weather smiles, while a series of canals (unbelievably, more than Amsterdam and Venice combined!) thread throughout the city from the River Elbe that houses the Port of Hamburg. Oh, and did I mention there is even a beach? At Strandperle you can dig your toes into the sandy shores of the Elbe and watch the big ships and tiny sailboats coming in and out of Hamburg.

Strandperle Beach on the River Elbe

Hamburg is also home to one of the world's most famous red light districts, the Reeperbahn. This famous strip, often referred to as 'the sinful mile', is bursting at the seams with restaurants, bars, clubs, music venues, strip bars, sex shops and brothels; illuminated at night by the cliché glow of bright neon signs. The Beatles spent two years in Hamburg, playing various Reeperbahn venues before they were famous, and John Lennon famously said "I might have been born in Liverpool, but I grew up in Hamburg". And the music scene in Hamburg today is still as lively as ever with endless international artists visiting on European tours, and countless venues that host live music every night of the week.

So that's all the traditional sightseeing ticked off the list. Now what about these hidden treasures you ask?

Well, you'd have to be a rookie pirate to leave your treasure in the busy city centres for all to see now wouldn't you? So of course, to find Hamburg's hidden treasures, you must farewell the beaten track and dig deep into the bohemian quarters of the city. But lucky for you, you've now got the best treasure hunters in the world on your side.

This year, we are proud to announce the launch of Alternative Hamburg, the love child of Alternative London and Alternative Berlin.  We have come to help guide you on your treasure hunt, so you too can discover the incredibly unique and colourful charms of Hamburg's St Pauli district.

Outside Hamburg's most famous squat, the Rote Flora

Before I moved to St Pauli, I had never before experienced such a truly unique and passionate community. The people of this district come from all walks of life and ethnical backgrounds, and yet together form the most unified neighbourhood I have ever visited. Once you start to discover the local actions, public projects and community spirit of St Pauli, you will begin to realise that it is the residents that are the primary influences of this special area. Their strength and passions often overpower the local councils, developers and urban planners resulting in a lively and colourful kiez, teaming with diversity and creativity.

There is much to discover in St Pauli; paintings and drawings smother every bare surface of the district's façades, flags and fairy lights colour the landscape, people laugh and chat and dine in the al fresco cafes and bars that line the streets while saxophone players busk in the sunshine. There's park parties and picnics, infamous buildings and famous squats, quirky bars and raving nightclubs, social demonstrations and a strong left-wing political stance, and did I mention the array of shops selling all sorts of curiosities, clothes and crafts? It's rare to see a suit here, instead the streets are home to an eccentric mix of hippies, punks, social activists, artists, beatniks, rockers, hipsters, the homeless and of course, the ever increasing yuppies.

Alternative Hamburg Tours offer tourists a local's insight into the hidden treasures of St Pauli; the incredible stories, urban legends, buildings, street art, people and cultural events that have shaped this district into the fascinating and truly unique place that it is today. There are many important social, political, economic and environmental topics unfolding in these areas that have relevance to all modern cities, so we also want to share these with visitors to spread knowledge and information in the hope of forming a more sustainable, creative and colourful future for everyone world-wide.

Alternative Hamburg Tour group

Of course, as always, our Alternative Tours are run on a pay-what-you-want basis to keep them accessible to everyone, so that all visitors can afford to have the opportunity to discover and learn about alternative city cultures that they may not get a chance to experience otherwise.

Thank you all for your continued support of our Alternative tours, and hopefully we will see you in Hamburg soon – searching for your very own pot of cultural gold.

www.alternativehamburg.com  

Judy Griffiths fell in love with Hamburg at first wander, together with Alternative Hamburg they created the tours to ensure every tourist visiting this great city can discover the true and authentic side of Hamburg's alternative districts.

Farm to Face

The food you eat and bring to your face has been grown somewhere. On a farm most probably. But under what conditions?

Maybe on a small hobby farm, or maybe on a large plantation. Maybe its been laced in chemicals and supplements, or maybe it hasn’t. Maybe the stock has been feed, nurtured and fairly cared for, or maybe, on the other hand, it has been cruelly treated and harmed before it made its way to your plate and to your belly.

