A unique photographic project celebrates the 100th anniversary of Ben Uri, a historical art society born in Gradel’s Restaurant in Aldgate East back in 1915 when a group of Jewish artists got together.
Postcards from Aldgate East is the name of the exhibition, the result of a community project carried out by a group of East End residents who wanted to document the life of their neighbourhood. Back in May and June this year, they ventured out on a series of photographic walks and captured street life, architecture and local cultural landmarks.
These amateur pictures give an especially keen insight into the multiculturalism of the East End, while the interiors of both the German Lutheran Church and the Synagogue show the religions practised in the area. Coloured textiles on sale at Petticoat Lane Market remind us of the diverse fashion and ethnic clothing worn by foreign communities living in the area.
Postcards from Aldgate East is on from 1-31 July at Oxford House, Derbyshire Street, Bethnal Green, E2 6HG. Entry to the exhibition is free. This July, Ben Uri Gallery is also hosting its centenary exhibition Out of Chaos — Ben Uri: 100 Years in London at Somerset House.
For more exhibitions to see this month, see our top openings for July.