Moving MarketPlaces: The Open University collaborating on exhibition at Walthamstow Market (East London)

By Gunvor Jónsson

Over the last three years sociologists Gunvor Jónsson and Sophie Watson at The Open University have been investigating how market traders in England produce inclusive public spaces. Their research is part a larger European project called Moving Marketplaces, with teams in the UK, Spain, Switzerland and the Netherlands.

The team at The Open University organised a public exhibition at Walthamstow Market with two talented street photographers, Lourice Ramos and Lloyd Ramos. Together they ran a pop-up stall on Saturday 25th - Sunday 26th June at Walthamstow Town Square (near Walthamstow Central Station, outside the mall). The exhibition highlights the important work being done by market traders, providing good value products and enhancing the life of the community.

Gunvor Jónsson first came across Lloyd Ramos’ photographs one day while doing ethnographic fieldwork at Walthamstow Market. She was strolling through the market with one of the market inspectors, who suggested that they enter an Asian grocery store located by the market. Right at the back of the store was an exhibition of Lloyd’s stunning photographs of the market and the surrounding neighbourhood. Gunvor and Sophie later met up with Lloyd and his sister Lourice, who over the past several years have both been making artwork and taking pictures featuring the market. Their parents came to the UK from the Philippines and set up the first Asian grocery store on the high street, where the market is located. Lourice and Lloyd spent much of their childhood in the shop and surrounded by the market traders. The decision to collaborate on the exhibition came about out of a shared desire to create more awareness about the market and to support the local traders. Waltham Forest Council agreed to support the project by offering a free pitch for a pop-up market stall to display the exhibition.

The four collaborators co-authored a book about Walthamstow Market, featuring a chapter on the history of the market, followed by interviews with a dozen of the hundreds of traders who work at the market, alongside their portraits and a map indicating where to find their stalls. Walthamstow Market is the longest street market in Europe and dates back to around 1885.