Writing about Margate – the past’s influence on the future
Margate seafront. Photo: Andy Malt
Iain Aitch was born in Margate and discovered his love of books in the local library, where his mum was the cleaner. He has long been the go-to chronicler and natural biographer of Margate and its people, working with mods, rockers, beauty queens, fairground workers and refugees to create a body of work on the town that has graced the best of the UK press, books and the walls of the Turner.
He was Turner’s artist-in-residence as it opened, with his exhibition on working class creativity and subcultures showing alongside Warhol, Banksy, Emin and Turner himself. He also recreated the demolished Ship Inn inside Turner, resulting in the first and last time the gallery was drunk dry, as middle-aged skinheads cavorted with Rodin’s The Kiss.
Part of our Write Up programme on 4 October, his Writing Margate workshop will draw from his work on Margate’s cultural history and ever-changing face, giving experienced and beginner writers alike the impetus and inspiration to interpret the town in new ways. His work is inspired by the backstreets, dark tales and characters that make up the town as much as it is by the neon, sand and sunsets.
We caught up with Iain to find out more about how Margate has inspired him and what to expect from his workshop.
Iain Aitch
How has your work been shaped by Margate?
I was born in Margate and lived there in my formative years, leaving at 18. I still return regularly to visit my mum and also to undertake various creative projects.
The boarded up entrance to the Winter Gardens. Photo: Andy Malt
What do you think makes Margate so fascinating?
I think it's place on the far eastern edge of the country and that’s always made it something of a frontier town, where the usual rules don't apply. Its proximity to London and reputation as a Bank Holiday staple has also made it an early adopter of fashion and cultural trends, usually making them Margate's own.
What's the most surprising thing you've discovered while researching Margate?
When undertaking my work with Turner for my Cachet exhibition as part of their Nothing in the World But Youth show I interviewed two now middle aged men who independently described a fight they'd had over a bank holiday. I mean, that's probably the most publishable unusual thing. There are plenty more.
Margate Old Town. Photo: Andy Malt
What can people expect from your sessions at Margate Bookie?
I will talk about writing about place, and specifically about Margate. Why the past of a place that always had its eye on the future is important, why we should talk about class and gentrification and why no one ever told us locals that the Michael Craig Martin neon installation that used to sit above the library entrance (and a copy now sits in the Turner gallery) was a piece of art and not just a sign for the library. There will be some discussion, the odd exercise and hopefully a sense that people feel better able to write about the place.
Join Iain for his Writing Margate workshop at the Margate School on Saturday, 4 October. Places are £12. Book now.