Amelia’s Magazine | London 2012 Olympic Games Team GB Illustrated

Kristian Thomas by Tim Parker
Kristian Thomas by Tim Parker.

The Olympics are in town in case you haven’t noticed, and I’ve been lucky enough to get along to a few events in person. It was at the weightlifting that I became a big fan of feisty young contender Zoe Smith (although she didn’t place she went on to break the British record) and decided to put together an illustrated tribute. I loved Zoe Smith’s dedication to glam: her triangular stud earrings a defiant statement of femininity in the face of twitter abuse directed against her choice of sport.

Zoe Smith by Rosemary Cunningham
Zoe Smith by Rosemary Cunningham. ‘It’s a bit epic, but I was going for a kind of vague superhero type vibe, whilst keeping a nice retro Olympic feel.’

Since then I’ve watched seven hours of live fencing (and still have no clue how it works) and a good dose of Greco-Roman Wrestling (not a British sport – it seems to be almost entirely dominated by Eastern Europe, the Middle East, the US and Cuba) and like many people around the world I’ve seen a fair amount on the telly. Gymnastics and synchronised diving? LOVE them. Particularly the men’s…

Louis_Smith_by_Claire_Corstorphine
Louis Smith by Claire Corstorphine.

Yes, the Olympics have screwed up parts of East London and there are some crazy ass sponsorship rules, not to mention some half-assed nods towards sustainability or a useful legacy that actually benefits the local area. A cyclist has sadly died even as we shine in the Velodrome, and yet… it’s hard not to get swept up in the excitement, especially when you’re in a real audience, watching it all unfold in front of you.

Bradley_Wiggins_by_Gabriela_Larios
Bradley Wiggins by Gabriela Larios.

The Olympic medal tally for Great Britain is at present really quite amazing for such a comparatively small country. Let’s hope it inspires us to get a lot fitter because as a nation of biscuit troughing sofa surfers we really need to. Here, then are some illustrated responses to the inspiring talent of our very own Team GB.

Jessica Ennis - Warrior - by James Pitman
Jessica Ennis – Warrior – by James Pitman. ‘I wanted to create something that showed her (and athletes/competitors in general) warrior spirit, and I wanted to create thoughts of the comparison between society now and society thousands of years ago and what role athletes may have taken then even though now their expertise in physical activity is just for ‘fun’. But then I also want to still show her feminine beauty, particularly to contrast against the ‘warrior’ concept.’

Daniel Purvis by Adam Pryce
Daniel Purvis by Adam Pryce.

Bradley-Wiggins-By-Jake-Snellin
Bradley-Wiggins-By-Jake-Snellin
Bradley Wiggins by Jake Snellin.

Greg-Rutherford-by-Sam-Ailey
Greg Rutherford by Sam Ailey.

Olympics 2012 Mo Farah by Kristina Vasiljeva
Olympics 2012 Mo Farah by Kristina Vasiljeva.

Victoria Pendleton by Scarlett Tierney
Victoria Pendleton by Scarlett Tierney.

tom james by livi gosling
Tom James by Livi Gosling. ‘After winning a medal in Beijing he greeted his girlfriend with a kiss that mirrored that of the famous sailor/nurse kiss on V-Day. I added daffodils as he’s Welsh and the composition is meant to be reminiscent of a cote-de-arms.’

Helen Gorrill synchro image
Jenna & Olivia, Team GB Synchronised Swimmers, 2012 Olympics by Helen Gorrill. Currently on show with DegreeArt.

Kristian Thomas by Adam Pryce
Kristian Thomas by Adam Pryce.

Olympics 2012 Women Cycling by Kristina Vasiljeva
Olympics 2012 Women Cycling (Dani King, Laura Trott and Joanna Rowsell) by Kristina Vasiljeva.

Bradley-Wiggins-by-Victoria-Haynes
Bradley Wiggins by Victoria Haynes.

