Sound recordings of twenty-one East London makers at work
A project conceived, recorded and illustrated by Dominic Wilcox
Commissioned by CREATE 2012
‘Sounds of Making in East London’ is a 10″ vinyl record that celebrates the act of making. An unusually high number of skilled makers live and work in East London – twenty-one of whom feature on this record. The record, itself cut in Hackney, captures a diverse range of unique sounds including the clatter of lyric poet John Hegley’s typewriter, the chopping of garlic in a Michelin star restaurant, the tap of rock ‘n’ roll cobbler Terry de Havilland’s hammer and the sound of a bell being tuned in Britains oldest manufacturer. Other makers include Alex Noble – designer of many of Lady Gaga’s outfits, Beigel Bake – a 24-hour beigel shop on Brick Lane and artist Barnaby Barford.
The record sleeve was also designed and hand drawn by Dominic Wilcox and captures all of the makers involved in the project. Each vinyl record includes an MP3 digital download code. This website includes audio interviews with a selection of the makers. The accompanying photography, taken by Wilcox during sound recording sessions, provides a visual insight into each of the maker’s workplaces.
This project was commissioned by CREATE as part of their 2012 commissioning programme presenting twelve major new projects and special events across east London this summer. CREATE commissioned online retailer Thorsten van Elten to work with five designers to create well-considered souvenirs made in the UK, that draw on the heritage of East London. The collection aims to be a desirable antidote to the overly-commercial, tacky souvenirs on sale across London this summer.