Two girls – best described as vivacious, young and scandalous at heart, and beyond dedicated to their vision – are setting forth to bring this conversation to light.

They are not on a mission to preach what is right or wrong. But they do want people to have the entitled choice to know where their produce comes from before putting it in their bodies, if they want to.

I met with Melodie Tyrer, one half of Farm to Face, at her apartment over looking London Fields in Hackney in London’s east for a Saturday morning brunch of poached eggs, roasted cherry tomatoes, blanched spinach and sautéed mushrooms. As Melodie stirred, seasoned and routinely tossed the ingredients with an obvious confidence and care for her creation, she traced the story of the project’s beginning and fast evolving big future.

Melodie Tyrer

Melodie begins…

“It all started when I met Georgia at a mutual friend’s dinner party in London last year,” she says. “We got talking and laughing and exchanged numbers at the end of the night, but I wasn’t sure when or if we would see each other again because she was living in Edinburgh at the time studying civil engineering” (Watch this video and meet the girls).

Several months later, Georgia Sheil happened to be in London and the girls caught up for a night in with a big bowl of home-cooked vegetarian bolognaise, both nursing hangovers from the night before.

“It was a last minute, impromptu catch up that turned out to be the kickstarter of our dreams,” says Melodie.

Engrossed in talk of good wholesome food, healthy eating and where our produce comes from, it wasn’t long before the girls realised they could team their enthusiasm and passion to have a real impact.

“It was then and there that we coined the name Farm to Face, set up wordpress and opened a twitter account,” Melodie reflects.

Both from two very different upbringings with food, Melodie was raised in a house that had carob, not chocolate, and every meal eaten was homemade. Georgia has had a detrimental ride with food, losing some 40kg in recent years as she experimented and educated herself. Melodie is a vegetarian, is gluten intolerant and loves savory dishes – anything with cheese to be frank – and Georgia loves to cook with meats, is cutting back on carbs and is delighted by sweet treats.

“We’re two birds of a feather,” comments Melodie, with a laugh.

“It’s strange how well we compliment each other despite being so different… It’s been an incredibly natural union of business and friendship. It’s just fallen into place.”

Melodie, who is originally from Cairns then Melbourne, has been living in London the past three years and by day, wears a highlighted orange vest and hard hat at a construction site where she is the health and safety officer. Georgia alternatively has returned to Melbourne to finish off her studies and is the event coordinator at the the True South Brewery on Black Rock .

Living on the opposite sides of the world, the girls never fail to speak to each other every day, no matter the hour. “It’s been challenging to collaborate when one's night is the other's day, but what I find most hard is not being able to see the rewards of each other’s labor. But because we are both hardworking and committed to this project, it somehow works,” Melodie explains.

Once the website was up and running, the duo got to cooking and blogging. They sourced local and seasonal produce and like their foodie gods – Raymond Blanc, Hester Blumenthal and Jamie Oliver – they trialed and tasted and created. They now share their recipes and encourage readers to replicate them with their own twist, all the while taking into consideration the origins and integrity of their food.

Melodie comments: “We are not strict on one idea of eating. We are all unique individuals with different bodies and tastes, and wouldn’t want anyone to deprive themself of something they like and brings them joy. That would be ludicrous! Just be conscious about what you’re eating though and make informed decisions based on what is right for you.”

Georgia Sheil

In a matter of weeks, Melodie and Georgia, along with a two camera men and sound support, will land in the home of food – Italy - to film a six part series on food, culture and cooking. The two girls and their crew will travel in a motor home from destination to destination, meeting with local farmers, producers, and families who will show them how Italians do it best.

“We want to strip things back to basics and bust a few myths while we are at it. Is the produce as good as everyone thinks? How do they do it? Is it all locally sourced? And if it isn’t, why have we created this romantic idea in our heads that every Italian lives off the land?”

Each destination will highlight a new ingredient, a new way of cooking, and deliver up a new meal. Footage will not only chase the girl’s culinary adventure from within a van, but will be filled with a jokes and antidotes, unscheduled catastrophes and scenes from the lively nightlife.

