Photographer Maryam Eisler's Guide to East London

“I have contributed to a number of books on artists and their studios, as well as on creativity in London, and have realized over the years that East London has always attracted the city’s out-of-the-box thinkers. The area has been synonymous with innovation, imagination, creativity, and industrious thinking since the Huguenots. This still holds true today, not just for the visual arts, but also for architecture, design, fashion, music, and technology. I also want to highlight the area’s history of a layering of cultures, which has led to a spirit of tolerance and collaboration.”

“The area has been synonymous with a cultural melting pot from the times of the Huguenots to the Irish silk weavers in the 18th century, to the Jews at the turn of the century, and today a predominantly Muslim Bangladeshi and Turkish community. Cultures and religions have always lived side by side. As the iconic artist duo Gilbert and George, who have lived in the East End since the 1960s, once told me, "There is no need for us ever to leave our neighborhood, because the world actually comes to us right here on our street, with the church on one end and the mosque on the other!”

“Architecturally, in East London, you’ll find more interesting living spaces, with larger volumes and ceiling heights due to the area’s industrial history. For example, the infamous Repton Boxing Club, also known as the 'Home of Champions,' looks like just a pile of bricks tucked away off Brick Lane; inside, its high ceilings, tiled walls, and elegant arches speak to the building’s past life as a Victorian Bathhouse. There is also a water culture in the East with the canals and barge living which you don't find in the West.”

“One of my favorite East London streets is Ebor Street, a wide and beautiful cobblestone street, which is also home to the private members' club Shoreditch House. What makes Ebor Street special for me, though, is the impressive murals by street artist Ben Eine, who is known for his graffiti art. One one side of Ebor street, he’s written “Extortionists,” a partner piece to a work called “Protagonists” on the other side. Just around the corner, on Chance Street, you cannot miss seeing starchitect David Adjaye's boxed architectural wonder, "The Dirty House', originally conceived for the artist duo Sue Webster and Tim Noble.” 

“The East End has been traditionally associated with markets and stall sellers. On Saturday, start on Mare Street at the Last Tuesday Society, a “pataphysical association” founded by Victor Wynd in 2006. It’s a weird and wonderful Museum of Curiosities where you can expect oddities, bones, and books as well as a full-sized taxidermied lion named Leonora!”

“Then stroll along Regents Canal with its towering gasometer. If you're feeling a little peckish, head to Broadway Market with its street food stands offering a kaleidoscope of tastes and cultures. Broadway Market is also home to F. Cooke's Pie and Mash shop which has been there since 1900, serving the same food since. Here you can have traditional jellied eels and pies served with mashed spuds and liquor, a rich parsley gravy made of eel stock!”

“Not to be missed on a Sunday morning is a visit to the Columbia Road Flower Market, bursting with color and scent; the air is filled with music and the shouts of local 'barrow boys' selling their wares for a ' fiver.' Alongside the flower sellers, you can also find small independent boutiques that sell arts and crafts, art galleries, vintage clothing shops, and an array of wonderful delis and cafes.”

“Another must-visit is the legendary Old Spitalfields market. It is filled with delicious, unique food concepts, antiques, arts and crafts and unique fashion. It also boasts its famous 'Colour walks,' open gatherings of people dressed in their finery on the third Wednesday of every month. These represent the epitome of inclusivity and imaginative, positive and soulful energy. You’ll be lucky if you catch a glimpse of local icon the pop artist Philip Colbert, with his outstanding range of designs editions and candy-colored clothing.”

“You cannot go to the East End without stopping into the Whitechapel Gallery for a bit of culture! The gallery has hosted a number of giants since its opening in 1901, such as a showcase of Picasso's Guernica in 1938 and Marc Rothko’s first exhibition in the U.K. in 1961. Whitechapel has been pivotal to the continued growth of East London as one of the world’s most vibrant contemporary art quarters.”

“Just around the corner from Whitechapel Gallery lies Brick Lane with its chaotic, bustling street vendors, especially on a Sunday, or vintage items, antique furniture, and Bric a Brac; the street is also known to be home to authentic Jewish bagel shops and Bangladeshi curry houses. If you're lucky, you will catch a glimpse of the “pearly kings and queens,” a tradition in which working-class Londoners dress up in mother-of-pearl-covered costumes and raise money for charity. It’s a true visual feast!”

“One of my favorite eateries is called Rochelle Canteen, located behind closed garden doors in an old repurposed schoolyard. The brainchild of Melanie Arnold and Margot Henderson, it was established in 2004 and has rapidly become one of London’s best-kept secrets among people in the know. The Canteen offers delicious homemade food with a limited but very well curated daily menu. On a sunny day, you have outdoor seating in a beautifully manicured garden. A hopscotch away lies Leila's on Calvert Avenue where you can find daily freshly picked organic produce and possibly the best brownie in London! The side cafe serves scrumptious homemade daily fare, and if you're a real regular, you are privy to your very own hand-carved wooden spoon which hangs on the wall.”

“A night out in the East End cannot not include a twist and a turn at the Bethnal Green Working Men's Club which has been operating as a real Working Men's Club since 1887. Try and catch one of the Disco 54 nights, judiciously crafted by the club's genius operator, Warren Dent. Expect anything from racy and cultural or refined to wild and unhinged parties. The Glory is a cabaret with a veritable vision! This queer and alternative East End Pub is one of London's most colorful performance meccas, with a carousel of music, acts and fashion shows.”