A day of contrasts
Apr. 24th, 2007 09:58 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gordonzolaSometimes themes appear by accident. The Friday before I came home was my day of contrasts. How else to describe a day filled with going to the Imperial War Museum, an anarchist info shop, and Harrods?
I resisted the idea of the Imperial War Museum because of the name. I probably should have listened to my instincts. Most of the museum is made up of war-glorifying propaganda and de-fanged killing machines. The exhibit on intelligence gathering is full of corny videos and display cases eliding Nazi propaganda with "Communist-controlled" union rallies.
However, the reason I went was for the special exhibit on camouflage. Did you know that the use of camouflage patterns came from Cubist-inspired French infantrymen experimenting in the field of battle? Or that during WWII the Allies painted all their ships with crazy patterns to confuse the German submarines? Well, me neither. The exhibit wasn't long on theory, I would have loved to know more about whether more well-known Cubists knew of this and what their thoughts would have been, but those tidbits were worth the trip. They also had a whole Public Enemy S1W outfit as an example of "modern uses" of camouflage.
From there I walked to the anarchist info shop. Info-shops are anarchist community centers and almost every big city has one. While there are often some CDs, books, and zines to buy, the main purpose info shops serve are as a community center and a place to hang out for free. Flyers adorn the walls, there are often libraries and they are open to, if somewhat wary of travelers. This one was much like every other info shop in the world except that it also had a food co-op attached to it.
Happily, it was open. When I did some traveling back in the early '90s, especially in Eastern Europe, for many of the places we visited we only had an info shop address to connect with the local goings on. This was about a 50:50 proposition. If the info shop still existed, it was often locked. Those were also the days of frequent street battles between anti-fascist radicals and skinheads so there was an element of suspicion and fear in standing outside or trying to get into one. I don't recall what country it was but after searching for an address and climbing up stairs of a deserted, un-windowed building I thought we had finally found the right door… and then the lights went off, leaving us in pitch black. I really thought I was going to get attacked or mugged. But nothing happened. Eventually we worked our way back to the entrance and it turned out the lights were just on a timer that needed to be reset.
At this London one, I resisted buying CDs by The Ex and just picked up a couple of zines on London radical history. Otherwise what happens in an info shop stays in the infoshop.
From there I rode the Tube to Knightsbridge. Now, as any good American political punk of my generation would, I can't help hearing Clash lyrics as I walk around London. Police sirens remind me of "White Riot", The Hammersmith and City Tube line makes me hear "White Man in Hammersmith Palais", I even get that stupid "This is England" song from the Fake Clash in my head. The stop for Harrods was no exception, the line from "1977", "Ain't so lucky to be rich/ sten guns in Knightsbridge" played on an endless loop in my head.
When I walked in I realized I had confused Harrods with Marks and Spencers which, while still overpriced, is not quite so extreme. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to figure out where that was so I was committed. Harrods, which bills itself as "The World's Most Famous Department Store" is fancy-fancy. There's a doorman, of course, but that's only the beginning. It's opulent, if not actually exclusive. Plenty of tourists like me were there buying overpriced presents for relatives. Still it was upper-crusty enough that I was clocked by the undercover security as soon as I walked in and followed around the chocolate department until I made my purchases.
I felt like I finally understood why the IRA bombed this place in the '80s. But hey, my Mom likes her marzipan.
I resisted the idea of the Imperial War Museum because of the name. I probably should have listened to my instincts. Most of the museum is made up of war-glorifying propaganda and de-fanged killing machines. The exhibit on intelligence gathering is full of corny videos and display cases eliding Nazi propaganda with "Communist-controlled" union rallies.
However, the reason I went was for the special exhibit on camouflage. Did you know that the use of camouflage patterns came from Cubist-inspired French infantrymen experimenting in the field of battle? Or that during WWII the Allies painted all their ships with crazy patterns to confuse the German submarines? Well, me neither. The exhibit wasn't long on theory, I would have loved to know more about whether more well-known Cubists knew of this and what their thoughts would have been, but those tidbits were worth the trip. They also had a whole Public Enemy S1W outfit as an example of "modern uses" of camouflage.
From there I walked to the anarchist info shop. Info-shops are anarchist community centers and almost every big city has one. While there are often some CDs, books, and zines to buy, the main purpose info shops serve are as a community center and a place to hang out for free. Flyers adorn the walls, there are often libraries and they are open to, if somewhat wary of travelers. This one was much like every other info shop in the world except that it also had a food co-op attached to it.
Happily, it was open. When I did some traveling back in the early '90s, especially in Eastern Europe, for many of the places we visited we only had an info shop address to connect with the local goings on. This was about a 50:50 proposition. If the info shop still existed, it was often locked. Those were also the days of frequent street battles between anti-fascist radicals and skinheads so there was an element of suspicion and fear in standing outside or trying to get into one. I don't recall what country it was but after searching for an address and climbing up stairs of a deserted, un-windowed building I thought we had finally found the right door… and then the lights went off, leaving us in pitch black. I really thought I was going to get attacked or mugged. But nothing happened. Eventually we worked our way back to the entrance and it turned out the lights were just on a timer that needed to be reset.
