Hackney News November 2005
I Love Hackney
It is one of the country’s most diverse locations, a melting pot for numerous cultures; and for a group of local people, it is a place that they adore.
In a brand new exhibition in the Hackney Museum, 11 local people say exactly why they are so passionate about the borough. Named ‘I Love Hackney’ the exhibition looks at the borough of Hackney and the people who live and work in it. To illustrate their feelings each person featured in the exhibition chose an item from the Museum’s collection, previously unseen by the public. Visitors can discover the objects selected; tell their own stories and ideas in the mini Routemaster bus and watch a specially commissioned film featuring local people sharing what they love about iving and working in Hackney.
The borough’s Mayor, Jules Pipe, said: “Hackney is a place of contrasts and contradictions. It’s exciting, challenging, pretty, grand, humble, edgy, historical and bursting with creativity and energy.
“I Love Hackney puts our borough’s unique character, culture and heritage into the spotlight and shows why people who live or work here feel strongly that this is a great place to be.”
A variety of people from a signwriter to a policeman feature in I Love Hackney which is on at the Hackney Museum until 20 February, at 1 Reading Lane, E8. For info call 020 8356 3500. or go to Hackney Museum
Michael Rosen, author and broadcaster “What people sometimes miss about [Hackney] is that some of the best things by any standards are here. They imagine that the best things need to be in Kensington or Hampstead. The lamb I have bought in the shop on Ridley Road...you could schlep all the way to Selfridges and not get anything as good.”
Brian Walker, signwriter and performer “In Hackney, there are lots of immediate touches with the past and lots of real, great touches with the future.”
Anne Woollett, member of the Hackney Marsh Users Group “You can cross Hackney keeping almost completely to open spaces which is a pretty powerful thing to say about a place in London.”
Adisa, verbaliser and performance poet “Hackney is fast”
Ngozi Headley- Fulani, Performer of African arts and culture I like doing what I do in Hackney. Everyone wants to know, they have a thirst for knowledge. bursting with creativity and energy.
Page updated: 28 Feb 2007