Innovative art festival Hackney Wicked returns for its third year. Tom Jeffreys lets you know what to expect.
Did you know that apparently there are more artists per capita in the Wick than anywhere else in the world? Well, you do now. And Hackney Wicked, the annual three-day art extravaganza, is back for its third year offering all these artists the opportunity to showcase just what it is they've been getting up to. There'll be all manner of exhibitions, open studios, parties, film screenings, live art events and flea markets – there's even four live music stages and a coracle regatta. Nice.
Hackney Wick art big shot Gavin Turk is putting on a show in The Lighthouse Pub, there's exhibitions at Schwartz, Elevator Gallery, Stour Space, Beard Gallery and the newly opened Formans Smokehouse Gallery as well as a host of others dotted across the Wick. Artists, illustrators and designers getting involved include Adam Beale, Josie Faure Walker, the wonderful Rosie Emerson and fashionista fellow Robert Cary-Williams.
If all this sounds like it might be a bit overwhelming we'd suggest taking one of Claire Flannery's relaxed and informative Artfeelers art tours – she seems to know everyone in the Wick so you'll be able to chat to loads of artists and gallerists, as well as Claire herself of course.
According to the organisers Hackney Wicked 2010 is going to be “bigger than better than ever”, and it certainly sounds like there's a lot going on. But is bigger always better? In the run up to the the very first instalment of Hackney Wicked I interviewed the festival's organisers and was struck by the close-knit sense of community and shared purpose. But things seemed to get a little political last year with the departure of original founders Ingrid Z of The Residence and Decima's David C West and Alex Chappel. The feeling on their side was, I think, that Hackney Wicked was moving too far from its original roots. Certainly all was not quite as harmonious as it once seemed to be.
Given that I couldn't attend last year I can't pass comment on whether the festival itself was affected, so we'll just have to wait and see what happens this year. But, with rumours afoot that Laura May Lewis' Hackney Wick sign [pictured] may be on the move, the worry remains that Hackney Wicked may perhaps have become a victim of its own success.
Hackney Wicked is from 30th July to 1st August 2010.
www.hackneywicked.com
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