Brixtonia, 2018
'Brixtonia' was created in 2018. 'Paean to Whitby', an homage to my hometown, had been around since 2012 and I'd been living in South London since my return from France in 1996 so it was time to do something similar with my locality. I don't live in Brixton though, so why Brixton? Well, it is just a short bus-ride away and wandering around Brixton, I was quite amazed at the wealth of historical and cultural material. Many know of Brixton because of its vibrant Caribbean culture and I wanted to celebrate that - the HMS Windrush, the market and cuisine (represented by the infamous Scotch Bonnet Pepper used in Jamaican dishes), the music and poetry (Benjamin Zephaniah features in the artwork). But, unknown to many, there is also a beautiful windmill which still grinds wheat grown locally (next door to Kings Hospital) that is well worth a visit.
There is a river, The Effra, which flows under Brixton's streets and once carried Queen Elizabeth I as she came to picnic with her friend, Sir Walter Raleigh, who lived. I wanted to celebrate other aspects of Brixton of today too: the famous cinema, The Ritzy; and venue, Brixton Academy; the Brixton Brewery, which produce some excellent ales and the Brixton Pound, one of several independent city-wide currencies around the country; Morley's - the ubiquitous chicken shop that has become a symbol for South London. I just managed to get David Bowie on and Violette Szabo, the Anglo-French Special Services agent as they feature on the Brixton Pound...! I was happy with the final result - I hope you like it too.