Christian Adofo

I was born in Park Royal in west London. My parents had come from Jamaica in the late ’60s: my dad worked at Heinz and my mother worked at Central Middlesex Hospital. As the youngest child in a large family, I became interested in art quite early on. Creating images was a way of creating space. I had these almost romantic ideas about life through drawing and painting. When I was growing up in the ’70s, black barber shops weren’t on the high street. I went to get my hair cut in people’s homes. I would watch the elders play dominoes, drink Carlsberg and talk about a place I had never known called Jamaica. I found that the barber shop was an informal university, and I started cutting hair whilst I was studying for my art BA. I soon found myself living in two different worlds. I spent weekends working in a barber shop in Harlesden talking about the issues of the day in a completely male environment. During the week, I was at the Royal College of Art or Central Saint Martins, talking about Foucault, Derrida and Freud. It became very complex, having to wear these two hats. ‘The barber shop was a place to source stories from the community’ Fast forward a few more years and I had raised enough money to purchase my own barber shop: Faisal Barbers on Harlesden High Street. It was a business, but some of the stories I was hearing were so current and relevant to my own experiences and I began to use them in my work. I’m now a professor of art in the US, but when I’m back home, I still cu

If you remember the 2012 Olympics, you’ll remember the sun (yes, that yellow circle in the sky), everyone smiling on the tube for two weeks and keeping the equestrianism open in a background tab at work. You may also recall politicians attempting to break the world record for uttering the word ‘legacy’, referring to what the games would leave behind for future generations of Londoners. We’ve already got a shiny Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, and now we’re finally seeing another bit of the post-2012 plan click into place. The Mayor of London’s office has just granted planning permission for four key educational and cultural buildings for the East Bank scheme in the Olympic Park. They will be new outposts for the Sadler’s Wells dance theatre, the V&A, the BBC and the London College of Fashion – and the plans look pretty fabulous. The East Bank is not due to be fully open for a while – it’ll be at least 2022 by the time most of it is welcoming visitors – but the site will eventually have a bigger footprint than Tate Modern. When it comes to culture, Stratford could soon rival its Shakespearean namesake. Love London? Sign up here to get Time Out tips in your inbox every week.

You’ve heard the tale. Independent business owners move into an affordable location. Business thrives, along with others nearby. Landlord hikes the rent and rates go up. Business owner goes back to square one. That’s the usual story of gloom for areas in the grip of gentrification in London – and it’s what looked like happening when Network Rail sold off a bunch of railway arches to private owners last year. Yet this time there’s a plot twist, with a group of property tenants called Guardians of the Arches joining forces to fight back against the threat of rising rents. A crop of businesses – including mechanics, café owners and specialist food sellers (to name a few) – are joining forces to transform their east London-based campaign group into the country’s biggest commercial tenants association. With communities falling down like dominoes in the capital, let’s hope this is a boost for the diversity of local businesses in London. If you’re down to help the Guardians unite in their landmark fight, support their crowdfunder now – and help make sure London’s railway arches can nurture the next generation of great independent traders. Love London? Sign up here to get Time Out tips in your inbox every week.

It seems that fast food outlets in the capital are fully grasping the power of the plant-based pound. The latest evidence of this is KFC’s new vegan ‘chicken’ burger. The Colonel and co have taken their original recipe fillet burger and replaced the chicken element with a deep-fried vegan Quorn burger, which arrives in a bun alongside fresh iceberg lettuce and creamy non-dairy mayo, plus their famous secret blend of herbs and spices.  ‘The Imposter’ patty came about following a petition signed by 12,000 people, which begged Kentucky’s finest to get in on the cruelty-free fun. You’ll find this new concoction on the menu at KFC’s Gloucester Road branch from Monday June 17, for a four-week trial run. Give it a try and let us know if it gets the finger-lickin’ thumbs up! After plant-based patties? Check out our guide to London’s best vegan burgers here.

