Freddie Yauner’s Market Faces artwork

FRUIT and veg traders as we know them are on the way out, says an artist.

Freddie Yauner, an artist who grew up in Highbury, has drawn 12 portraits of Chapel Market traders on packaging he took from their stalls, which are now on display in the Islington Museum in Clerkenwell until the end of the month.

“I think the traditional British male running that kind of stall will go.

“We’ll miss them when they’re gone, but we won’t miss them that much – people get romantic about them,” said Mr Yauner.

He added: “The food business is back-breaking. You have to go to bed at 7pm and wake up at 3am to go and collect your produce from Billingsgate or New Covent Garden.

Artist Freddie Yauner at work

“None of the traders families are interested in taking over from them because the margins in trading are gone, there’s no money in it.”

Mr Yauner says the borough’s diversity and richness of culture is demonstrated by what’s sold there, and what stalls will prosper there.

“There’s certain types of crabs that are sold in Chapel Market, and most British people wouldn’t have a clue what they are, they’re selling soft-shell crab in Chapel Market and who the hell is buying those? It must be local Asian communities and students.”

Mr Yauner also says he saw a clear divide between the regular traders and the farmers’ market that also runs in Chapel Market.

“On a Sunday when they have the farmers’ market and the regular market, there’s a barrier between them and never the twain shall meet.

“There’s a thing about the old-school locals who go to the market-market, know the traders by name and have known them for 40 years, and then there’s people like me and my family who go to the farmers’ market because it’s important to me that the produce isn’t covered in chemicals.”

He added: “As a way of trying to navigate the complexity of climate, race and class, there’s so many different angles that you can come at food from – and that little road is a centre of the whole thing.”

Mr Yauner spent time with the market traders, introducing himself to them and explaining his project: “I strolled along the market, wore my favourite Arsenal hat which helped with the banter, lowered my tone from middle-class Islingtonian, and had a chat with people, explained to them that I wanted to take their photo, grabbed a box or something from their stall, and talk about their stall and what they’re selling.”

The artist says he hopes to do a much longer study of Chapel Market exploring these themes.

“This market, this street, its history and future, it’s a remarkable study of the food we eat… I could make art about Chapel Market for 10 years,” he said.