Zoe Smith by Emma Black
Zoe Smith by Emma Black. ‘I saw on twitter that Zoe celebrated after her weightlifting by going out for a Big Mac, which I thought was quite amusing! I referenced the food off a photo she posted on her twitter feed.’

Stott and Baillie by Scarlett Tierney
Stott and Baillie by Scarlett Tierney.

Jessica Ennis by EdieOP
Jessica Ennis by EdieOP

Whats leffe for Bradley Wiggins by neonflower
Whats leffe for Bradley Wiggins? by neonflower* ‘As well as asking the question where Bradley goes next, it’s essentially a nod to all the road cyclists out there partial to a spot of Belgian beer (there are plenty of them – including my bf and ALL his cycling chums!) – and we all know that Bradley hit the pop last night. Good on him!’

Andy Murray by Gareth A Hopkins
Andy Murray by Gareth A Hopkins. ‘I like the fact that andy Murray doesn’t really fit the mould of an Olympian… It’s not that he doesn’t do anything that others like Jessica Ennis or Tom Daly do, it’s just that there’s something about him which excludes him from being a Team GB poster boy. I think it’s that he’s not out there for the country, he’s out there for himself, despite enormous pressure to conform to an image of a national sports hero. He’s almost an anti-hero, and I can’t help admiring that.’

TeamGB Olympics by Isher Dhiman
TeamGB Olympic Gold Winners by Isher Dhiman. Cycling Track – Sir Chris Hoy, Rowing – Helen Glover and Heather Stanning, Athletics – Jessica Ennis, Cycling Road – Bradley Wiggins, Sailing – Ben Ainslie, Tennis – Andy Murray, Equestrian – Brash, Charles, Maher and Skelton, Shooting – Peter Wilson

Bradley Wiggins by Bish
Bradley Wiggins by Bish.

Helen Glover by Bish
Helen Glover by Bish.

Nick Skelton by Bish
Nick Skelton by Bish.

Olympic Park by Bish
Olympic Park by Bish. ‘Drawings were done on the 1st of August at the Olympic Park when Helen Glover and Heather Stanning got the first gold Bradley Wiggins got Gold at the time trial, and the 5th August at the Greenwich Park for the Showjumping the day before GB got Gold.’

YouTube Preview ImageOlympic animation by Rosemary Cunningham.

Adlington by May van Millingen
Adlington by May van Millingen.

Wiggins by May van Millingen
Wiggins by May van Millingen.

Divers by May van millingen
Divers by May van Millingen.

If you enjoyed this don’t forget to check in with Matt Bramford‘s pre-Olympics illustrated blog post too. Here’s to lots more wins before the week is out!

Categories ,Adam Pryce, ,Andy Murray, ,Bish, ,Bradley Wiggins, ,Claire Corstorphine, ,cycling, ,Dani King, ,Daniel Purvis, ,DegreeArt, ,EdieOP, ,Emma Black, ,Fencing, ,Gabriela Larios, ,Gareth A Hopkins, ,Greco-Roman Wrestling, ,Greg Rutherford, ,Gymnastics, ,Helen Glover, ,Helen Gorrill, ,illustration, ,Isher Dhiman, ,Jake Snellin, ,James Pitman, ,Jenna & Olivia, ,Jessica Ennis, ,Joanna Rowsell, ,Kristian Thomas, ,Kristina Vasiljeva, ,Laura Trott, ,Livi Gosling, ,Lizzie Campbell, ,London 2012, ,Louis Smith, ,May van Millingen, ,Mo Farah, ,neonflower, ,Nick Skelton, ,Olympics, ,Rosemary Cunningham, ,Sam Ailey, ,Scarlett Tierney, ,Synchronised Swimmers, ,Team GB, ,Tim Parker, ,Tom James, ,Velodrome, ,Victoria Haynes, ,Victoria Pendleton, ,Weightlifting, ,Wiggo, ,Zoe Smith

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Amelia’s Magazine | London 2012 Olympic Games Team GB Illustrated

Kristian Thomas by Tim Parker
Kristian Thomas by Tim Parker.

