Tubby Isaacs. Pic: Cass East End Archive
A new photography exhibition opened at Hoxton Hall yesterday, offering an innovative perspective into the past lives of London’s East End.
“Archive: Imagining The East End” features prints from world-renowned photographers such as Don McCullin, Ian Farrant, Mick Williamson as well as Hackney based photographers Stephen Gill and Tom Hunter.
The prints are part of London Metropolitan University’s “Cass East End Archive” collection, which combines documentary photos from the twentieth century with contemporary photos of the ‘imagined’ East End.
The series includes an exhibition called “Shadows of Doubt” with photos from David George and Spencer Rowell. The sequence of photos was inspired by the childhood of legendary director Alfred Hitchcock, who was born and raised in Leytonstone.
“Shadows of Doubt” tries to recreate the environment that Hitchcock experienced living in early 20th century London, along with photos of the locations and props from some of the director’s earlier films that were set in the East End.
“Archive: Imagining The East End” opens at Hoxton Hall. Pic: Taku Dzimwasha
Susan Andrews, director of the Cass East End Archive said: “We have a rich pool of work to choose from for this exhibition. Combining both past and contemporary photographers, we were able to imagine how the East End looked.”
Nick Haeffner, a member of the archive’s research committee said: “The East End is a brand which everyone wants to belong to. By bringing together all these photographers we have ensured we have a comprehensive archive.”
The archive will be re-launched online in January 2014 as a comprehensive photographic resource.
The exhibition will run from 14 to 30 November, 11am-4pm, and admission is free.
