Lewisham Museums of Migration and Neoliberalism

With museums and galleries reopening let's celebrate two small but perfectly formed and radical museums in the borough of Lewisham, with a few photos from pre-lockdown period.

The Migration Museum

The Migration Museum in Lewisham Shopping Centre reopens on 19th May 2021.

 I visited in that brief inter-lockdown window in Summer 2020 and saw The Singh Twins great artwork 'NHS v. Covid 19: fighting on two fronts' showing an 'an Asian nurse on horseback slaying the Covid-19 dragon' while highlighting 'Britain's historical dependency on people of BAME origin' and the 'labour and resources' of the 'colonised and exploited'

Angelica Dass's humanae is an ongoing attempt 'to document humanity's true colours' in terms of colour tones 'rather than the inaccurate labels... associated with race'

The Museum of Neoliberalism

The Museum of Neoliberalism is in Lee Green at16 Eltham Rd, London SE12 8TF.  It remains closed, but hopes to reopen in July 2021, pandemic permitting.

'The 1970s is a period known for cults, serial killers and the capitalist class becoming organised to defend its interests'

Curated by Darren Cullen and Gavin Grindon it features some highly imaginative exhibits including a Grenfell Tower Cross Section...

...a bottle of Amazon worker's urine and a working model of an Amazon warehouse (sorry fulfilment centre)...

...as well as some interesting toys and games like this Hornby Standing Room Only Passengers set

Lewisham houses occupied

Lewisham People Before Profit has occupied 5 houses which Lewisham Council was planning to sell of at auction today. They say:

'In a bid to stop 5 family houses being sold off at auction today (Monday 13th February) activists entered and peacefully took control of the houses earmarked for "disposal" by Lewisham Council. All of them would be suitable for family's to rent if they were refurbished, one only needs a lick of paint and the installation of a bath or shower - someone could move in there tomorrow!

There are around 50 families in Bed & Breakfast accommodation at the moment, paid for by us, the council tax payers. A further 350 are in hostels and around 1000 families are in temporary accommodation here in the borough of Lewisham. With such a shortage of affordable homes for rent is it a disgrace that the council is considering selling off these homes, and with reserve prices way below current market levels.

The Auction catalogue can be viewed here,  and the affected houses are lot numbers 41, 64, 84, 85 and 123. If the council won't live up to its responsibilities in refurbishing them Lewisham People Before Profit will consider taking on that task, employing and training unemployed young people from our borough to fit new bathrooms and kitchens where necessary. There will also be carpentry and plastering work. All the roofs are in good repair'.

The properties concerned are:

- 58 Friendly Street, SE8 (complete with an old WW2 shelter in back garden);
- Angus Street, SE8  (the ex-Deptford Green caretakers house);
- 81 Etta Street, SE8

- 128 Albyn Street, SE8
- 61 Lampmead Road, Lee Green, SE12