The Olympics are in town in case you haven’t noticed, and I’ve been lucky enough to get along to a few events in person. It was at the weightlifting that I became a big fan of feisty young contender Zoe Smith (although she didn’t place she went on to break the British record) and decided to put together an illustrated tribute. I loved Zoe Smith’s dedication to glam: her triangular stud earrings a defiant statement of femininity in the face of twitter abuse directed against her choice of sport.

Zoe Smith by Rosemary Cunningham
Zoe Smith by Rosemary Cunningham. ‘It’s a bit epic, but I was going for a kind of vague superhero type vibe, whilst keeping a nice retro Olympic feel.’

Since then I’ve watched seven hours of live fencing (and still have no clue how it works) and a good dose of Greco-Roman Wrestling (not a British sport – it seems to be almost entirely dominated by Eastern Europe, the Middle East, the US and Cuba) and like many people around the world I’ve seen a fair amount on the telly. Gymnastics and synchronised diving? LOVE them. Particularly the men’s…

Louis_Smith_by_Claire_Corstorphine
Louis Smith by Claire Corstorphine.

Yes, the Olympics have screwed up parts of East London and there are some crazy ass sponsorship rules, not to mention some half-assed nods towards sustainability or a useful legacy that actually benefits the local area. A cyclist has sadly died even as we shine in the Velodrome, and yet… it’s hard not to get swept up in the excitement, especially when you’re in a real audience, watching it all unfold in front of you.

Bradley_Wiggins_by_Gabriela_Larios
Bradley Wiggins by Gabriela Larios.

The Olympic medal tally for Great Britain is at present really quite amazing for such a comparatively small country. Let’s hope it inspires us to get a lot fitter because as a nation of biscuit troughing sofa surfers we really need to. Here, then are some illustrated responses to the inspiring talent of our very own Team GB.

Jessica Ennis - Warrior - by James Pitman
Jessica Ennis – Warrior – by James Pitman. ‘I wanted to create something that showed her (and athletes/competitors in general) warrior spirit, and I wanted to create thoughts of the comparison between society now and society thousands of years ago and what role athletes may have taken then even though now their expertise in physical activity is just for ‘fun’. But then I also want to still show her feminine beauty, particularly to contrast against the ‘warrior’ concept.’

Daniel Purvis by Adam Pryce
Daniel Purvis by Adam Pryce.

Bradley-Wiggins-By-Jake-Snellin
Bradley-Wiggins-By-Jake-Snellin
Bradley Wiggins by Jake Snellin.

Greg-Rutherford-by-Sam-Ailey
Greg Rutherford by Sam Ailey.

Olympics 2012 Mo Farah by Kristina Vasiljeva
Olympics 2012 Mo Farah by Kristina Vasiljeva.

Victoria Pendleton by Scarlett Tierney
Victoria Pendleton by Scarlett Tierney.

tom james by livi gosling
Tom James by Livi Gosling. ‘After winning a medal in Beijing he greeted his girlfriend with a kiss that mirrored that of the famous sailor/nurse kiss on V-Day. I added daffodils as he’s Welsh and the composition is meant to be reminiscent of a cote-de-arms.’

Helen Gorrill synchro image
Jenna & Olivia, Team GB Synchronised Swimmers, 2012 Olympics by Helen Gorrill. Currently on show with DegreeArt.

Kristian Thomas by Adam Pryce
Kristian Thomas by Adam Pryce.

Olympics 2012 Women Cycling by Kristina Vasiljeva
Olympics 2012 Women Cycling (Dani King, Laura Trott and Joanna Rowsell) by Kristina Vasiljeva.

Bradley-Wiggins-by-Victoria-Haynes
Bradley Wiggins by Victoria Haynes.