Inspired by 1950s Americana and/or named after an Elbow song, Fugitive Motel is all-day café-bar that’s opening this Friday (June 7) and bringing coffee, beer and sourdough pizza to the good folk of Bethnal Green. Quite what is fugitive about it isn’t totally clear (also, it’s not actually a – you know – motel), but the look is Truman-era kitsch: mid-century pastel colours, a Miami-style terrazzo bar counter and an abundance of plants and greenery. There’s space for 140 creative types to get tomato sauce smeared on their MacBook Pros, and beer-lovers are well catered for, with 14 lines offering low-alcohol, no-alcohol and full-fat brews on the same menu. So, no excuse not keep totally focused on your next project, people. If you manage to escape from your personal workplace chaingang on Friday, head down there and get a free tipple to celebrate the opening between 5pm and 9pm. Fugitive Motel is at 199 Cambridge Heath Rd, E2 0EU. Opens Fri Jun 7. Are you a crafty beer-lover? Try London’s best craft beer bars and pubs.    

The second instalment of All Points East festival resumes in Victoria Park this weekend. Weekend two returns with Run The Jewels, Mumford & Sons and Bon Iver headlining. To save you all those squabbles about what time to meet and go in, we’ve put together a list of the ever-elusive APE stage times:   STAGE TIMES FRI MAY 31 2019 East Stage 21.00-23.00 BRING ME THE HORIZON 19.30-20.15 RUN THE JEWELS 18.05-18.50 NOTHING BUT THIEVES 16.55-17.30 IDLES 15.50-16.20 ALICE GLASS 14.50-15.20 SCARLXRD   North Stage 20.00-20.55  ARCHITECTS 18.50-19.30  WHILE SHE SLEEPS 17.30-18.05 SLEEPING WITH SIRENS 16.30-17.00  YONAKA 15.20-15.50  EMPLOYED TO SERVE 14.20-14.50  LOTUS EATER   Firestone 19.30-19.55  HAPPYALONE 18.20-18.50  VUKOVI 17.00-17.20  BLACK FUTURES 15.55-16.15  PENGSHUI 14.55-15.15  TILLIE   Jagerhaus 20.30-21.10  HEALTH 19.30-20.00  CROWS 18.30-19.00  LADY BIRD 17.30-18.00  GIRLI 16.30-17.00  SQUID 15.30-16.00  HEAVY LUNGS 14.30-15.00  TALK SHOW 14.00-14.30  DIY DJS   STAGE TIMES SAT JUN 1 2019 East Stage 21.15-22.55  MUMFORD & SONS 19.30-20.30  DIZZEE RASCAL 18.15-19.00  THE VACCINES 17.00-17.45  SAM FENDER 15.45-16.25  JADE BIRD 14.45-15.15  TBC 13.45-14.15  GRETTA RAY   North Stage 20.10-21.10  LEON BRIDGES 18.30-19.30  DERMOT KENNEDY 17.10-18.00  VILLAGERS 16.00-16.40  THE STAVES 15.00-15.30  MARIKA HACKMAN 14.00-14.30  DIZZY   Firestone 19.30-20.00  TBC 18.00-18.25  ALAN POWER 16.45-17.10  DELILAH MONTAGU 15.35-16.05  HYYTS   Jagerhaus 20.20-21.05 HOLLIE COOK 19.00-19.3

