My East End

About

My East End is an exciting new photography initiative which invited Londoners to create a snapshot of London's East End in 2010 for future generations. The centrepiece is an open photography competition judged by Martin Parr, renowned Magnum photographer; Kate Edwards, Picture Editor at Guardian Weekend Magazine and Steven Berkoff, actor, writer and director. The winning and shortlisted images will be exhibited at Four Corners Gallery from 2 July to 14 August. The My East End images create a collective vision of one of the world's most diverse neighbourhoods — an ever-changing and evolving area of London. The exhibition also includes a commissioned installation ‘Ali Barber' by Richard Nicholson. Ali's Barber Shop at 258 Bethnal Green Road is the most popular Asian barber shop in London's East End. Transforming the basement into a pop-up photographic studio, Richard Nicholson spent three weeks documenting a cross-section of Ali's customers, creating formal portraits which celebrate the varied haircuts and the prevailing fashions. My East End is led by Bishopsgate Institute, Four Corners, Geffrye Museum and Birkbeck College and is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund. The competition is generously sponsored by Photobox, with additional support from ArtBelow and Billingham.