Zoe Smith by Emma Black
Zoe Smith by Emma Black. ‘I saw on twitter that Zoe celebrated after her weightlifting by going out for a Big Mac, which I thought was quite amusing! I referenced the food off a photo she posted on her twitter feed.’

Stott and Baillie by Scarlett Tierney
Stott and Baillie by Scarlett Tierney.

Jessica Ennis by EdieOP
Jessica Ennis by EdieOP

Whats leffe for Bradley Wiggins by neonflower
Whats leffe for Bradley Wiggins? by neonflower* ‘As well as asking the question where Bradley goes next, it’s essentially a nod to all the road cyclists out there partial to a spot of Belgian beer (there are plenty of them – including my bf and ALL his cycling chums!) – and we all know that Bradley hit the pop last night. Good on him!’

Andy Murray by Gareth A Hopkins
Andy Murray by Gareth A Hopkins. ‘I like the fact that andy Murray doesn’t really fit the mould of an Olympian… It’s not that he doesn’t do anything that others like Jessica Ennis or Tom Daly do, it’s just that there’s something about him which excludes him from being a Team GB poster boy. I think it’s that he’s not out there for the country, he’s out there for himself, despite enormous pressure to conform to an image of a national sports hero. He’s almost an anti-hero, and I can’t help admiring that.’

TeamGB Olympics by Isher Dhiman
TeamGB Olympic Gold Winners by Isher Dhiman. Cycling Track – Sir Chris Hoy, Rowing – Helen Glover and Heather Stanning, Athletics – Jessica Ennis, Cycling Road – Bradley Wiggins, Sailing – Ben Ainslie, Tennis – Andy Murray, Equestrian – Brash, Charles, Maher and Skelton, Shooting – Peter Wilson

Bradley Wiggins by Bish
Bradley Wiggins by Bish.

Helen Glover by Bish
Helen Glover by Bish.

Nick Skelton by Bish
Nick Skelton by Bish.

Olympic Park by Bish
Olympic Park by Bish. ‘Drawings were done on the 1st of August at the Olympic Park when Helen Glover and Heather Stanning got the first gold Bradley Wiggins got Gold at the time trial, and the 5th August at the Greenwich Park for the Showjumping the day before GB got Gold.’

YouTube Preview ImageOlympic animation by Rosemary Cunningham.

Adlington by May van Millingen
Adlington by May van Millingen.

Wiggins by May van Millingen
Wiggins by May van Millingen.

Divers by May van millingen
Divers by May van Millingen.

If you enjoyed this don’t forget to check in with Matt Bramford‘s pre-Olympics illustrated blog post too. Here’s to lots more wins before the week is out!

Categories ,Adam Pryce, ,Andy Murray, ,Bish, ,Bradley Wiggins, ,Claire Corstorphine, ,cycling, ,Dani King, ,Daniel Purvis, ,DegreeArt, ,EdieOP, ,Emma Black, ,Fencing, ,Gabriela Larios, ,Gareth A Hopkins, ,Greco-Roman Wrestling, ,Greg Rutherford, ,Gymnastics, ,Helen Glover, ,Helen Gorrill, ,illustration, ,Isher Dhiman, ,Jake Snellin, ,James Pitman, ,Jenna & Olivia, ,Jessica Ennis, ,Joanna Rowsell, ,Kristian Thomas, ,Kristina Vasiljeva, ,Laura Trott, ,Livi Gosling, ,Lizzie Campbell, ,London 2012, ,Louis Smith, ,May van Millingen, ,Mo Farah, ,neonflower, ,Nick Skelton, ,Olympics, ,Rosemary Cunningham, ,Sam Ailey, ,Scarlett Tierney, ,Synchronised Swimmers, ,Team GB, ,Tim Parker, ,Tom James, ,Velodrome, ,Victoria Haynes, ,Victoria Pendleton, ,Weightlifting, ,Wiggo, ,Zoe Smith

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Amelia’s Magazine | London 2012: The XXX Olympic Games


Olympic Gymnastics by Lucy Palmer

Tonight’s the night. After what has quite possibly been the longest warm up for anything to happen ever, seven years in the making, the 30th Olympic Games launches tonight in spectacular style in East London with a lavish opening ceremony directed by Danny Boyle. I’ve only just recovered from my Diamond Jubilee excitement, too.

