Doreen Fletcher’s East End, Then & Now
Recently, Contributing Photographer Alex Pink accompanied Doreen Fletcher on a pilgrimage to visit the locations of many of her paintings and Alex photographed what they discovered …
Benji’s Mile End, 1992
Mile End church seen from the park, 1986
The Albion Pub, 1992
Snow in Mile End Park, 1986
Park with train, 1990
Limehouse library, 1986
Shops in Commercial Rd, 2003
Terrace in Commercial Rd under snow, 2003
Brickfields Gardens, 1986
Grand Union Canal, 1983
Hairdresser, Ben Jonson Rd 2001
Rene’s Cafe, 1986
Bus Stop, Mile End, 1983
The Condemned House, 1983
Caird & Rayner Building, Commercial Rd, 2001
Paintings copyright © Doreen Fletcher
Photographs copyright © Alex Pink
Doreen Fletcher’s exhibition LOST TIME opens on Friday 10th June at Townhouse, 5 Fournier St, Spitalfields and runs daily until 26th June
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It is so sad to see how many of the old buildings have been “destroyed” by graffitti or demolished. Certain of the buildings remind me of my 3rd world country South Africa. Such a pity that so many people have no regard for other peoples property.
I really love Doreen’s paintings and the photographer has excelled in finding the exact spots in (I assume with the church it wasn’t possible to get it spot on). If this is read by the administrator – I was a little disappointed that my ‘signed’ John Claridge by ordered by post was not actually signed – especially as I went to the launch do at the French Housr & could have picked one up.
Thanks for showing how the places look today. Valerie
A fascinating comparison between the paintings and the reality of the area’s features and landmarks now. So glad Doreen has finally got a much-deserved exhibition- the paintings are really interesting- and the way she has depicted light in them changes the mundane views into being both unique, socially important and beautiful. Thank you for sharing.
When I look at these then and now comparisons I can’t really see anything that looks better now than it did then, in fact to me the vast majority of locations look much worse now, but with regard to the paintings themselves what these comparisons do emphasize is the incredible accuracy and realism of the artwork, to my eye some of these paintings are virtually indistinguishable from their photographic alternatives, the fact that this exceptional work has been virtually ignored until it started to appear on Spitalfieldslife says far more to me about the ‘false’ ‘elitest’ ‘snob ridden’ artworld than it dose about the quality of Doreen Fletcher’s incredibly talented work, in fact I would even go so far as to pose the question that if this collection of work had been the subject of anything other than largely anonymous views of East London would it still have been ignored by the art ‘establishment’ in the same way ? ? thankfully due to the efforts of the Spitalfieldslife community this wonderful collection of work will now at least get some degree of the recognition it so richly deserves, ps, I would just like to thank all the people who took the trouble to post comments on yesterdays feature on myself, thank you.
Great post. Love the before and after scenes but it proves that time has it effect upon the urban landscape as different areas are both left to decay and become gentrified.
Infill is my first reaction – empty spaces with new-build shoehorned into them.
Then the small shops closing.
Vanda Human is wrong though – there actually is not that much outright demolition-without-replacement ….
Well done to Alex Pink for documenting so precisely the sites of Doreen Fletcher’s paintings. In some ways the exercise illuminates some of the main differences between photography and painting as different, yet supporting, art forms. The poetry of Doreen’s paintings is even more poignant because the photographs show how very fragile in many cases the human presence in the urban environment can be. Very sad to see how many of the small shops have simply been wiped out, testifying to the growing anonymity of London as an urban environment.
Terrific comparisons. I like the number of trees that have been left to mature; the buildings are gone but Nature is left to add depth and detail.
Is the Limehouse Library surrounded by the blue tarps/fences because it will be demolished?
Hope not!
Wonderful series of amazing paintings featuring a special place in my heart, the East End. Pity so much character lost with regeneration. Struck by how ugly the yellow painted ‘boxes’ on roads are. They go uncommented on usually but road markings and street ‘furniture’ is blight on our society.More about money making businesses than safety!
The paintings so beautifully elevate mundane views. The photographic references serve to emphasise Doreen’s superb talent as a painter and colourist.
What great then and now views. Doreen’s paintings are fab!
I managed to see Doreen Fletcher’s Lost Time Painting’s on the last day of the exhibition and was impressed with the quality of her Art. Her painting’s of the old East End is a record a bygone age that is now largely lost. I was born in the old East East and my Father worked in the Docks so l was eager to buy one of her Paintings but was disappointed to find all the Paintings sold. Congratulations Doreen, a Fantastic exhibition. I’m looking forward to the next one.
Very sad to see so much character lost forever.