All Points East festival pitches up in Victoria Park this weekend. After a successful launch last year, this series of standalone gigs is back for another summer. The fest kicks off with The Chemical Brothers, The Strokes and Christine And The Queens headlining this week. To save you the squabbles of what time to meet and enter (we did this already via WhatsApp, prior to receiving the press release), we've put together a list of the ever-elusive APE stage times for weekend one:   STAGE TIMES FRIDAY 24TH MAY 2019 East Stage 21:15-22:55 The Chemical Brothers 19:20-20:20  Hot Chip 18:05-18:50 Little Dragon 16:55-17:40 Danny Brown 16:00-16:30  Little Simz 15:05-15:35  Petite Noir   North Stage 20:05-21:05 Primal Scream 18:50-19:35 Róisín Murphy 17:35-18:20 Kate Tempest 16:30-17:05 Steve Mason 15:30-16:00 Ibibio Sound Machine 14:30-15:00  Jadu Heart   West Stage 20:00-21:00 Jon Hopkins (Live) 18:40-19:30 Spiritualized 17:20-18:10 David August 15:50-16:50 Lane 8 14:40-15:25 Elder Island   X Stage 21:00-22:30 Optimo 19:30-21:00 Peggy Gou 18:00-19:30 Josey Rebelle 16:30-18:00 Maurice Fulton 15:30-16:30 DMX Krew (Live) 14:00-15:30 GE-OLOGY   Firestone 18:20-18:50  Kelvyn Colt 17:05-17:30  TBC 16:00-16:25  Louis VI 15:00-15:30  Alice D   Jagerhaus  20:00-20:45 Gold Panda 19:20-20:00  Nick Williams 18:40-19:20  Gabe Gurnsey (Live) 18:00-18:40  Nick Williams 17:00-18:00 Zdot Sound System w/Eyez, Capo Lee, Alika, Jafaris & Isaiah Dreads 16:00-17:00  2Fox (DJ Set) 15:30-16:00  Dirty F

Pawlitics. It may drive you Barking Mad but Today is Polling Day for European Elections across the capital with voters awkwardly dusting off dormant orienteering skills (or smartphones) to locate that church hall they've walked past copious times. More importantly, it coincides with our annual pastime for Pedigrees tied outside popup polling stations as their owners scribble in booths a la Eminem's Stan video.  Alas, we've chosen some of the best looking cuddly chums across London today. If you're having a r-woof (I'm sorry) day. Take a paws fur a minute (or poo) and appreciate these fine canines.     View this post on Instagram Important message from Luna: don't forget to vote today! Londoners have until 10pm. #VoteLabour 🌹 #EUelections2019 🇪🇺 #DogsAtPollingStations 🐕 A post shared by Sadiq Khan (@sadiq) on May 23, 2019 at 4:32am PDT View this post on Instagram Have you got your vote in yet? ☑️😇🐾🐾 • • • #dogsatpollingstations #dogsatpollingstations2019 #europeanelections #europeanelections2019 #dogsofinstagram #sausagedog #monty A post shared by Monty the Miniature Dachshund (@montyminidachshund) on May 23, 2019 at 4:48am PDT View this post on Instagram Vote Dachshund! #dogsatpollingstations #minidachshund #sausagedog #dogsofinstagram #popsiedoxie #sausagedogcentral #dachshundlove #londondogs #wienerdog #miniaturedachshund #doxiesofinstagram #doxielove #teckel #weinerdog #ダックス #dachs

As Chelsea Flower Show kicks into action, London is in full bloom and under the spell of mass wisteria. But if you weren’t speedy enough to get a ticket, plan(t) your weekend and see(d) some of these fabulous floral displays spread across the capital instead. The Ivy Chelsea Garden View this post on Instagram The latest floral explosion at the Ivy Chelsea Garden 🌸 Who else is excited for the Chelsea Flower Show next week? @ivychelsgarden @earlyhoursltd #thisislondon A post shared by Meandering Macaron (@meanderingmacaron) on May 13, 2019 at 7:21am PDT Inspired by the flower show’s Back To Nature theme, the Ivy Chelsea Garden has transformed this spot on the King’s Road into a wildflower-inspired installation. It features a blossoming abundance of flowers, incorporates seasonal pastel tones of yellows, soft pinks, light blues and lilacs, and is interspersed with green foliage. If you’re a bit green-fingered, help yourself to wild flower seeds in the display and spread the trail of wild flowers across the capital. 📍 The Ivy Chelsea Garden. Sloane Square tube. Until July 28. Free.  Mayfair Flower Show at Sketch View this post on Instagram 🌸💐🌹🌼 Just when you thought @sketchlondon couldn’t get any more instagrammable then it already is. Add an array of London’s best florists, a touch of creative flair, a floral fix and et voila... 🌼🌸💐🌹 . . It was lovely to hear from Sketch owner Mourad, who

