citylikeyou — Parks — London by Polly Brown

London / Park

London has great green spaces. There are large royal parks and small public gardens, hidden allotments and roof terraces. Each one has its own identity and characteristics and everyone has their favourite. In summer they become extensions of people homes, you see girls sunbathing from 9 am and the endless picnics mean you can eat 3 meals a day in the park. My favourites - St James Piccadilly Gardens, Hyde Park, Barbican Conservatory.

Address
Parks, London, United Kingdom

Artist Photographer

Current city: London

pollybrown.info

Polly Brown is a London based artist, and photographer. Having graduated from Central St Martins in 2009, after studying Fine Art & Conceptual Theory, Polly has worked throughout the art, fashion and music industry, creating concept lead visual projects. Polly’s work often looks at the small unnoticed aspects of life and the world around us. Unpicking and re focusing on the small elements that make up a greater whole. Projects range from editorial, photo essays to short films. Clients have included ICA, Dazed and Confused, Kris Van Assche and DIESEL to name a few. Polly has an ongoing project called PLANTS which sees her photograph iconic brands office foliage. Originally commissioned by Ronnie’s Woods Whisper Gallery the project includes some of the worlds largest corporations and is ever expanding.

More Places in London 471

London / Museum

Get on the list for tickets and surprise someone who will appreciate the 'village of books' upstairs in particular.

London / Shop

Present is a menswear shop with an award-wining espresso stand inside. They also stock books, cool magazines I’ve never heard of, and random things like soap and tins of shoe polish. I like to buy bags here.

London / Area

Although freedom of speech is a human right in most civilised countries, Speakers’ Corner has been described as one of the few places in the world where anyone can just climb on a ‘soapbox’ and speak their minds on any subject as long as the police considers it lawful – and almost be guaranteed an audience. It has been like this ever since this area of London’s Hyde Park was the site of Tyburn gallows, where public executions took place between 1196 and 1783, and the condemned were allowed to speak before being hanged. Over the centuries, Speakers’ Corner has been the site of riots, demonstrations, public meetings of groups – such as the communists – that weren’t allowed to gather anywhere else, and was frequented by Marx, Lenin, George Orwell and many other historic figures. While today it is mainly the scene of eccentrics, religious fanatics and oddballs of all kinds, several prominent speakers such as Heiko Khoo and Jonathan Fitter keep the tradition of meaningful discussions around political and social themes alive. Religion has been debated in Hyde Park since the right to meet and speak freely was formally established in 1872. Today it’s the dominant topic by far, with religious speakers and preachers drawing the biggest crowds and clearly outnumbering the political meetings. I have been documenting the people gathering here every Sunday since 2012.

London / Architecture

2 Willow Road designed by Ernő Goldfinger and completed in 1939. It has been managed by the National Trust and is open to the public. Goldfinger lived here with his wife and their children until his death in 1987.

London / Restaurant

Lots of traditional charming country pubs around the area, but it can a bit hit and miss. A really friendly one with amazing food (and a unusually large veggie selection…) is the Beehive in Epping Green; close to the Great Wood. It's friendly enough you dare going there by yourself with the paper and are not at the mercy of local rubbernecks ("the rubberneck" = person who stares at strangers without any sign of guilt)