Stephen Walter will be talking about his alternative maps of London.
An artist who creates intensely detailed alternative maps of London in cartoon depictions will be giving a talk on his work on Sunday (February 22 2009).
Barnet
Stephen Walter will be discussing his The Island: London Series work at Somerset House’s Courtauld Institute of Art in a conversation with Chloé Nelkin, chair of the East Wing VIII project which has presented his work at the unusual art space.
Camden
“You can spot your own London borough on the wall and find nearby landmarks,” suggests Nelkin, who found her own house in Barnet on the map.
Southwark
Walter spent two years studying historical documents including travel literature, antique maps and biographies of London to fill his “celebration of an unfolding drama based in reality” with observations and oddities of a “continually shifting cultural identity.”
Richmond
Rebecca Birch, an East Wing regular who has produced a psychogeographically poignant project by illustratively reproducing her conversations with residents of Happisburgh as they speak, will also appear.
Lewisham
The Norfolk town’s location is a precariously fragile one, constantly susceptible to the devastating effects of coastal erosion. Birch describes her work as “performance art”, feverishly formulating a series of pencil sketches as her subjects talk.
Islington
“Viewers are invited to sit and talk to Rebecca, who draws and records her conversations. They vary according to the viewers’ prior knowledge, what questions they ask, and so on,” says Nelkin.
The City of London
Open 12pm-5pm, talk takes place in refectory at 3.30pm, admission free. Call 020 7872 0220 or visit www.eastwing8.co.uk