“We are aiming to address some pretty serious topics that have fundamental consequences for us all, but we want to do it without the nonsense and with more hugs,” says Melodie.

“Seriousness is stifling and we have enough of it in our lives. Farm to Face hopes to essentially bring the farm (local artisan producers, skilled professionals in the industry, farmers, ethical producers, corporations) to people’s faces through an engaging, approachable, informative, fun and real series.”

And in their down-to-earth, no nonsense manner, they say: “Why is it important to the average Joe, who may not give a flying fart?… Because we passionately believe that the food you put from your plate to your face enriches your life, and your life experiences. It's important! Why? Because in order to lead a balanced and healthy life you need to care about your body...and what you’re fueling it with.”

The girls have dedicated their whole life savings to this project because they believe in it with every part of their being. Asking for donations from the public, they need an additional £3,800 to meet their target to help bring their vision to life. “The help we have received so far has been out of this world. Friends and their friends have been offering their time and money to help us make Farm to Face the series a reality and we really couldn’t be more grateful.”

If you would like to see Farm to Face reach new heights, make a donation at the website here.

“We want to inspire our viewers to engage with the local food in Italy, but ultimately with what’s on their doorstep in their own countries and start a new generation of young, inspired, socially aware cooks that realise at the very core of everything, that life is for living.”

In discussion with several television companies and production groups, the dream is to have the series aired for all to see. "It's looking really positive from the feedback we have received," Melodies shares.

The girls want to literally follow their bellies around the world, exposing truths, educating the masses and creating a food revolution among their generation - and nothing will stop them.

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Story by Leah Davies

Leah is a passionate storyteller, a multi-skilled communications specialist and a devoted human rights activist. She writes to ignite meaningful connection, to arouse curiosity, to push boundaries, to live large, to speak up, to create change.

She is deeply fuelled by a desire to create ideas and build visions to make this world a better place. A place where we can each equally follow our dreams - regardless of the place we were born, our religious affiliations, our sexual identity, our access to education. Everything in fact to do with the status quo. After studying the causes of conflict and division in society, Leah now uses storytelling to unite people, to create community and to open opportunities for collective action.

Her website, Paper Planes Connect, is a place to celebrate our difference and to unite in our sameness.

Club of Friends

Fine art meets youth culture, alternative music, pirate video, risqué fashion and daring performance.

This is the work of the New Artists - the experimental, fluid and sexually expressive group of artists from St Petersburg in Russia – who during the 1980s and 90s, rebelled against the Soviet government through colour, shape and stroke.

Ideologically opposed to conformity and structure, Timur Novikov (a Russian philosopher and art theorist) joined with his friends to form the New Artists group and began to make art to express their dissatisfaction with their country’s rule.

In Shoreditch at the Calvert Gallery 22, there is an exhibition currently showcasing the exclusive pieces of Novikov and his eclectic group known as the Club of Friends, curated by Ekaterina Andreeva.

Marina (left) and Lily (right)

Exhibition and Event Organiser Lily Hall said: “They were not formally educated in art and had no access to materials. They instead used anything they could get their hands on. Their mother’s shower curtain, stumps of charcoal, old clothes, embroidered patches, ribbon, film, plastic. Anything.”

Turned away from studios and public spaces, the artists still developed a name and following for themselves. During the time known as the Iron Curtain (the symbolic divide between countries connected or influenced by the Soviet Union and those states on the other side, which developed their own alliances), Novikov and his friends twisted this lack of freedom into absolute freedom.

“Their work was frivolous and expressionistic yet combined elements of primitivism and modernism, and through their experiments with art, collective practice and sexual representation, they mapped the untold story of Russia,” said Lily.

After the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989, the New Artists became known internationally, with Andy Warhol, John Cage and Joseph Brodsky among their main collectors.

“Their work actually became renowned worldwide and was more popular outside of St Petersburg than within the city,” commented Exhibition and Event Assistant Marina Dorritis.

With this popularity, Novikov decided to change the aesthetic. He stepped away from his art, which had become a part of the society, and decided to push the boundaries yet again.

