London is absolutely gorgeous. It disappoints me the more I live here to hear it reduced to an international metropolitan hub. The title strips the city of its humanity and culture. Westminster area is noted for its beauty while the rest of the city is reduced to urban sprawl, too many people in not enough space. While Saint Paul’s is certainly impressive, the richness of the city doesn’t lie in the age old tourist attractions. Whether it’s the lovingly cared for fabrics of the outdoor cushions at the Lebanese cafe around the corner or the hand stitched jackets the punk’s wear at the Devonshire Arms, the sights of London aren’t always noted in the guidebook.
Art lives as buildings and neighborhoods as every turn takes you into a new era of the city. Old architecture not only holds its own against the new glass skyscrapers, but both styles further emphasize the eclectic character of London. On Kensington High Street, a 900 year old church is caty corner from a Pret a Manger. Though some see it as capitalism, it still works. Every neighborhood and borough reminds you of what it was while being up to date with the needs of a bustling modern city (except keeping late business hours).
I laugh as I write this for my living room window overlooks a dingy concrete parking garage, pointed out by many tour guides for its ugliness. The Sainsbury’s car park, however is home to a few of the punks of Camden. Here they find shelter from the rain and wind to parade their style and practice skateboarding tricks where the streets aren’t so crowded. So even where the city is at its worst, the inhabitants reflect the London style of art . The tube isn’t filled with neutral colors and trench coats. When it rains, black umbrellas don’t cover the sky. Against the background of a grey sky, Londoners stand out. The city has made the culture and the inhabitants its beauty, not pastel buildings.