2006-10-05T08:38:00.000-07:00

The BBC weather news promised a clear morning for which I have scheduled my drift in Elephant & Castle. Against my expectations I had to cycle through a very British morning shower and started the journey from my university after locking my bike at my favourite spot. I knew that I needed to get lost and the early start was part of the project. I have planned to view the space with no other influence but my approach and a coffee. I felt awake but was hypnotised by the massive constructions of concrete and followed my instincts.

The people I came across around and within the blocks underlined the appearance of the scene. The grey morning did not seem to be in anyone’s favour, faces where cold and tired. I looked at the people and they looked at me. Regardless of what nationality and age, the people that crossed my path greeted me and I responded in the same manner. I heard many dodgy stories about this area and I would not want to be on some of those places at night, but I was comfortable at all times.

“You can get a nice view here.” The young black feller told me, who came down the stairs behind me while I was taking the picture above. I agreed and we exchanged a few more sentences as he continued going further down the stairs and me setting the focal length for this shot. I cannot remember how he looks like and neither did I want to take a picture of him to be able to. I was here for the city and its space.

After seeing this door, which I suppose is for a household I decided to go back down into the streets. This is on the top floor and I enjoyed walking through the blocks. The different doors and their windows told many stories and I read enough of them. I looked down and tried to find my next shot.

The following photo is me already getting lost. I was not sure if I was in Elephant and Castle still and headed west to get definitely back into it. I saw this little park with a rather dark playground. I climbed on the wooden pyramid and almost slipped on the moss, what does it do here? Further inside was a bigger and closed facility for kids to play under supervision of people working there. I was probably to early, no kids. Imagining kids playing there didn’t seem right either, the condition was not welcoming.

I was not sure where I was or what time it is. The sun started showing up and turned my grey hooded sweater into access luggage. Now I wanted to get back and tried orientating myself on bits of landscapes I saw at the end of the streets. The railway bridge was my ticket back and followed it walking away from the sunlight.

Under the railway bridge space was fully used. Between the pillars where not just storage spaces, within was a catering kitchen, a bakery and a currier office. Without realizing it I was back on Borough Road, the street where my university is and caught this space invader digging deeper. As I got back the time told me that I was away for 3½ hours. The result where a 144 pictures, a very hungry me and some new perspectives of Elephant and Castle.

the Drift