He formed a second movement of artists called the New Academy in St Petersburg. He argued that the aesthetic experience had preserved the European idea of the perfect and and perfect world, which he wanted to change.

“The change in his style can be best described as moving from Andy Warhol to Oscar Wilde. There is more humour, campness and classicalism all done with tongue in cheek,” said Marina.

During the 1990s and 2000s, the New Academy combined this classicism with contemporary digital technologies to represent the spirit of freedom, which Novikov continually aspires for, offering a new perspective of Russia.

Credit: Andy Keate 

“Ironically though, during this time when Novikov and his friends were advocating for liberty and openness, it was actually a more free Russia than the democracy we know today,” shared Marina.

Club of Friends is one of three exhibitions the Calvert Gallery 22 will be coordinating this year.  Started by Nonna Materkova from Russia in 2009, the gallery is the only not-for-profit institution dedicated to presenting the contemporary art of Russia and Eastern Europe to UK audiences.

The foundation is committed to opening up dialogue and discovery through art, culture, research and learning. It operates on a unique model, gathering the “most active voices from the region to investigate current directions in artistic practice and theory relating to the former East,” shared Lily.

“We present a dynamic program of exhibitions, talks and cross-disciplinary events with both emergent and established artists,” she added.

In addition to the gallery, other projects of the foundation include the Calvert Journal (an online guide to creative Russia), the Calvert Forum (a think tank exploring the role of creative industries in economic, social and urban development in Russia) and Calvert Education (a program of learning partnerships linking artists, academics, students and policy makers).

Club of Friends will run until May 25^th at the Calvert Gallery 22 at 22 Calvert Avenue London E27JP. Entry is free.

See the website for other related events.

From June 18^th – August 17^th, the exhibition Close and Far by curator Kate Bush will introduce some of Russia’s original young voices alongside the work of pre-revolutionary master Sergei Prokudin-Gorsky with an emphasis on photography, film and video mediums.

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Story by Leah Davies

Leah is a passionate storyteller, a multi-skilled communications specialist and a devoted human rights activist. She writes to ignite meaningful connection, to arouse curiosity, to push boundaries, to live large, to speak up, to create change.

She is deeply fuelled by a desire to create ideas and build visions to make this world a better place. A place where we can each equally follow our dreams - regardless of the place we were born, our religious affiliations, our sexual identity, our access to education. Everything in fact to do with the status quo. After studying the causes of conflict and division in society, Leah now uses storytelling to unite people, to create community and to open opportunities for collective action.

Her website, Paper Planes Connect, is a place to celebrate our difference and to unite in our sameness.

Wear it #insideout

Who made your clothes?

A simple question but one that customers, retailers, and even the brands themselves have difficulty answering.

This very enquiry reveals a lot. It bares the story of a fashion supply chain that is broken because there is a lack of awareness of whom is the face picking the cotton, preparing the leather, dying the fabric, collecting the seeds.

It exposes an industry that is premised on serving the customer with cheap and evolving choice at the expense of the health, wellbeing and quality of life of its workers. A trade where we are more concerned about the dollar amount and the value for money than the human narrative behind the article.

This is at the heart of what 69b stands for; a local women’s fashion boutique on Broadway Markets in Hackney, East London, which prides itself on delivering directional, ethical and sustainable fashion.

Started by Merryn Leslie - stylist and fashion editor for big names such as Vogue, Missoni, US Harpers Bazaar, Michelle Lowe Holder and Sandy Dalal - she wanted to do something much bigger in the fashion industry. She wanted to make a difference so decided to launch 69b, which exclusively stocks designers engaging in sustainability.

I was fortunate to speak with Harley Ray Barron, 69b’s art director, and Christelle Blary, the store’s manager.

“Sustainability isn’t all hippy, hemp, brown and beige. It can be fashionable and creative, all the while protecting the environment and its people. We have more than 70 brands which showcase this now, including Partimi, Esencia, Marimekko, Studio Jux and Reet Aus, all of which either upcycle, use organic cotton, vegetable tanned leather or vegan products,” said Harley.

Harley recently completed a fashion degree at university where she learnt just how appalling the industry is behind the scenes.

