Wicked One: Bonzo
He’s a familiar face producing his art
Co-creating a new Hackney Wick
Greater involvement from the local community can shape future development projects and avoid the mistakes of the past
A Moment in Time
In the run-up to the 2012 Olympics, University of East London’s Tracie Trimmer helped engage younger locals by asking their hopes for the future. Here she reconnects with them, a decade later, to see how they are getting on
Runt of the Litter
As a reaction to the depressing cultural landscape of the lockdowns, an exciting performance art event has risen, all from a warehouse home
Sketch and the City
Local artist and educator, Jeanette Barnes, discusses her ongoing fascination with urban landscapes, her work with long-time partner Paul Brandford, and drawing her neighbourhood as it constantly changes
Meanwhile in East London…
Over the years, Hackney Wick and Fish Island’s glut of ex-industrial units and vacant lots have afforded numerous actors – from community organisations and artists, to business owners and creative practitioners – access to and free-reign over low-cost land, studio space, and warehouses. From skateparks to food-halls, festivals to theatres, artist studios and night-time venues, […]
Losing the Plot
In cities, we have less opportunity to stare aimlessly at the sky or find ourselves experiencing the particular pleasure we get from walking amidst blossoms, flowers, trees, and birds. Research shows that we’re kinder in parks, and London is known all over for its legendary proliferation of green spaces. It all started here, too. Queen […]
Unstoppable Green Shoots
At first glance it might not appear to be the greenest of places, but Hackney Wick is bursting with plant life. From the roof gardens of Oslo House to the jostling pots atop narrowboats on the River Lea, plants are thriving. As we transition into spring, nature is gently unfurling, sending our urban landscapes into […]
The Great British Bathing Revival
It’s a Sunday morning, 8am, and I’m squinting into a dark black abyss in the middle of a Hackney Wick building site. And yet, I am filled with pure joy: this abyss is the ashy guts of a sauna stove. I’m opening the shift at the Hackney Wick Sauna Baths. I’ve got two hours to […]
Mash-Up to Mainstream
Nightlife tends to eat itself, uplifting crumbling areas before getting ousted as the neighbourhood becomes desireable. Can the Wick be different?
