Site Search: Ridley Road Market, Dalston

I have recorded sound and video at a new location in Dalston, East London.  The marketplace on Ridley Road becomes deserted after closing, but with the skeletons of the stalls and remnants of activity left behind.  This long exposure of a secluded corner of the market reveals the subtle movement of plastic sheeting and empty ropes which move in the breeze blowing through the exposed structures.  The remnants and movement combined with the apparent desertion create a similar eerie aesthetic to that achieved by Fiennes. Revealed by a lack of people and merchandise, the makeshift structures also divulge the relative poverty which surrounds this area.

  
One stall in particular has an intriguing method of display, using ropes hanging from the structure above to suspend clothing on coat hangers and bust forms.  The majority of them are suspended at the same height, creating a recognisable 'shop' format with aisle spaces in between, but due to their suspension the items move unexpectedly in the breeze.

At night, the stall spaces become stranger still - empty ropes hanging like nooses.  Without the weight of the products they move even more and often blend into the darkness until they catch the breeze or brush against you as you walk through.