“We really do know so little about the conditions of labour of the people making our clothes, including their level of safety, health regulations, how much they are being paid and the rights they are allowed.”

“And that’s just the start of it. Then there is the materials and where they are grown and produced, and whether people are exposed to chemicals and pesticides,” she shared.

Christelle has studied fashion since the age of 15 both in France’s countryside and in Paris where she then went on to become a freelance custom designer creating sustainable garments to measure for her customers. She says we are accustomed to a fast fashion model now with high street stores receiving new stock weekly, which is a ridiculous standard to cater for.

“Fast fashion is much like the fast food industry. You don’t want to eat junk and you don’t want to wear junk.”

A passionate spokesperson for sustainability, Christelle says she often gets frustrated with people’s complacency around the clothes and products they buy.

“I get into heated discussions about the meaning of sustainability and why we need to act now to create change. I am sick and tired of hearing the excuse that it’s too late. It’s never too late. We live in innovative times and have the available knowledge and intelligence to really turn the industry around but there is resistance."

Christelle comments that this resistance comes back to guilt.

“I think people know they are guilty of contributing to the problems we see today and decide to just switch off instead of taking personal responsibility,” Christelle states.

But the tides are slowly changing and this has definitely been the case at 69b.

“There is more engagement and interest in sustainable and ethical fashion. Big brands are starting to be more transparent about their products and customers are asking more questions,” says Harley.

Christelle adds: “At 69b, we encourage our customers to know their product, to research the brand, to know who made it, and to become familiar with sustainable brands in the market. This is the best part of my job. Knowing that I am having an impact on the people who shop here who will then share their new knowledge with the their friends and family, and the ripple begins.”

“People are starting to realize that sustainability is not just a word. That it’s a lifestyle. That it’s a way of thinking. It means simple design, practicality, reasonable money value, high quality and buying less.”

Today is a monumental day for 69b and for others in the fashion circle alike.

Collaborators and partners are calling for a revolution. An overhaul. A global movement.

It is Fashion Revolution Day; a day that calls on all people to declare that enough is enough following a landmark catastrophe, which took place in Dhaka, Bangladesh a year ago. A factory complex by the name of Rana Plaza collapsed killing 1133 people and injuring over 2500. This is one of many horrific social and environmental disasters, which occur every year because of the defunct fashion industry we currently support.

It’s a day to highlight the true cost of fashion and to understand that we aren’t just purchasing a garment or accessory, but a whole chain of value and relationships.

It’s an opportunity to re-write a positive narrative where people, the environment, creativity and profit are appreciated in equal measure.

69b is supporting Fashion Revolution Day by encouraging us all to be contentious customers and ask the question: who made your clothes?

Ask the retailer at the store, send a letter to the brand manufacturer, post a photo, tag a video.

Be more curious. Find out. Do something.

Wear your clothes inside out today and take a photo of the label. Share it across social media with the tags #insideout and @fash_rev

See how you can make a difference here.

In June, 69b will launch their new website – an online retail e-commerce hub - where people can buy sustainable from anywhere in the world. The emphasis will be transparency and traceability with each brand’s story profiled, and most importantly, who made their clothes exposed. Stay tuned!

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Story by Leah Davies

Leah is a passionate storyteller, a multi-skilled communications specialist and a devoted human rights activist. She writes to ignite meaningful connection, to arouse curiosity, to push boundaries, to live large, to speak up, to create change.

She is deeply fuelled by a desire to create ideas and build visions to make this world a better place. A place where we can each equally follow our dreams - regardless of the place we were born, our religious affiliations, our sexual identity, our access to education. Everything in fact to do with the status quo. After studying the causes of conflict and division in society, Leah now uses storytelling to unite people, to create community and to open opportunities for collective action.

Her website, Paper Planes Connect, is a place to celebrate our difference and to unite in our sameness.

Moniker Art Fair 2013

Last week saw Alternative London Tours continue its relationship with the amazing Moniker Art Fair to provide exclusive tours of the area and the art fair itself.

Just as last year, these tours proved a huge success and filled up quickly. As London's original street art tour provider we took the lucky few around Spitalfields and Brick Lane for a bespoke street art tour before heading into the fair.