Now this might come as a massive surprise to my friends, but I don’t care much for sport. I do, however, love the Olympics. There’s something pretty magical about it, don’t you think? The dramatic opening ceremony, the fastest, strongest people in the world coming together in one place and Russian weightlifters walking into walls. I’m still terribly upset that Disco Dancing hasn’t been recognised as an Olympic sport, but I’ll be writing to the IOC again re: this oversight.


Olympic Snacking by Helena Maratheftis

Here, in no particular order, are a few things that have got me going so far:

• I (sort of) love that florists in Stoke-on-Trent are threatened with legal action by the International Olympic Committee for making replica rings out of tissue paper and Bostik.

• I love *grits teeth* listening to berks on the tube moaning about how busy the city is, as if London is a sleepy little hamlet suddenly invaded by Charlton Heston and the cast of Ben Hur. You’ve had seven years to moan about it, pals.

• I know that we’ll never compare to China and their fastidious approach to drumming at the opening of the 2008 Beijing games. Our highlights include a farmyard of animals, the Coronation Street theme tune and Boris Johnson slobbering as he waves a flag (I know I’ll be eating my words come 9pm).


Boris and Bradley by Angela Lamb


London 2012 by Katie Laura Wood

• I love the mindboggling stories of the piggish sponsors; the ludicrousness that McDonald’s are the only vendor allowed to flog chips. Please.


The Olympic Park by Sam Parr

• I love that we’re hosting the XXX Olympic Games. Arf.

• I love that we haven’t even performed the opening ceremony and we’ve already offended everybody in North Korea and Welsh footballer Joe Allen, who’s listed as English in the Olympic programme.

• I love how brands fall over themselves to be the official provider – Official Cereal Bar had me proverbially ROFLing. I’m just hoping that the Official Ironing Board Provider comes forward soon.

Nevertheless, no doubt we’ll look back at how wonderful the next few weeks ill inevitably be. In celebration of the Olympic and Paralympic Games on home turf, here’s a wonderful selection of illustrated images by some of our favourite contributors, and a few other surprises along the way!


Olympic Girl by Angela Keeler


Paralympian Aimee Mullins by Laura Hickman


Usian Bolt by Lucy Palmer


Olympic Hoola Hoopers by EdieOP


Olympic Hair by Isher Dhiman


Olympic Stadium by Sinead O Leary

You can rely on Maiden in Shoreditch to deliver something hilarious as an Olympics tie-in. Take your pic from unofficial Olympic bags and Great British tea towels…



Olympic tea-towels


Olympic Bags (unofficial…) by Toby Leigh. All products available at Maiden, Shoreditch

Good luck to all of the athletes involved. Enjoy the opening ceremony. Come on Team GB!


Olympic swimmers by Lucy Palmer

Categories ,Angela Lamb, ,beijing, ,Ben Hur, ,Bethan Wyn Williams, ,Boris Johnson, ,Bostik, ,Bradley Wiggins, ,Cereal Bars, ,China, ,Coronation Street, ,Danny Boyle, ,EdieOP, ,Helena Maratheftis, ,I’m renting my flat to a fat American family, ,IOC, ,Ironing Boards, ,Isher Dhiman, ,It only took me three hours to get to work this morning, ,Joe Allen, ,Katie Laura Wood, ,Laura Hickman, ,London 2012, ,Lucy Palmer, ,Maiden, ,Matt Bramford, ,Olympic Games, ,Olympics, ,Sam Parr, ,Sarah Bromley, ,shoreditch, ,Sinead O’Leary, ,Stoke-on-Trent, ,Tea Towels, ,Tess Redburn, ,Toby Leigh, ,Tote Bags, ,Veronica Rowlands, ,xxx

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Amelia’s Magazine | London 2012: The XXX Olympic Games


Olympic Gymnastics by Lucy Palmer

Tonight’s the night. After what has quite possibly been the longest warm up for anything to happen ever, seven years in the making, the 30th Olympic Games launches tonight in spectacular style in East London with a lavish opening ceremony directed by Danny Boyle. I’ve only just recovered from my Diamond Jubilee excitement, too.

