Lambeth
Exploration
I
arrived at my borough with a pretty solid idea of where I’d like to take the
class. I was happy to see that most of my locations were as nice or nicer than
I had expected! Lambeth as a whole didn’t feel quite as ~artsy~ as I was
imagining it, but that may be because I stayed more or less in one area in the
interest of time. I’m excited to explore other parts of the neighborhood and
visit all the locations I missed but had caught my eye.
My original plan
was to have class at the park near the Eye. However, visiting on a Friday at
3pm changed my mind, since there was hardly walking room much less a shady
place to sit. I did enjoy seeing the Eye up close, though! I’ll probably end up
taking the group here for its importance and just pray it isn’t as packed.
The walk from the Westminster
tube station to the Eye was very busy and tourist-y, which I didn’t like much
either. It felt a lot like New York, with people in costume trying to get some
pounds in exchange for a photo (we saw Darth Vader?). This stop was the closest
to the Eye and did give a pretty nice view of it on the walk over, but the
crowds were definitely hard to manage.
My next intended
stop was the Vauxhall Street Food Garden. This was further south from the Eye,
so we took the tube about ten minutes down. The venue itself is easy to miss.
It is quite literally a whole in the wall - an alley wall, to be exact - though
the doorway is framed with flowers. Upon entering, you’re taken through what is
essentially an alleyway, but filled with food vendors, flowers, TVs, and
tables. I loved the relaxed atmosphere here and how nicely the area was
decorated and planned out.
Lastly, we went
over to Vauxhall Park. I chose this simply because it was the nearest park to
the Street Food Garden, so I was hoping it was semi-nice at least. I found this
to be one of the better parks I’ve come across so far in London. It was greener
than some of the parks we’ve walked through, and offered a lot of shade. There
were many pathways and different areas to venture to, including the children’s
play set, a tennis court, and, my personal favorite, the lavender gardens. This
was a large plot of tall lavender flowers - in bloom even! The smell was
lovely, and people were tanning and doing yoga in and around the garden.
A focal point of
my dossier was the Brixton Market. This is a vendor-lead market held every day,
with a variety of shops, food, and goods to find. I’m a bit disappointed I
couldn’t make my way over there, but it would have been an extra thirty minutes
of travel time that I was just not ready for. The reason I liked this market so
much online was how authentic it seemed. In a video about the market, the
vendors seemed to care so much for the space they had created there. It really
fostered a community that appreciated their diversity as well as supporting one
another’s businesses. The space looked very casual but honest, with the focus
on the craft instead of merely trying to sell something. I’m still planning on
trekking down there one day, just so I can see for myself what it’s like.
I’m
also planning on stopping by GasWorks. GasWorks is a contemporary art gallery
in Lambeth, which is just up my alley. Their current exhibition is entitled Ritual Without Belief, an audio installation
that the artist describes as, “a black queer algorithm across generations, locations,
and political affiliations.” From reading the small excerpt on their website, I’m
interested in this for its promise of “polyvocality” and representation within
its community. I enjoy immersive art and any art that holds a strong political
message, and I expect I’ll be able to relate the presented ideas to our course
texts and discussions.
So,
a formal and final list of what I’d like to do for my tour of Lambeth:
The London Eye (optional)
People may want to
skip this if the crowds are an issue, but it remains a classic “London!” sight.
Vauxhall Food Street Garden
For lunch! Free
for all!
Vauxhall Park, Lavender Garden
For class and for
the aroma
Honorable Mentions
Brixton Market and GasWorks. I’m up
for them if there’s any time/energy to spare.
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