This year the fair teamed up with the Other Art Fair and took over a humongous space in the Truman Brewery, Brick Lane. Anyone that has joined one of our tours will know how significant this building is both historically and culturally in the East End, so for us to take customers inside for the first time was a rare treat.

For those not aware of the Moniker Fair it is a refreshing alternative to the other larger conventional art fairs such as Freize. This year favourite artists of ours included Jo Peel, David Shillinglaw, Mau Mau, D*Face, Vins, Amanda Marie and of course the legendary London Police.

The fair included talks from artists, food, drinks and an incredible array of art and books available to purchase for all budgets. We were lucky enough to pick up a couple of prints from London Police and a special one of from Jo Peel.

If you missed it this year, be sure to join next year when we hope to be teaming up with the fair once again to provide these very unique East End Tours.

Guardian Travel Top Ten Guided Tours!

We are pleased and privileged to announce that Guardian readers have voted Alternative London Tours as one of the top ten guided tours in the world! Thanks to everyone who voted for Alternative London, this is an amazing accolade which we're very proud of. If you are interested in joining one of our East End Tours please see our website: www.alternativeldn.com

See the full list of tours that made the top ten here: http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2013/sep/09/top-10-guided-city-tours-readers-tips

Article for Freestyle Magazine

We were recently asked to write a piece about East London and its street art for the awesome Freestyle Magazine. Here's what we wrote:

East London’s street art scene is an incredibly dynamic and ever changing entity – much the same as the area in which it thrives.

As with other places around the world, the street art scene here started out as a way for outsiders and non-conformist artists to express themselves in the public domain without feeling the need for anyone’s approval and showing a complete disregard for other people’s judgement. In doing so they discovered a unique platform to engage with an audience - whether that unsuspecting audience wanted to be engaged with or not.
 

Ironically, at the same time that traditional letter style graffiti was reaching new heights artistically and being exploited commercially, it was causing increasing discomfort with the authorities and becoming ever more frowned upon by the general public. With late night security being implemented in railway stations and CCTV cameras appearing just about everywhere, writers were afforded less time to paint and this inevitably resulted in more and more arrests and prosecutions.

During the early nineties people looked for new ways to work and stencils and paste ups fast became the new mediums of choice. These methods allowed artists to do the lion’s share of the work at home or in their studio before executing the final piece onto the streets in a matter of minutes – even seconds. Street art exploded.

The styles and artists at this point still however had many similarities to the spray paint art that preceded it; artists painting freehand characters, like the Burning Candy Crew, wanted to ‘get up’ in unreachable and unprecedented spots – taking back space which they felt was rightfully theirs. They challenged ideals and made their own rules. Political statements and satire was rife with leftist and anti-capitalist overtones within the new street art movement. There was a feeling of a new punk-style spirit emerging within the East End. People asked new questions of society like; ‘if an advertiser can put up a billboard, why can’t we paint a wall?

In the meantime the Shoreditch party and squatting scene was reaching its pinnacle. In the wake of Blitz bombings and unwanted, abandoned ex-industrial buildings, an outsider’s playground resided by a new creative community had emerged. People could go out all night without a plan, without knowing where they were going or where they’d end up but having some undefinable feeling that in some way it was theirs. They belonged to it - and it belonged to them. Hangouts like the (old) Dragon Bar were rammed every Friday with people drinking, scoring and painting the walls and toilets. People scoped out abandoned spaces and made their own parties. There was a plethora of clubs, squats, legal and illegal parties on any given night all existing under the radar of the mainstream. The new street art movement and Shoreditch went perfectly hand in hand.

Shoreditch inevitably became popular, more bars and restaurants began popping up – as did their prices. This inevitably had a detrimental effect on the creative scene and prices began to push out the people that had created it. People flocked to a cool new place, and bit by bit began to tame it and shape it into something more manageable for the mainstream. From the authority’s point of view, like any counter culture movement things couldn’t be contained so they became controlled.

