Sukhdev Sandhu: Night Haunts

A journey through the London night of 2006
www.nighthaunts.org.uk

Released in paperback in November 2010 (hardback release: September 2007)

Night Haunts is among work featured at the Quadrangle Film Festival in Shoreham, 2 - 4 September 2011

Whatever happened to the London night?

London at night has always been seen as a lawless orgy of depravity and pestilence. But has it become as bland and unthreatening as any new town?

In 2006, Sukhdev Sandhu journeyed across the city to find out whether the night has been neutralised by ASBOs and CCTV cameras. His forays saw him prospecting nocturnal London with the people who drive its pulse, from the avian police to security guards, from urban fox-hunters to real-life exorcists. Sandhu waded through the sewers, hung out with fugitive grafitti writers, and accompanied the nuns of Tyburn as they prayed for the souls of Londoners.

In the course of this episodic journey, Sandhu reflected on the nature of the urban night: does the quality of night change between 1am and 4am, and between the East End and the West? Has ‘night life’ been gradually corroded and colonised by light and entertainment? What are the invisible economies that pulse through the sleeping city? Does the Thames change its character at dusk? Is authentic darkness impossible? Do we need darkness?

A collaboration between Sandhu, website designer Ian Budden and sound artist and musician Scanner, Night Haunts unfolded in monthly episodes on a specially designed website. The website’s visual and sonic textures are in constant flux; they are randomly triggered so that each experience of the site is unique.

Launch the site by clicking here

Night Haunts formed part of Artangel Interaction’s series of artist-led projects, Nights of London, exploring the nocturnal city with the people who inhabit it.

It was made possible with the generous support of Mala Gaonkar. Artangel Interaction is funded by Arts Council Lottery, the generous support of Vincent and Elizabeth Meyer and the John Lyons Charity.

This project was supported by Arts Council England, Artangel International Circle, Special Angels and The Company of Angels