Now this might come as a massive surprise to my friends, but I don’t care much for sport. I do, however, love the Olympics. There’s something pretty magical about it, don’t you think? The dramatic opening ceremony, the fastest, strongest people in the world coming together in one place and Russian weightlifters walking into walls. I’m still terribly upset that Disco Dancing hasn’t been recognised as an Olympic sport, but I’ll be writing to the IOC again re: this oversight.


Olympic Snacking by Helena Maratheftis

Here, in no particular order, are a few things that have got me going so far:

• I (sort of) love that florists in Stoke-on-Trent are threatened with legal action by the International Olympic Committee for making replica rings out of tissue paper and Bostik.

• I love *grits teeth* listening to berks on the tube moaning about how busy the city is, as if London is a sleepy little hamlet suddenly invaded by Charlton Heston and the cast of Ben Hur. You’ve had seven years to moan about it, pals.

• I know that we’ll never compare to China and their fastidious approach to drumming at the opening of the 2008 Beijing games. Our highlights include a farmyard of animals, the Coronation Street theme tune and Boris Johnson slobbering as he waves a flag (I know I’ll be eating my words come 9pm).


Boris and Bradley by Angela Lamb


London 2012 by Katie Laura Wood

• I love the mindboggling stories of the piggish sponsors; the ludicrousness that McDonald’s are the only vendor allowed to flog chips. Please.


The Olympic Park by Sam Parr

• I love that we’re hosting the XXX Olympic Games. Arf.

• I love that we haven’t even performed the opening ceremony and we’ve already offended everybody in North Korea and Welsh footballer Joe Allen, who’s listed as English in the Olympic programme.

• I love how brands fall over themselves to be the official provider – Official Cereal Bar had me proverbially ROFLing. I’m just hoping that the Official Ironing Board Provider comes forward soon.

Nevertheless, no doubt we’ll look back at how wonderful the next few weeks ill inevitably be. In celebration of the Olympic and Paralympic Games on home turf, here’s a wonderful selection of illustrated images by some of our favourite contributors, and a few other surprises along the way!


Olympic Girl by Angela Keeler


Paralympian Aimee Mullins by Laura Hickman


Usian Bolt by Lucy Palmer


Olympic Hoola Hoopers by EdieOP


Olympic Hair by Isher Dhiman


Olympic Stadium by Sinead O Leary

You can rely on Maiden in Shoreditch to deliver something hilarious as an Olympics tie-in. Take your pic from unofficial Olympic bags and Great British tea towels…



Olympic tea-towels


Olympic Bags (unofficial…) by Toby Leigh. All products available at Maiden, Shoreditch

Good luck to all of the athletes involved. Enjoy the opening ceremony. Come on Team GB!


Olympic swimmers by Lucy Palmer

Categories ,Angela Lamb, ,beijing, ,Ben Hur, ,Bethan Wyn Williams, ,Boris Johnson, ,Bostik, ,Bradley Wiggins, ,Cereal Bars, ,China, ,Coronation Street, ,Danny Boyle, ,EdieOP, ,Helena Maratheftis, ,I’m renting my flat to a fat American family, ,IOC, ,Ironing Boards, ,Isher Dhiman, ,It only took me three hours to get to work this morning, ,Joe Allen, ,Katie Laura Wood, ,Laura Hickman, ,London 2012, ,Lucy Palmer, ,Maiden, ,Matt Bramford, ,Olympic Games, ,Olympics, ,Sam Parr, ,Sarah Bromley, ,shoreditch, ,Sinead O’Leary, ,Stoke-on-Trent, ,Tea Towels, ,Tess Redburn, ,Toby Leigh, ,Tote Bags, ,Veronica Rowlands, ,xxx

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Amelia’s Magazine | Edgeland – the lost landscape of Hackney marshes

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Edgeland from sallymc on Vimeo.