At the same time street art began to feature on people’s radars. The quality of the art grew to new levels, which in turn made it more accessible to the masses. Like skateboarding, breakdancing or playing the guitar, people took up street art because it was cool. Galleries began selling street art, most were and still are artist run and started out because of their genuine love for it and desire to give artists a platform to reap the rewards they deserve. Others obviously had their own agenda, but either way this allowed street artists to travel the world to paint walls and use the gallery system as their financial vehicle. The floodgates had opened an in came some of the world’s best street artists to paint the walls of East London – and then the Tate Modern.

This explosion of art on walls and a new street art economy made those that were elected to represent the people of East London increasingly uncomfortable. To them this was happening in an area that needed extensive re-development, an area mapped out as the new silicon-valley but more importantly an extension of the financial district. If you’re going to build five new skyscrapers in three years, the people that are going to work in them need somewhere to live. East London found itself in unique position due to its geography. Anywhere else, this creative district would be celebrated, but not when it’s in the way of a new real estate goldmine. 

The area has recently done well to adapt to becoming the ‘tech city’ during the week and a mini Essex on a Friday and Saturday night. People have always moved in and out of this area; from the Huguenots in the 1650’s to the Jews and The Bengalis - it’s always been transient. The danger this time is that it is under a greater threat from greedy developers that are on the verge of changing it forever and the latest arrivals are too ignorant or just don’t care enough to do anything about it.

East London’s street art scene has now seen a permission culture emerge which has completely adapted the street art landscape and this works in two ways. Firstly: it gives an artist the opportunity to spend time and effort on a piece of work without the threat of prosecution, so the level of art is at times, staggering. Secondly: we now have ‘gate keepers’, who are trying to make a quick buck out of the scene and feel they have the right to curate the streets like it’s their own private gallery. We then lose political statements at a time when we need them most and artists sell to the highest bidder. It’s no longer street art, merely pretty pictures on walls. Artists repair their pieces like they own them, when the whole point of street art is to be ephemeral – tags are just as important as those staggering murals, people need to understand the scene as a whole before they get involved.

I’ve been lucky enough to spend time with and work with some of the best street artists in the world. When my favourite artists say they’ll never do a commission because they don’t want to be told what to do and keep their work cheap for the masses it gives me the highest level of respect for them. When I’m on a rooftop watching them paint illegally with the skyscrapers bearing down on us I know who they’re doing it for – themselves, the community. At heart they are outsiders and non-conformist artists out to express themselves in the public domain without feeling the need for anyone’s approval and showing a complete disregard for other people’s judgement.

A world renowned street artist once said to me ‘street art is a bit like punk music, it’s for anyone that wants it and everyone that doesn’t – you don’t have to be a virtuoso to create it or an expert to appreciate it’. Band wagon jumpers will come and go but as long as there are artists with attitudes like this, the street art scene will be safe.

As for Shoreditch, who knows? But as long as we still have projects like Red Market and others giving us an alternative playground, people painting walls and still feeling like we belong to it and it belongs to us, we’ve got a chance.

Gary Means, Alternative London 2013.

News From Our H.Q

There's been a lot of painting going on around the Alternative London H.Q

over the last few weeks. Here's a little update of some of our highlights.

Fintan Magee was over from Sydney and looking to hit some big walls in London. The Red Gallery wall where we are based is the largest street art wall in the capital and we were more than happy to help him fund his project as it hadn't seen a fresh lick of paint since Jo Peel's animation back in March (featured in previous posts).

Grids and sketching begins

The view from above - this is one seriously high wall.

Colouring in.

 The finished piece titled 'Sink or Swim'

In the meantime three Brazilians were getting to work in the shape of the amazing Magrella, Alex Senna and one of our all time favourites, Cranio! 

Magrella hit the high spot but half way through the piece ran out of time with the lift hire! Unbelievably she managed to scale the 25ft wall on a ladder to get the piece finished. Unfortunately we weren't there to witness the final extremely dedicated act, but here's the finished piece.  

Alex created this beautiful monochrome piece out the front, one of many on his London visit. 

And last but not least, Hin showed up to give our stairs a much needed makeover. This is a trick one to photograph and really has to be seen in person to be truly appreciated. And while you're here you can check out one of his unique painted spray cans exclusively for sale from Alternative London.