Fresh Start Unveiled
In a small village in Surrey, a young author's life was about to change. Growing up, he found solace in the rhythmic beats of Grandmaster Flash, Steinski, and early Run DMC. But it was the move to Camberwell that truly opened the door to a world of art and counterculture.
By the age of 14, the author began venturing into the city alone, exploring the vibrant streets of Brixton via the Victoria Line. His mother, with her patience, curiosity, generosity, and insistence on leaving things lying around for him to stumble into, played a crucial role in these formative experiences.
The author's move to Camberwell was more than just an address change; it was the opening of a lifelong connection to art. He was swept along by the pulse of Hari Krishnas, production-house runners, fashion photoshoots, and free fanzines in London's backstreets. The years in London provided a wealth of experimentation and risk.
One pivotal moment came in 1988 when the author attended an exhibition of Diego Rivera's work. However, being culturally removed from the politics of the time, he admits he did not fully understand the significance of Rivera's life and art. Yet, the experience left an indelible mark.
The author's experiences were not limited to art galleries. He found design and art inseparable from life, from the thrilling shops like the Conran Shop in South Kensington to the counterculture that seeped into the city's very bloodstream. He felt a sense of belonging, being part of the hidden life of the city.
During this time, influential critics like Sarah Kent, Howard Jacobson, Brian Sewell, Christopher Hitchens, Tom Paulin, and Tony Parsons were shaping the art landscape. The author often read Sarah Kent's reviews in Time Out magazine, her outspoken and often controversial views on contemporary art making him sit up and pay attention.
This is a quiet thank you to his mother for her role in his experiences. Without her, he admits, he could have stayed in the village and still tuned into radio shows and read Time Out magazine, but the experience would not have been the same. The move to Camberwell opened a lifelong channel between him and the art that keeps remaking the world.