At this London one, I resisted buying CDs by The Ex and just picked up a couple of zines on London radical history. Otherwise what happens in an info shop stays in the infoshop.
From there I rode the Tube to Knightsbridge. Now, as any good American political punk of my generation would, I can't help hearing Clash lyrics as I walk around London. Police sirens remind me of "White Riot", The Hammersmith and City Tube line makes me hear "White Man in Hammersmith Palais", I even get that stupid "This is England" song from the Fake Clash in my head. The stop for Harrods was no exception, the line from "1977", "Ain't so lucky to be rich/ sten guns in Knightsbridge" played on an endless loop in my head.
When I walked in I realized I had confused Harrods with Marks and Spencers which, while still overpriced, is not quite so extreme. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to figure out where that was so I was committed. Harrods, which bills itself as "The World's Most Famous Department Store" is fancy-fancy. There's a doorman, of course, but that's only the beginning. It's opulent, if not actually exclusive. Plenty of tourists like me were there buying overpriced presents for relatives. Still it was upper-crusty enough that I was clocked by the undercover security as soon as I walked in and followed around the chocolate department until I made my purchases.
I felt like I finally understood why the IRA bombed this place in the '80s. But hey, my Mom likes her marzipan.
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no subject
Date: 2007-04-24 05:01 pm (UTC)(By the way, I like that the infoshop has a map room.)
When I was in London (in the summer of 1990--- eek!) the sound of the tube trains was like "clunk clunk... clunk-clunk") and it got the Ramones song "Beat On the Brats" in my head all day, every day, for the duration of my time there.
no subject
Date: 2007-04-24 05:05 pm (UTC)as for the infoshop... well, this is an non-locked entry. I'd share with other anarchists. ;)
no subject
Date: 2007-04-24 05:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-24 06:08 pm (UTC)but even the ones that are leased are valuable, theoretically at least. but it seems like you subscibe to that misunderstanding of anarchism that organization is against anarchist prinicples. the opposite is true. Agreement and organization based on equality is kinda the point. Managing an info shop is simply not that hard.
My critique of infoshops is that they are limited by their historical base in punk culture, but the idea that maintaining a community center for political purposes is hypocrisy is kind of absurd.
no subject
Date: 2007-04-24 06:46 pm (UTC)to wit, if the end goal is not, you know, anarchy, then why call the movement anarchism? of course, i understand anarchism to be an umbrella term for any number of ad-hoc movements whose adversary is an entrenched power structure ("the man"). some movements (socialist workers movements) are better organized than others (various college campus pro-intifada movements, queer greens for trancendental veganism, etc).
down with umbrellas--- get wet!
Date: 2007-04-24 07:11 pm (UTC)Re: down with umbrellas--- get wet!
Date: 2007-04-24 07:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-24 07:12 pm (UTC)It's not anarchist if it doesn't seek to level heirarchy and make the state irrelevent, but different folks can have different theories on how that works. Making a tactical decision to pay rent, as some groups may decide to do, does nothing to nullify that.
no subject
Date: 2007-04-24 07:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-24 05:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-24 06:48 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-24 09:49 pm (UTC)http://www.shermantank.co.uk/history.ikml
no subject
Date: 2007-04-24 05:53 pm (UTC)I've only been London once, and was, uncharacteristically for me at the time, drunk or severly hungover the entire weekend on Lamb's Navy Rum purchased by me and two other seventeen year olds at the duty free on the ferry on the way over. I regret that I remember virtually nothing about it other than the ground feeling like it was rolling and swaying a lot of the time. And a nasty nasty storm on the way back to Zeebrugge that sank some other ship.
no subject
Date: 2007-04-24 06:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-24 06:10 pm (UTC)http://www.thehorsehospital.com/archives/000086.html?page=all
no subject
Date: 2007-04-24 06:50 pm (UTC)Dazzle ships
Date: 2007-04-24 11:15 pm (UTC)painting (1919): http://cybermuse.gallery.ca/cybermuse/search/artwork_e.jsp?mkey=5487
I love the Horse Hospital too! Great venue in an amazing space.
no subject
Date: 2007-04-24 06:31 pm (UTC)I will download your pictures as soon as I have a recharged camera battery to do so.
SG misses you! (OK, she doesn't but I do)
no subject
Date: 2007-04-24 06:51 pm (UTC)and I miss you all but am comforted by the fact you'll be in Sac relatively soon.
Perhaps an overly personal question.
Date: 2007-04-24 06:35 pm (UTC)Sometimes when I read about *specific* bombing incidents, I feel not so bad that they happened. And then I feel guilty, because I don't really hold with killing people, or even with hurting them nonconsensually.
Anyway.
Re: Perhaps an overly personal question.
Date: 2007-04-24 06:36 pm (UTC)Re: Perhaps an overly personal question.
Date: 2007-04-24 06:58 pm (UTC)Re: Perhaps an overly personal question.
Date: 2007-04-24 06:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-24 06:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-24 06:59 pm (UTC)cheese is...kinda a diva!
Date: 2007-04-25 01:23 am (UTC)totally unrelated to your post, but I thought you might dig this
Re: cheese is...kinda a diva!
Date: 2007-04-25 01:25 am (UTC)Re: cheese is...kinda a diva!
Date: 2007-04-25 01:44 am (UTC)