A fascinating collection of photographic prints of Covent Garden Market captured in 1972 by Photographer Nigel Dicker are now available on CultureLabel. Nick Breeze of ArtGal writes more here on how they came about…
Ask anyone who remembers the Old Covent Garden Market to tell you what it was like and the response will always be one of nostalgic tenderness. The days when barrows bounced over the cobbles, the early hours of every working day bristling with humour and activity, and the characters that occupied the market etching their presence into the local environment.
Nigel Dicker was on the scene in 1972 & 73 with an office off on Rose Street. Around the corner the hustle and bustle also played host to Michael Palin who has his office there to this day. Nigel Dicker recorded a collection of nearly 300 black & white and colour photographs of the old market as it was functioning.
A selection of works were shown at the Modern Works on Paper art show at the Royal Academy of Arts where the response was moving on more than one level. The early 70s had its own aesthetic that is of interest alone. However, the most interesting responses came from Londoners who recognised the locations and time, remembering what Covent Garden used to be.
As with all historic sites, especially in London, change is inevitable and we often find our emotional ties with past become obscured. The opportunity here is to present a clear link with the history of Covent Garden that is powerfully reassuring.
The importance of Dicker’s work as a record of those days is now coming more into focus. Covent Garden is famous as a landmark but communication with the true nature of its past offers the visitor a deeper and fonder insight that is ultimately enriching.
These prints make a perfect Father’s Day gift for any ‘London Lad’ Dad who would enjoy a good old trip down memory lane. The prints come in two sizes – c £45/£95 and the full collection is available through ArtGal on CultureLabel