The capital is famous for its green spaces, with Regent’s and Hyde Parks regarded as quintessential verdant features of the city. However, in the last few years there’s been a boom in planting on high-rise buildings, and now London has 371 acres of rooftop garden space. That’s bigger than Hyde Park – and beats vertigo-defying veterans Tokyo and Singapore, according to the European Federation of Green Roof and Wall Associations (EFB).  The trend has been driven by architects, planners and developers who are looking to the skies to provide open space and help combat that old nemesis climate change. Developers using roof gardens as a marketing tool is on the rise with, for example, new-builds at Islington Square and the aptly named Battersea Roof Gardens benefiting. The latter boasts a 1,200-foot-long roof garden designed by James Corner, the landscaper behind New York’s linear park, the High Line. Dusty Gedge, president of the EFB, says: ‘While there is a degree of evidence that green roofs can remove particulates associated with air pollution, it’s the space they provide for people that is more important. Buildings make up the majority of a city’s footprint.’ He adds: ‘These buildings should be the perfect platform for parks, gardens and unofficial nature reserves. In this way, people and wildlife have access to greenery. And where there is greenery, the air is likely to be fresher.’ Looks like London is on its way to living the green dream. Keen for more leafy rooftops? Check

Whether you have a sweet tooth or your taste buds have deserted you, it’s good news that Whisk will be back on the London dining scene. After a successful pop-up in Bethnal Green last year, it’s going to be in Islington from May 14, catering for those who like to go large with their last course. Top pastry chef Simon Jenkins and dessert-loving entrepreneur Randon Burns have created a fantastic three-course menu for the 2019 Whisk, featuring popular staple ‘avocado and white chocolate mousse, torched sweetcorn, chai chilli dressing, caramel cocoa nibs’ as well as a new seasonal surprise of ‘roasted rhubarb, vanilla crumble, deep-fried ginger, custard espuma and lemon verbena ice cream’. Their aim is to ‘redefine dessert’ and the menu will change over the course of the pop-up to incorporate Britain’s seasonal produce. Go on, treat yo self. Whisk is at Islington’s Angel Central shopping centre from Tue May 14 to August 3, Tue-Sat 5pm-11pm. Craving sweet stuff before bed? Try one of London’s best late-night ice-cream joints.   

If you’ve been residing under a rock or in ‘Game of Thrones’ exile for the past month, you might have missed that fact that London has been the focal point for the fight against climate change thanks to the Extinction Rebellion protesters. And those green, environment-loving vibes are set to continue into the summer. Brent Council is getting ready to plant seven miles of wildflowers to help London’s dwindling bee population.  A recent study has shown that more than 97 percent of the UK’s wildflower meadows have disappeared since World War II. To counter the effects of this floral decline, Brent Council in north London is sowing 22 wildflower meadows in the borough’s parks and open spaces. The council is ploughing plots that have been picked as meadow areas and, once the ground is ready, seeds including ragged robin, cowslip and common poppy are to be sown to encourage more visits from pollinating insects (and brighten up the place nicely, too.) ‘Bees and other insects are so important for pollinating the crops that provide the food that we eat,’ Krupa Sheth, the council’s lead member for the environment said. ‘We must do all we can to help them to thrive. I’m proud of Brent’s commitment to boost biodiversity in the borough.’ The wildflower meadows will be in full bloom in just a few months time. Don’t stop bee-lieving! Want to do more nature spotting in the city? Here’s where to find wildlife in London all year-round. Prefer to break free from the capital? Plan your wild esca