Artist Sally Mumby-Croft has created a film about the sad loss to the local community of the site being used for the 2012 Olympic development. Despite musch protest, an area once available to everyone in the area has been fenced off and is now patrolled by security guards. The film shows the quietness and openness of the landscape, with voiceovers provided by local people, whose articulate commentary brings to life how important the space has been to residents, and how important it is that people have access to spaces that are free of branding and agensa, spaces that they can interpret themselves.

Could you tell me a little about the people who provide the voiceovers? How did you meet them?

The people in the film inhabit the space in question, Charlie Charman participated in Manor Garden Allotments (now no more), Iain Sinclair is a long time Hackney resident and I use the term in slight hesitation to avoid pigeon holing anyone a psycho-geographer, earlier this year Sinclair wrote a less than glowing review of the Olympics in the London Book Review, which resulted in his well documented ban from Hackney Libraries by the mayor Jules Pipe.

Ella and Amy are local residents of East London who stumbled upon the allotments one day whilst cycling through the relative untamed wilderness of the Hackney canal system. Johnnie Walker is the manager of the football at Hackney Marshes. Xavier [Zapata] and I met Charlie through the manor garden website, Iain Sinclair through Xavier’s Participation at various local demos.

Why are the issues discussed in your film so important?

The issues are so important because it is a matter of freedom in public space. Whilst this space look unused it has long been home to a variety of activities from impromptu art galleries to refrigerator mountains, the mass football related events on a Sunday morning (fulfilling all the Olympic criteria of youth participating in multi-cultural activities). It is a space where you had freedom to roam without being told how to act. Now a blue barbed fence dominates the landscape. Local residents lost open green spaces and their children have no where to play – we aim to tackle obesity and the government take away their nearest green spaces.

The marshes and the allotments were given to the people of east London in perpetuity as a gift to apologise for the impact of the second world war on that area of London – the marshes developed out of the blitz rubble and the allotments provided food for families for at least 40 years. The land was obtained for the Olympics through compulsive purchase orders.

The project was also about listening to voices who are often marginalised or disregarded in typical media coverage or are not included at all in decision processes that affect everyday quality of life

What are the drawbacks of using this site for the 2012 Olympics? What will be lost?

What will be lost is a place to express yourself unrestrained, as a number of the interviewees mention in the film. The drawbacks are the loss of green spaces, the leaking of toxic materials into the water-system and thriving communities.

Why did you decide not to show people on camera and instead focus on the landscape?

I decided to focus solely on the landscape because I wanted to explore and express how we romanticise landscape, I wanted to turn the Olympic reports on their heads by showing that this is a place that is not unused, but a place free from gentrification requirements, to be clearer regeneration does not need to mean gentrification or the dispersal of local inhabitants.

Who or what are you influenced by? Did any specific influences contribute to this film?

I was influenced by the navigations of Iain Sinclair around a cityscape, his reading of graffiti and marks left by those who have been before that on first glance what looks abandoned can provide valuable insights to the world around us.

Doris Lessing, especially The Grass is Singing for her incredible use of language and skill at embedding the landscape as if it heaves with the political tension that soaks the air of the novel’s settings. 

Steve McQueen’s Hunger and Jeremy Deller for their revisiting of past historical events resulting in fresh attention on how events potentially unfold.

Particularly good websites for my project was the site GamesMonitor, a fantastic site that provides multiple articles on the state of the Olympics across the world.

Categories ,East London, ,Hackney Marshes, ,London 2012, ,Olympics, ,Sally Mumby-Croft

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