Pic: Hackney Film Festival
A most improving selection of events this week encompasses art shows, environmentally friendly documentary cinema, ‘stories for grown ups’ and, of course, the Hackney Film Festival. If you go and do these things you’ll surely feel better about yourself, and frankly, if you miss them without a very good excuse, you should feel worse. That’s culture for you. Anyway, here’s our pick of the boroughs up and down the East London Line…
Friday, September 7 – Sunday 9:
Hackney Film Festival
Multiple venues. Full list here. Opening night: The New Empowering Church, 1a Westgate Street, E8 3RL
A weekend of celebrating local filmmaking begins in the borough at 8pm. It is the first day of an event which has now been running for three years.
In a symbiotic display from the Live Cinema Foundation and the festival organisers, Friday’s offerings are centred around the theme of ever-changing culture in a digital age. Several VJs, DJs and entertainers will also be involved.
As with the rest of the festival, the bill on Friday will consist of displays by local filmmakers and artists, with Hackney being the showpiece throughout.
Cost on opening night: £10.
Sunday, Setember 9:
The Littlegreenscreen pop-up documentary cinema
Grow Mayow Community Garden, Mayow Park, Sydenham
A free screening of the 2007 documentary Garbage Warrior will be held in the park at 7.30pm.
The film follows architect Michael Reynolds as he tries to build sustainable housing using abandoned detritus. Oliver Hodge, the director who followed the revolutionary architect, will also be present at the screening.
Beforehand there will be family activities put on by the company’s Skip Sisters, starting at 3pm. The adult event, where pizza and Pimms will be on offer, starts at 6pm.
Sunday, September 9
The London Open
Whitechapel Gallery, 77-82 Whitechapel High Street, E1 7QX
Sunday is the final day of this massive new artists’ showcase at the gallery which once exhibited a young Rachel Whiteread and Grayson Perry. It’s the 80 year anniversary of the Whitechapel Gallery’s open submission exhibition and curators say they’ve accordingly raised the “scope and ambition of the show”. For the first time, the show is open to all London arists under 26, chosen by a panel of grandees from the local to the international. The future of British art could first blossom here.
Admission Free
http://www.whitechapelgallery.org/exhibitions/the-london-open
Tuesday, September 11:
Stories for Grown Ups
The Misty Moon Gallery, 80 Ladywell Road, SE13 7HS
Visual artist George Williams is a teacher. Having realized that visual aids can enrich a narrative he began exploring how illustrations can tell a story.
This led to the exploration of leaving visual narratives open; allowing the observer to use their own imagination.
The result of this concept is a show at the Misty Moon Gallery. Williams displays a number of clips, illustrations and images that, by the artist’s admission, have no storied beginning or ending. The narrative must come from the observer.
Entrance is free from 3pm and there will be a preview show on Wednesday, September 12 from 7pm-late.
The Gallery can be found here: http://mistymoon.net/exhibitions/stories-for-grown-ups/
William’ page is here: http://www.worldoftheodd.com/
